Can I Play Hogwarts Legacy on Mac?

Yes, we have two working solutions! Click here to jump.

Hogwarts Legacy is a highly anticipated open-world action RPG set that allows players to experience Hogwarts in the 1800s. The game was initially set to get released in 2021, but due to some technical hiccups, it’s set to debut in 2023. Each player begins as a student with a key to an ancient secret that could disrupt everything. It has attracted the attention of many professional gamers and Harry Potter fans, who can’t wait to join in the adventure.

As the anticipation builds, it is good to ensure you are prepared to launch the game as soon as it gets released. This means getting the proper hardware, upgrading to a solid-state drive, etc. There have been concerns and queries if the game runs on Mac, and this review answers that and gives more insight into the system requirements.

What Platforms Can One Play Hogwarts Legacy On?

According to Avalanche Software, the game will be availed for:

PlayStation 4
PlayStation 5
Xbox One
Xbox X| S
PC.
The developer is also working on Hogwarts Legacy for Nintendo Switch.

But where is Mac? There is no native Hogwarts Legacy for Mac. However, it does not mean that you can’t experience it with your Macintosh!

So can I Play Hogwarts Legacy On Mac?

UPDATE FEB 18 – We already have 2 working solutions! Works with both Intel and Silicon (M1/M2) processors!

Option 1 – Bootsteroid + Steam or Epic

Time to install: 5 minutes
Costs: $59.99 for the Hogwarts Legacy game + $10 for Bootsteroid subscription

Hogwarts Legacy is already available on Bootsteroid.

Step 1 – Create a Bootsteroid Account

Just go to boosteroid.com and sign up

Step 2 – Create a Steam account (skip if you have one)

Go to https://store.steampowered.com/join/ and create an account

Follow all the instructions and confirm your email. You have to have your Steam account credentials ready at this point.

Step 3 – Purchase Hogwarts Legacy

Go to this URL and purchase the game:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/990080/Hogwarts_Legacy/

At this point, the game should be listed among the purchases in your Steam account. Do not install the game on your Mac.

Step 4 – Add a game and play

Add the Hogwarts Legacy game to your account on Bootsteroid, verify the license ownership and play.

Option 2 – Shadow + Steam

Time to install: 10 minutes
Costs: $59.99 for the Hogwarts Legacy game + $29.99 for Shadow PC or 44.98 for Shadow PC Power Upgrade

Step 1 – Create a Shadow PC account

First, go to https://shadow.tech/. Then click Subscribe button:

Follow all the instructions until you have your login and password ready.

Step 2 – Download a Shadow PC client and log in

Go to https://shadow.tech/shadow-apps and select an option for Mac OS:

Install the app when downloaded.

Now all you have to do is use your credentials to authorize. At this point, you have a windows machine that is ready to run your game.

Step 3 – Create a Steam account (skip if you have one)

Go to https://store.steampowered.com/join/ and create an account

Follow all the instructions and confirm your email. You have to have your Steam account credentials ready at this point.

Step 4 – Purchase Hogwarts Legacy

Go to this URL and purchase the game:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/990080/Hogwarts_Legacy/

At this point, the game should be listed among the purchases in your Steam account. Do not install the game on your Mac.

Step 5 – Install Steam on your Shadow PC

Launch your Shadow PC and go to this URL to install Steam App: https://store.steampowered.com/about/

Now install the Steam App and login into your Steam account.

Hogwarts Legacy should be already among your purchases. All you have to do is click the install button near the game.

When the game is installed – you can launch it and enjoy the world of Harry Potter on your Mac!

Will Hogwarts Legacy run smoothly on Shadow PC?

Here’s the comparison of recommended tech specs and Shadow PC’s specs:

	Shadow PC	Recommended Specs
Processor	Intel XEON™ 3.5 GHz	Intel i7-8700 (3.2 GHz)
Memory	12 GB	16 GB
GPU	GeForce GTX 1080	NVIDIA GeForce 1080 Ti

So, as you can see, only memory is the weak spot here. So, with a standard Shadow PC subscription the game should run smoothly on minimum settings and it can lag a little on recommended settings.

The solution? Shadow PC Power Upgrade! It costs $14.99 more, but it has much more powerful specifications:

Here’s how Shadow PC Power Upgrade compares with the recommended settings:

	Shadow PC Power Upgrade	Recommended Specs
Processor	AMD EPYC™ 7543P (WIP) 2.8 GHz (up to 3.7 GHz)	Intel i7-8700 (3.2 GHz)
Memory	16 GB	16 GB
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX™ 3070-class	NVIDIA GeForce 1080 Ti

With Power Upgrade the game will run fast on recommended specs and is likely to run smoothly on High Specs as well.

