How to install macOS Catalina on VMware

Installing macOS Catalina on VMware
I recommend this guide for those who know how to use most of the VMware features. If you are a complete beginner, I recommend trying to install Windows first (refer to ScammerRevolts article)

  1. Download Unlocker 3.0 here: https://github.com/DrDonk/unlocker![step%201|690x317](upload://A55cA5WN1aQAQNkqBvOfUSC8KUK.png)
  2. Extract all the files and run unlocker.exe as administrator (Please close VMware first by clicking File>Exit.
  3. Let the setup run itself. It should open the Command Prompt.
  4. Open VMware again and create a new VM and select Typical (Recommended)step%201
  5. Click Next.
  6. Browse your macOS Catalina ISO image. A message will pop up saying that VMware cannot detect the operating system. Just click Next.
  7. Under select Guest OS, select Apple Mac OS X and in the drop-down select macOS 10.15 (I don’t know why there is a 10.16 there). Then click next.step%204
  8. Name the VM whatever you want then click next.step%205
  9. Under specify disk capacity, change 40GB to 100GB.
  10. Click Finish.
  11. Open the VM and click Edit VM Settings. DO NOT START THE VM YET.
  12. Change the Memory to at least 2GB (4GB recommended). Change the number of processors to 2 and make sure that the total number is 4. Ignore the message that the VM will not run correctly. (If it says your host does not have enough processors, reduce it back to 1.
  13. Click OK.
  14. Stop! Don’t run the VM. Close VMware by clicking File>Exit first.
  15. Open File Explorer and navigate to My Documents>Virtual Machines>(Your VM Name).
  16. Open the .vmx file using Notepad. Select Open with>Choose another app.
  17. Choose More Apps>Notepad.
  18. Scroll down to the bottom of the file and type smc.version = “0”
  19. Save and exit the file.
  20. Open VMware and start the VM.
  21. You should see the Apple logo if everything goes well.
  22. Open Disk Utility in the macOS Utilities box.
  23. Format the disk using Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
  24. Now install macOS Catalina.
  25. There is a first and second phase of installation. The first one is via the setup and the second one is when you see the Apple logo and “About … minutes remaining”.
  26. After installation, you will be greeted with the welcome screen. Set up the Mac VM as you wish to do on a real Mac.
  27. There! It is done! If you want, you can install VMware tools on the VM.
    Note that for me on iCloud my mac VM was detected as an iPhone. Just FYI.
    Please reply if you have any more issues. You can also email me for more help.
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Great guide. My host machine is Mac OS Monterey. I was successful installing and running the Mac OS guest on VMware, but when I look into it I’m seeing that it shows VMware on certain devices such as camera. How would I go in and mask that?