How to Dual Boot Linux on Mac: A Step-by-Step Guide

Well now, if you’re lookin’ to put Linux on yer Mac alongside macOS, there’s somethin’ called dual-bootin’. It means you can have two systems on yer computer, and when ya start it up, ya pick which one you wanna use. It ain’t as complicated as some folks make it sound, but there are a few things you gotta do right, or it’ll mess up yer Mac. I’ll tell ya how to do it in simple steps, so ya don’t get lost, and ya get to use Linux right alongside yer macOS.

Step 1: Backup Yer Data First!

Before ya do anything, don’t go messin’ with yer Mac without backin’ up all yer important stuff. I’m talkin’ photos, documents, anything you don’t wanna lose. You can use Time Machine or any other backup method, but get it done, ’cause if things go wrong, you might lose everything. It ain’t worth the risk, trust me.

Step 2: Get a Linux Distribution

Now, you’ll need to get a Linux system. I recommend Linux Mint, it’s easy to use, and it ain’t as confusing as some of the others. Go to their website and download the latest version. Ya can put it on a USB stick to install it later, but don’t try bootin’ it up on yer Mac just yet. We ain’t there yet.

Step 3: Make Space for Linux

Alright, now yer gonna need to make some space on yer hard drive for Linux. I know, it sounds scary, but it ain’t. You got to shrink the macOS partition a little bit. You can do this with the built-in Disk Utility on yer Mac. Just open it up, select yer drive, and hit the partition button. Resize yer macOS partition and leave some room for Linux. The more space you leave, the better Linux will run.

Step 4: Boot from Linux USB Stick

Once ya got that partition ready, plug in yer Linux USB stick. Restart yer Mac, and hold down the Option key as it boots. You should see a menu with different drives. Pick the one that says “EFI Boot” or something like that. That’s yer Linux USB stick. Click it, and it’ll boot up into Linux Mint. Don’t worry, it won’t change anything on yer Mac yet. You’re just testin’ it out.

Step 5: Install Linux Alongside macOS

Now, this is the most important part. When ya boot into Linux, there’s an install button. When you click it, it’ll ask you how you want to install Linux. Choose the option that says something like “Install Linux alongside macOS”. Don’t pick “Erase disk” or “Replace macOS” unless you’re willin’ to lose all yer stuff. Just choose the dual-boot option and let it do its thing.

Step 6: Wait and Let It Install

Once you’ve made yer choice, let the installer do the rest. It’ll take a little while to copy the files and set everything up, but just be patient. Don’t go messin’ with it while it’s workin’, or ya might mess up the whole thing. Once it’s done, it’ll ask ya to restart. Don’t worry, yer Mac won’t be all messed up.

Step 7: Boot into Linux or macOS

After the install, every time you restart yer Mac, you’ll see a menu called rEFInd. This is a boot manager, and it lets ya pick whether you want to boot into macOS or Linux. If you wanna use Linux, just pick it from the list and hit Enter. Same goes for macOS, just pick that one if you wanna go back to Apple’s system.

Step 8: Final Adjustments

Now that Linux is installed, there’s a few tweaks you might need to do. Maybe ya gotta install some drivers, or set up Wi-Fi or Bluetooth if it ain’t workin’ right. But most of the time, Linux will pick up on everything once it’s installed. If ya ever need to update the system, it’s easy to do with the built-in update manager in Linux Mint.

What About Apple Silicon Macs?

If ya got a newer Mac with Apple’s M1, M2, or M3 chip, well, things get a bit trickier. Apple doesn’t support Boot Camp no more, and you can’t just install Windows or Linux the regular way. But don’t worry, there’s still hope! You can run Linux on these Macs through virtualization or emulation. It ain’t as fast as dual-bootin’, but it works. You’ll need some software like Parallels or UTM to set it up, and it’ll be a bit slower, but it’ll let ya run Linux without messin’ with yer Mac’s main system too much.

Conclusion

So there ya go, that’s how ya dual-boot Linux and macOS on yer Mac. It’s a good way to try out Linux without giving up macOS, and it’s really not all that hard if you follow the steps. Just be sure to back up yer data and take yer time with each step, and ya shouldn’t have no trouble. Good luck, and happy computin’!

Tags：[Dual Boot, Linux on Mac, Install Linux, MacOS, rEFInd, Boot Manager, Linux Mint, Apple Silicon, Virtualization, Boot Camp, M1, M2, M3]