How to Run Hogwarts Legacy On Mac Using Wine

Download Wine from the official website (winehq.org)
Install Wine on your Mac
Download Hogwarts Legacy for Windows to your Max
Right-click on the game’s executable file and select “Open with”
Select “Wine” from the options
The game will begin to install and run through Wine
Configure any necessary settings and enjoy playing your game on your Mac

Tip: Step 7 can be quite technical. Porting Kit is a solution that will do all the heavy lifting for you. So I really recommend you to search for Hogwarts Legacy on their Game List when the game gets released.

Pay attention: you will be running a game via a compatibility layer. The game isn’t optimized for the best performance on your mac. This is why your mac’s characteristics should be way better than the game’s system requirements.

Playing Hogwarts Legacy on Mac Using Boot Camp (Intel Macs Only)

Boot Camp is a tool available on macOS that facilitates the installation of Windows on a separate partition of your Mac’s hard drive. This allows you to play the Windows version of Hogwarts Legacy on your Mac. However, it is important to note that Boot Camp is only compatible with Intel-based Macs and cannot be used with the latest Apple Silicon M1 & M2 Macs.

By using Boot Camp, you can easily switch between Windows and macOS on your Intel Mac, providing you with the flexibility to use either operating system. Furthermore, this tool enables your Mac to use all of its resources to run highly demanding games like Hogwarts Legacy, which can result in a smoother and more enjoyable gaming experience compared to other methods of running Windows on a Mac.

To play Hogwarts Legacy on a Mac using Boot Camp, it is recommended that you have one of the following Mac models: MacBook (2015 or later), MacBook Air/Pro (2012 or later), Mac mini (2012 or later), iMac (2012 or later), iMac Pro (all models), or Mac Pro (2013 or later).

Playing Hogwarts Legacy Using OneCast

If you want to play Hogwarts Legacy on your Mac using OneCast, you simply need to register for the software, install it, and start playing the game. One possible drawback is that you also need to have an Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S with Hogwarts Legacy installed since OneCast lets you stream the game from your console to your Mac. You can test OneCast for free for 14 days before committing to the $14.99 per month subscription fee. If you decide to proceed, download the free trial and follow the installation instructions on your Mac.

After OneCast is installed, you need to ensure that both your Mac and Xbox console are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Once they are, your Mac will automatically recognize the console, and you can activate Bluetooth and pair your Xbox controller with your Mac. From there, you can download Hogwarts Legacy on your Xbox, launch OneCast, and start playing the game on your Mac as if it were running on the console.

Hogwarts Legacy System Requirements

If you’re still asking, can you play Hogwarts Legacy on Mac or PC? There are officially recommended requirements to determine if the game can run on your device. The minimum requirements include:

The minimum RAM is 16 GB.
Processor: Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Storage needed 85 GB of available space
Graphics needed: AMD RX 5700 XT or NVIDIA GeForce 1080 Ti
DirectX: Best to use Version 12
Additional Notes: it’s best to use SSD, Upscale Quality setting, High-Quality Settings, and 1080p/60 fps

Avalanche Software, Hogwarts Legacy game developer, recommended requirements include:

OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i7 8700
Graphics to use: Go for NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
VRAM: 8 GB
Storage to go for: 85 GB of available space
RAM: 16 GB

Why It’s Unavailable on Mac?

The answer is simple: Windows is de facto a #1 platform for non-console gaming, it is much more popular than Mac. Developers should code the game almost from scratch to make it run natively on Mac and taking into account the small number of users, they don’t find it cost-efficient.

System Requirements Analysis

As much as Hogwarts Legacy supports hard drives, installing the Harry Potter open-world action RPG on an SSD is best. You can expect around 60FPS at 1080p screen resolution from a Core i5-8700 6-Core 2.8GHz or Ryzen 5 3600 6-Core 3.6GHz processor, which is the recommended setting. The other alternative of using an AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel Core i5-8400 Or 360 processor gives 30FPS on low settings, which is the minimum requirement.

The additional notes are references to the upscale settings, suggesting that you can use the AMD, FSR, NVIDIA DLSS, and other techniques to boost fps.

A FAQ page is available that answers the Hogwarts Legacy Mac compatibility requirements. You can also use the platform to learn more about the game and other essential conditions, such as how much space the game takes, the featured characters, and so much more.

Bottom Line

There is no better time to prepare for the Hogwarts Legacy game to launch on February 10, 2023. The game puts players at the center of their adventure in the Harry Potter wizarding world. If you don’t want to miss out on these immersive adventures, get your device updated and ready to use by ensuring it meets the requirements. There is also a link available for Hogwarts Legacy Mac users to use.