Catalina dropped support for 32-bit applications, boosting system efficiency. Sidecar: Allows you to use an iPad as a second display. Find My: Merged Find My Friends and Find My iPhone.
Start the VM, open Disk Utility to format the virtual hard drive as APFS, and then proceed with the installation. Important Considerations in 2026
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyUSB macos catalina 10157 iso download new
hdiutil convert /tmp/Catalina.dmg -format UDTO -o ~/Desktop/Catalina.cdr Rename to .iso: mv ~/Desktop/Catalina.cdr ~/Desktop/Catalina.iso Alternative Resources
Fixed a bug that prevented files from syncing properly. Start the VM, open Disk Utility to format
Be cautious when downloading ISO files from third-party websites, as they may contain malware or viruses. It's always best to download from official sources.
The safest way to get the installation files is directly from Apple. Follow these steps to pull the file onto your Mac: It's always best to download from official sources
Use hdiutil commands to convert the app's internal .dmg file into a bootable .iso file. How to Install macOS Catalina 10.15.7 on VirtualBox/VMware
Start the VM and follow the on-screen instructions to install Catalina. Alternatives to ISO: DMG and VMDK
To ensure a downloaded third-party ISO is authentic and uncompromised, verify its SHA-256 checksum. Open PowerShell on Windows or Terminal on Linux/Mac and run the verification command against your downloaded file.