Linux on Mac for Apple Silicon
Run Linux on your Mac with real ARM virtual machines
Kyvenza creates full Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora ARM VMs on Apple Silicon Macs. No dual boot, no cloud instance, no QEMU flags to assemble. Just a working Linux virtual machine on your Mac in a few minutes.
What you can do with a Linux VM on your Mac
Match your production Linux servers
Run the same Ubuntu ARM release your servers run, locally on your Mac. Test systemd units, kernel-level behavior, and package upgrades before they reach production.
Disposable Ubuntu VMs for risky work
Spin up a throwaway Ubuntu VM on your Mac, break it, snapshot it, roll it back. Your macOS install is never touched.
Learn Linux without dual booting
Students and instructors get a real Linux virtual machine on the Mac they already own. No partitioning, no bootable USB, no second computer.
Kyvenza vs other ways to run Linux on a Mac
Docker, dual boot, a cloud VPS, and general-purpose hypervisors all get you some form of Linux. Kyvenza is for developers who want a real ARM Linux virtual machine on the Mac itself, with a native UI instead of a config file.
| Feature | Kyvenza | Other tools |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use case | ARM Linux VMs on Mac | General-purpose virtualization |
| Backend | Apple Virtualization framework (native) | QEMU or proprietary hypervisors |
| Setup | Pre-filled defaults for ARM Linux | More configuration knobs to learn |
| Pricing | $49 one-time, 7-day free trial | Free, subscription, or hybrid |
| Windows 11 ARM | Not supported today | Varies by tool |
What Kyvenza supports today
A short, honest list — so you know what to expect before you download.
Supported today
- Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3, M4, M5)
- Ubuntu ARM (LTS releases)
- Debian ARM
- Fedora ARM
- macOS 14 Sonoma or later as host
- Native Apple Virtualization framework backend
Not supported yet
- Windows 11 on ARM — no shipping support today, no committed timeline
- x86 / Intel guest operating systems
- Nested virtualization
- GPU passthrough
We list what we cannot deliver today so you can plan accordingly.
How it works
Install Kyvenza on your Mac
Download the signed .dmg for Apple Silicon and move Kyvenza into /Applications. Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
Create your first Linux VM
Pick an Ubuntu ARM, Debian ARM, or Fedora ARM ISO. Disk, memory, and networking come pre-filled, so installing Linux on your Mac takes a few clicks instead of a config file.
Develop and snapshot
Use SSH or the built-in console for development; snapshot before risky changes and roll back when needed.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. On Apple Silicon Macs the cleanest route is a virtual machine rather than dual boot, and macOS ships with Apple’s own Virtualization framework for exactly this. Kyvenza is a Mac app on top of that framework: you pick an ARM Linux ISO, and it creates and runs the VM alongside macOS with no reboot and no partitioning.
Get a real Linux VM running on your Mac
Download Kyvenza, pick Ubuntu, Debian, or Fedora ARM, and have a working Linux virtual machine on your Mac in minutes. Free for 7 days, then $49 once.