WinDock Support

Setup and support

Find help with Windows 11 ARM on your Apple Silicon Mac. Contact support@windocks.app if you need assistance.

Using the separate WinDock EXE app? Jump to EXE installation, launch and purchase help. The Windows ARM64 ISO requirements below apply to the WinDock virtual-machine app, not WinDock EXE.

What do I need?

A Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or later) and macOS 14 or later. Intel Macs are not supported.
A Windows 11 ARM64 ISO from Microsoft. An x64 ISO is not suitable.
Enough free disk space for the ISO, Windows virtual disk, installation, and future updates.
A separately obtained Windows license where required. WinDock does not include Windows or activation keys.

How do the trial and lifetime purchase work?

Start the 7-day free trial in WinDock or purchase lifetime access directly. The trial does not automatically convert into a paid purchase. There is no subscription or automatic renewal.

After the trial expires, installing or running Windows requires lifetime access. Check the in-app purchase screen for your local price. Purchasing WinDock access does not purchase a Windows license.

How do I restore a purchase?

Use Restore Purchase in WinDock's purchase screen while signed in to the Apple Account used for the original transaction. If prices do not load, check your connection and App Store sign-in, then retry. You can close the purchase screen without buying.

Where are my virtual machines?

Virtual-machine data is stored locally in WinDock's app data on your Mac. Manage your virtual machines in WinDock settings. The storage location can differ between older and newer builds; do not manually move or delete app-data folders to troubleshoot a running VM.

How do I access Mac files from Windows?

Check the shared-folder selection and permissions in WinDock settings. Depending on your setup, Windows can show the authorized Mac Downloads folder as M: and the configured shared folder as W:. Do not assume every installation uses the same Mac folder path.

If a shared drive is missing, confirm the folder is still available and authorized, then check the Windows guest integration. Back up important files before changing or deleting shared content.

Where do external drives appear?

Keep the drive connected and authorize the folder you want to share in WinDock. It may appear through the Mac External Disks entry in the shared folder. This is shared-folder access, not a promise of raw USB-device passthrough.

What if Windows Setup or integration is not working?

First confirm that your ISO is ARM64 and that enough disk space is available. Complete Windows Setup before expecting desktop file sharing, clipboard, and audio integration. If a problem persists, contact support with the exact error; do not delete an existing VM as a first troubleshooting step.

How do I reclaim disk space?

Back up files you need from Windows, stop the VM, and use WinDock settings to delete a virtual machine you no longer need. Deleting its virtual disk removes the Windows files stored inside it; this is different from uninstalling the WinDock app.

WinDock EXE — setup and support

WinDock EXE runs compatible Windows applications using its built-in Wine engine. It does not install Windows or create a Windows virtual machine. It requires macOS 14 or later; on Apple silicon the Intel runtime also requires Rosetta. Use your own licensed application files from a trusted source.

Which installer should I choose?

Choose the Intel/x64 edition of an EXE or MSI, not the Windows ARM64 edition. A Mac with an ARM chip does not make Windows ARM64 apps compatible with this engine. Some installer payloads cannot be identified before setup; support is not guaranteed for every program, game, driver or Windows framework.

Install once, then run the installed program

Click the prominent Add (+) button, or drag an EXE/MSI into WinDock EXE.
Select the imported app, click Install and complete its setup. Close setup windows, and use Finish Installation if shown.
WinDock EXE looks for the installed launch target. Next time choose Run Installed App, not the original installer.

If several candidates exist or no reliable target is found, stop the app and choose Choose Another Executable… within its environment. For 7-Zip the graphical file manager is C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7zFM.exe; 7z.exe is the command-line tool. A portable application can run without installation.

Manage files and troubleshoot

Reinstall runs the original installer in the existing environment. Show Bottle in Finder opens its files; Show Log shows diagnostic details. Stop the application before changing its launch target or deleting it. Delete App… removes that environment and files inside it, not the original download outside WinDock EXE. Back up important files first.

Right-click a library item to rename, pin or sort it. Settings provides English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese, and an offline user guide. Windows programs have their own language settings. Squares instead of Chinese glyphs can indicate font fallback, not a corrupt installer; report the app/version and a redacted screenshot if the issue persists.

Seven-day trial, lifetime purchase and Apple sign-in

The trial begins only when you select Start 7-Day Free Trial. In the App Store edition this is a free non-consumable Apple purchase. The seven days are calculated from the original verified purchase date; restoring or migrating an earlier trial does not restart it. The Developer ID edition uses a local trial.

Buy Once is a separate non-consumable lifetime purchase. There is no subscription, automatic renewal or automatic charge when the trial ends. Use the price Apple displays for your storefront. WinDock and WinDock EXE have separate purchase entitlements.

Restore Purchase uses the Apple Account from the original purchase. Apple may request media-services sign-in, which is separate from App Store Connect sign-in. Cancelling sign-in does not confirm a trial or purchase. If confirmation fails, check the connection and App Store account; do not delete trial records as a troubleshooting step.

More Apps and external services

The bundled directory works offline. Online directory details and icons may be loaded from the author's catalog and Apple services. External service websites open after confirmation and have their own terms, accounts and privacy policies; they do not automatically receive your local EXE files from WinDock EXE.

Contact support@windocks.app with your WinDock EXE version, Mac/macOS details, the Windows app version, and the exact failing step. Review log excerpts and screenshots before sending them; remove private paths, personal files, credentials and license keys. Do not send an entire environment. Read the WinDock EXE privacy supplement.

The existing WinDock source package is for the virtual-machine product; it is not a WinDock EXE installer or an EXE-runtime source package.

What should I include in a WinDock virtual-machine support request?

Your Mac model, chip, and macOS version.
Your WinDock version and build number.
The task you were performing and the exact error message.
A screenshot or diagnostic information you choose to share.

Review attachments first. Remove passwords, activation keys, personal documents, and other sensitive information. Do not send your full virtual-machine disk or payment-card details.

Read the privacy policy or find third-party source materials.