How to Try Omarchy Linux on a Mac, Without Installing Linux
Omarchy is a new curated Linux distribution that offers a pre-configured keyboard driven environment and window manager. It’s lightweight and highly customizable, with system integrated AI tools, making for a unique take on operating systems. With Omarchy gaining quite a bit of attention, you might be curious in giving Omarchy a test run, but perhaps you’re not yet ready to commit an entire computer to running the new Linux distro, or don’t want to tinker with a VM.
And that’s where Try Omarchy comes in, an unaffiliated project from @martiano. It offers an entirely self-contained virtualized version of Omarchy Linux that’ll run as an independent app on MacOS.
So, if you’re curious and want to give Omarchy Linux a test run on your Mac, with minimal effort? Give Try Omarchy a look:
Download the latest release and install “Try Omarchy” in your /Applications folder as usual, then launch Try Omarchy. You’ll want to grant the app a few permissions, and set a shared folder (all optional, but for the most realistic Omarchy experience and to share files between Omarchy and MacOS easily this is all recommended).
And away you go, you’re now running Omarchy in a new Space on the Mac (yes this means you can switch between Omarchy and MacOS with a three-finger swipe left or right). Go through a super simple setup of selecting your language, username, root password, and optional Github & LLM login info, and you’re ready to go.
Windows and apps tile by default, and while it takes a few minutes to get accustomed to using primarily the keyboard, you’ll pick up the hang of it pretty quickly.
Window focus follows your cursor, and you’ll want to learn a few basic keyboard shortcuts to really get cruising.
Essential Omarchy Keyboard Shortcuts to Get Started
Since Omarchy is primarily keyboard driven, you’ll want to learn a few of the core keyboard shortcuts to interact with your OS. Here are a few of the absolute essential shortcuts to learn:
- Command+K opens a list of keyboard shortcuts
- Command+Spacebar is the Omarchy menu and app launcher, where to access Settings, etc
- Command+Return opens a Terminal
- Command+Shift+B opens the Chromium web browser
- Command+W closes app/window
- Command+Up/Down/Right/Left Arrow keys to switch between open windows/apps
- Command+1 through Command+5 switches to other virtual desktops in Omarchy (virtual desktops are known as Spaces in MacOS)
- Command+Escape to access the System menu (reboot, shutdown, screen saver, etc)
- FOR ‘Try Omarchy’ ONLY: Three-finger swipe left/right on the trackpad / Magic Mouse to switch back to your standard MacOS space
There are many more, but those plus Command+K will get you started and navigating around.
The developer @martiano has created a full walkthrough video of the setup if you’re curious or want some additional direction, but getting Omarchy up and running on a Mac with Try Omarchy is basically as easy as opening any Mac application.
Try Omarchy runs Omarchy on your Apple Silicon MacBook. No setup, just a standard app install.
Super easy to give Omarchy a try before you install it.
Link in the first reply.Here's a demo of the full setup (~3min) https://t.co/2Xyf8lg1gj pic.twitter.com/I8u03AVOq5
— Eduardo (@martiano) August 25, 2026
There are plenty of ways to run Linux on a Mac, but the Try Omarchy app is particularly easy because it’s entirely self-contained, removing the usual steps to get Linux running in a virtual machine like UTM, or another partition. This makes is super easy to give Omarchy Linux a try and to see what the fuss is all about, but without having to go through additional steps.
For Mac users who have wondered what Omarchy is all about, and want to try out what an aggressively customizable keyboard-driven Linux desktop feels like, this may be one of the easiest ways to find out. And if you decide Omarchy isn’t for you? No loss, just quit the Try Omarchy app, and you’re back in MacOS.
Oh and by the way, there’s a Windows version of a similar app available too if you have a PC and want to give Omarchy a whirl without committing to a full install.
Well, I know nothing about the politics of this Linux but I guess if you feel the need to run Linux on a Mac its an option. For me I run the native OS on a Mac and that’s it, I run Linux on a separate PC, and Windows on another. I am not into virtual machines or dual boots. Used to run Parallels on a Intel Mac years ago but always felt BootCamp was better. No doubt Apple isn’t going to officially support Linux of any kind in any way on their Mac’s.
The three-finger swipe between Omarchy and macOS sounds pretty slick—way easier than fumbling with a VM just to test drive a new distro.
Any chance to get this for MacOS? This was so easy. I want to be able to open an app to run MacOS right away just like this, not the big install process of Parallels or UTM, that takes too long to setup. This is instant, really cool, but please make it run different MacOS versions. One for Windows would be cool too. I do not have serious interest in Linux.
I find the Omarchy interface to be very confusing but they have a manual on their website to help.
https://omarchy.org/manual/coming-from-mac-or-windows/
I personally find MacOS to be the absolute best operating system and there’s no comparison in usability. With that said, I like to learn new systems, and I would rather use a Linux than a Windows computer at this point in my life. I find new Windows to be “user hostile” as people say, if I could still run Windows XP on a modern laptop at work I would.
You really stepped on a hornets nest with this one!
