Learn how to set up Windows or Steam on an external drive for a Mac.
Learn how to set up Windows or Steam on an external drive for a Mac.
Hello Linus, Luke and Team, I'm keen about setting up Windows and Steam on an external drive and booting it up for my Mac. The goal is to play games through Steam on the Mac without using any storage space there and to fully enjoy the Steam and Windows experience. No partitions, no virtual setup—just a straightforward approach. Is this feasible? If yes, please create a tutorial video if you haven't already. I'm really interested in this option. I recently got an iMac 5K with two Thunderbolt 3/USB C ports. While the Mac isn't the best for gaming, I plan to play intense titles like Age of Empires Definitive once it releases, which doesn't seem to need a powerful GPU or high-end games. For more demanding titles, I already use my PS4 Pro. By the way, I'm completely new to Mac usage since I've always been a Windows user. Thanks in advance for your guidance and insights, Arthur.
You’d need a “Windows to go installation” and would have to link an external storage device (ideally an SSD) to your Mac, then launch Windows from there. This approach demands significantly more effort than simply resharing your internal drive, as you’ll also need an external mouse and keyboard since the Mac will require drivers before it functions properly.
This approach seems logical. It would be straightforward to set up Windows on your Mac using BootCamp as usual. Allocate around 50 gigabytes for the partition. After that, you could install Steam and your games onto an external drive. Then boot into Windows via BootCamp with your Mac connected, load Steam, and enjoy your games. This method might be simpler and more efficient. What do you think?