Can you run iMovie on Windows?

No tested route runs iMovie on Windows. Native alternatives: Clipchamp, DaVinci Resolve, Shotcut.

No official versionNo official version

iMovie is a free Apple app for Mac, iPhone and iPad, distributed through the App Store. Apple offers no Windows version.

Sources: Apple, Apple App Store (iMovie listing) · Verified

Official platforms: Mac, iPad (all iMovie platforms)

What works instead

RouteResultCost
macOS virtual machine on a PC Not recommended Does not work Free

macOS virtual machine on a PC

Not recommended Does not work

License warning. Apple's macOS license does not allow macOS to be installed, used or run on any non-Apple-branded computer. Virtual copies are allowed only on Apple computers that already run macOS.

Source: Apple · Verified

Not a legitimate option. Apple's license forbids running macOS on non-Apple hardware.

  • Against Apple's macOS license on a Windows PC.

Cost: Free. The route itself is not licensed.

Source: Apple · Verified

Not yet tested (1 route: Rented cloud Mac)

No source we could read confirms whether these routes work for iMovie. They are listed so you know they exist.

Rented cloud Mac

Not verified

License warning. Apple's macOS license allows leasing a Mac only for developer services (continuous integration, building and testing software), with a minimum lease of 24 hours. Using a rented Mac for creative work is outside those terms.

Sources: Apple, Amazon Web Services · Checked , not verified

A rented Mac can run Mac App Store apps, but we found no provider that names iMovie or confirms it runs on their current macOS version.

  • The current iMovie for Mac requires a recent macOS release (the App Store lists macOS 26.6 or later).
  • Apple's license limits leased Macs to developer services, so video editing is outside its leasing terms.

Cost: Subscription. iMovie is free, but the Mac rental is billed by the day or month.

Not confirmed for iMovie specifically. RentAMac names Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro and GarageBand, not iMovie.

Sources: Apple App Store (iMovie listing), Apple, RentAMac · Checked , not verified

Known blockers

Apple's macOS license does not allow macOS on non-Apple computers, which rules out a macOS virtual machine on a Windows PC.

Source: Apple · Verified

Native alternatives on Windows

Clipchamp

Free tier, paid upgrades

The closest match for iMovie-style quick edits, in the Windows 11 Start menu, with free HD exports.

Source: Microsoft (Clipchamp) · Verified

DaVinci Resolve

Free tier, paid upgrades

Free professional editor for when you outgrow simple edits.

Source: Blackmagic Design · Verified

Shotcut

Free

Free, open source editor for Windows 10 and 11.

Source: Shotcut (Meltytech) · Verified

Sources

  1. Apple software license agreement for macOS (sections 2B, 2M and 3). Apple, license terms. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  2. Amazon EC2 Mac instances. Amazon Web Services, vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  3. iMovie support. Apple, vendor knowledge base. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  4. iMovie for Mac on the App Store. Apple App Store (iMovie listing), vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  5. Mac as a Service. RentAMac, vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  6. Clipchamp video editor. Microsoft (Clipchamp), vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  7. DaVinci Resolve. Blackmagic Design, vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  8. Download Shotcut. Shotcut (Meltytech), vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  9. Download AnyDesk. AnyDesk, vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.
  10. GarageBand for Mac. Apple, vendor. Accessed 17 Oct 2026.

Record last verified 17 October 2026. Ratings from third-party compatibility databases are linked to their original pages. How we verify.

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