I know this is an Apple site, but here’s a little advice: stay away from Linux to avoid a hornets nest like this!
Linux is HIGHLY political in the most incredibly toxic way, think about the most radicalized toxic politics in whatever country you can think of, and then add the arrogance and echo chambers of Reddit, and you’re beginning to get a taste of how political Linux has become!
The unsuspecting might think you’re curious about Linux as an operating system, but for the radicals, Linux is interpreted as taking a stance on social issues and politics. It has become a very poisonous landscape!
Stick to Apple! Even Microsoft! Those rivalries are nothing compared to the poison of modern Linux!
I have to admit I am befuddled. I just thought it was a super easy way to try Linux on a Mac, I had no idea there was some controversy around any of this.
can i run Omache on my old macbook with Mohave? this is pre apple silicon
Oh this is nice, I like this. I was a little confused at first because it launches full screen and I did not realize that you can just swipe out of it like any other full screen app. Now that I figure that out, I am swiping between Linux which I don’t know much of, and Mac which I am more familiar with. What an interesting way to learn new systems. Thank you.
@Paul And yet, everything I said is factually correct. What’s *topical* about Omarchy, is the character of the people behind it, and the motivations of the people backing it.
@Someone
For the record, I don’t know a thing about the people behind Omarchy, or their character, or their motivations. I wouldn’t even know where to begin to discover any of that.
My own motivation is simply to show people a super easy way to run a newly popular version of Linux on their Mac with just the launch of an app. If you know of another similar tool, share it with us, I’d be happy to take a look!
– Paul
The window manager is very foreign to me and takes some getting used to, I prefer being able to drag my windows around like a traditional desktop operating system. Nonetheless I am enjoying trying this out.
Looks like this is just a preconfigured VM but I gotta say this is VERY convenient. I wonder if the creator would be interested in making preconfigured VM apps like this for other operating systems too, including Windows, macOS, Linux. The worst part about VMs is the lengthy setup, install, config, especially Windows which is just dreadful to setup nowadays.
The tiling window manager definitely takes some getting used to. Try out the keyboard shortcuts mentioned in the article to get a better feel for things!
It’s got attention because its leadership are w**** ********ists, who openly advocate for the e***** c******** of Europe of all non-***** people.
Which says a lot about the people behind 1password, who just put a whole bunch of money behind it.
This is a very incendiary comment that initially didn’t pass our auto comment filtering mechanism without * edits to block out certain phrases, let’s really try to avoid stuff like this and keep things topical.
Reminder that this is simply an article about an interesting app that lets Mac users easily try out a new popular Linux distribution.
I have now arrived at place where I don’t give a hoot about anyones opinions on anything. I like Apple products but that does not imply that I endorse their policies or ideas let alone the China CCP where their products are made. I like listening to Kanye West and Taylor Swift but I don’t care for their opinions or behaviors.
It’s OK to just like something for what it is, it has no bearing beyond that! Take the political mud slinging over to reddit!
everything is political, Paul, whether you like it or know it or not. i’ve enjoyed this site over the years, but if you’re going to ignore Hansson’s beliefs, then you’re telling me who YOU are.
Hey Carla,
For the record, I don’t know who “Hansson” is let alone anything about their beliefs.
Reminder, this is an article about easily running a newly popular version of Linux easily on a Mac!
– Paul
Carla, I must know more about how you feel, I want to understand where you draw the line.
• Do you support Apple despite their products being manufactured in an ethnostate led by a central planning dictatorship that has systematically eliminated entire ethnic groups? Do you think you agree with the opinions and beliefs of every Apple engineer who is using the software you enjoy? What about Microsoft, or Oracle, or Meta? Think about all their leaders and employees beliefs for a moment before you answer. Realize that almost everything in your house and life is manufactured in the same countries that ignore human rights completely, if not worse.
• Do you support the Democratic/Republican Party despite neither of them offering even a single bit of opposition to another pointless war? Why didn’t either of them do anything about the Epstein & Co information?
• Do you ignore the beliefs, friends, and colleagues of Epstein & Co? That’s basically the entire elite class, political class, celebrity class, corporate class, across the entire political spectrum, so surely someone you like, probably one of your favorite politicians, authors, or celebrities, is included in that list.
I am genuinely curious where you draw the line, because you are right, EVERYTHING IS POLITICAL.
Linux geeks have been struggling to get Linux adopted on the desktop for years, and now that there’s a chance of it happening, people are upset because the founder voiced displeasure with certain social engineering projects and the negative impacts of mass migration. That is why his considered “controversial”, a couple of opinions, not because he did something like ignored slave labor conditions to manufacture products at lower cost, or made deals with dictatorships to secure resources and manufacturing privileges, nor ignored human rights abuses to get cheaper labor. An opinion! An opinion is the big crime here!
Dental Dan,
This is really veering off topic and is borderline inappropriate, our moderation filter would not allow some of what you wrote to pass, and it had to be removed.
Let’s really try to just focus on the topic at hand here, which is running Linux on a Mac with a simple virtualization tool like Try Omarchy.
Thanks,
– Paul