Apple’s macOS Software License Agreement only permits virtualization on genuine Apple hardware. This means:

Our recommendation for full compliance: If you have a Mac, download High Sierra from Apple’s installassistant.pkg (hidden link) and build your own VMDK using the built-in hdiutil and createinstallmedia method.


  • Create a Bootable DMG:

  • VMware Fusion VMDK Creation:

  • Optimize the VMDK:

  • Time investment: 90 minutes. Quality: 10/10.

    If you cannot access a Mac, but you legally own a macOS license (e.g., you bought a Mac in 2017), you may use third-party VMDKs. Below are the best known repositories based on community trust scores.

    In a virtual environment, disk space is precious. A "best" High Sierra VMDK utilizes the APFS Sparse Image format.