How to Run Virt-Manager on macOS (or Windows)

6 days ago
TechTutelage
3 minutes

Installing Virt-Manager on macOS can be challenging. While Linux users enjoy a straightforward setup, macOS users face a series of challenges that can turn a simple installation into a marathon of configuration and troubleshooting. But don’t worry – there’s a workaround that’s surprisingly easy and doesn’t require you to wrestle with macOS’s limited support for Virt-Manager. Instead, we can run Virt-Manager remotely on a Linux server and use X11Forwarding to access the graphical interface on our Mac and or Windows.

Let’s explore why setting up Virt-Manager on macOS is so tricky, how the workaround works, and what you need to get started.

Why Installing Virt-Manager on macOS Is Difficult

Virt-Manager, the popular GUI for managing virtual machines, is built to work with Linux systems and the QEMU/KVM hypervisor, both of which are tightly integrated into Linux environments. While tools like Homebrew make it possible to install a variety of Linux software on macOS, Virt-Manager poses unique challenges due to its heavy reliance on Linux-specific dependencies, system calls, and virtualization requirements that aren’t natively supported in macOS.

For most users, these technical hurdles make Virt-Manager on macOS impractical. However, the solution below allows you to avoid these obstacles altogether.

The Workaround: Run Virt-Manager from a Linux Server with X11Forwarding

Rather than installing Virt-Manager directly on your Mac, you can set up a Linux server with QEMU/KVM and access Virt-Manager remotely using X11 Forwarding. This way, the Linux server handles all the virtual machine operations, and you just access the graphical interface from your Mac or Windows computer. Here’s an overview of how it works:

  1. Set Up a Linux Server: Start with a Linux server configured with QEMU/KVM and Virt-Manager. This can be an actual physical server or a virtual private server (VPS).
  2. Install XQuartz on macOS (or an X11-compatible program for Windows): XQuartz is an X11 server for macOS that enables graphical applications running on other systems to display on your Mac. For Windows, you’ll need an X11 substitute like Xming.
  3. Use SSH with X11 Forwarding: By connecting to the Linux server over SSH with X11 Forwarding enabled, you can open Virt-Manager on the remote server and have its interface display on your Mac.
  4. Run Virt-Manager Remotely: Once you’re connected with X11 Forwarding, you’ll be able to manage virtual machines seamlessly as though you were on the Linux machine itself.

If this sounds appealing, check out, my step-by-step video tutorial.