Try Omarchy
Omarchy inside Apple's Ecosystem.
Try Omarchy is a Mac app that runs stock Omarchy in a fast virtual machine deeply integrated with macOS. Use it as your daily driver, or give Omarchy a try and migrate to a native install. Integrations include Apple's universal clipboard, AirPods, Touch ID, the Retina display, Super shortcuts, Mac clipboard, audio, camera, battery, and a shared folder. The official Omarchy Mac image is used, so it behaves and updates like any other Omarchy install.
## Get started
1. Download the latest `.dmg` from [Releases](https://github.com/omacom/try-omarchy/releases).
2. Drag **Try Omarchy** to **Applications** and open it.
3. Optionally configure permissions for the full experience.
3. Click **Launch Omarchy**.
The first launch downloads the Omarchy image (about 3 GB). You need an Apple Silicon Mac with macOS 15 or newer and about 15 GB of free space.
## How it works
- **Omarchy is stock.** The VM runs the official `aarch64` Omarchy from Omarchy's own repositories. Try Omarchy adds one package, `try-omarchy`, and changes no file that Omarchy owns.
- **Omarchy updates itself.** Run `omarchy update`, or use **Update → Omarchy**, whenever you like. Each update takes a snapshot first, so you can roll back from the boot menu.
- **The app updates the Mac integrations.** Each app release brings a newer, local `try-omarchy` package, which the VM installs at its next boot.
- **Edge channel for now.** Omarchy publishes for ARM on `edge` only.
## What you get
- Native CPU speed through Apple's Hypervisor framework, and GPU-accelerated graphics
- A full-screen or windowed desktop that follows your display's resolution, scaling and supports the notch
- Command works as Super. Mac keyboard layouts are mapped correctly
- Two-way clipboard for text and images
- Mac audio output and microphone, with live device switching
- The Mac camera, available to Omarchy as a webcam
- The Mac's battery in the Omarchy bar, including detailed information
- One shared Mac folder, under the same name (`~/Work` stays `~/Work`)
- Touch ID for `sudo` and 1Password
- Port forwarding, SSH, bridged networking and USB passthrough (experimental)
**Limitations:**
- Video decoding uses the CPU, so multiple high-resolution playback can stutter.
- Vulkan is not available.
- Nested virtualization is opt-in for now.
## Manual
Settings live in the launcher. Once Omarchy is running, open them with **Setup → Try Omarchy Settings**.
The [manual](manual/README.md) covers what's specific to running Omarchy in Try Omarchy:
- [Getting started](manual/getting-started.md)
- [Omarchy on a Mac](manual/omarchy-on-a-mac.md)
- [Files, network and devices](manual/files-network-devices.md)
- [Touch ID](manual/touch-id.md)
- [Updates and your data](manual/updates-and-data.md)
- [Troubleshooting](manual/troubleshooting.md)
For Omarchy itself, see [the Omarchy manual](https://learn.omacom.io/2/the-omarchy-manual).
## Help
- **Problems with Try Omarchy:** see [troubleshooting](manual/troubleshooting.md), or open an [issue](https://github.com/omacom/try-omarchy/issues).
- **Problems in Omarchy itself:** if it also happens on real hardware, report it to [Omarchy](https://github.com/omacom/omarchy).
- **Security issues:** follow [SECURITY.md](SECURITY.md).
## Power users and contributors
- [Architecture](docs/architecture.md): how the app, QEMU, the image and the guest package fit together.
- [Contributing](CONTRIBUTING.md): principles, building from source, tests and CI.
- [AGENTS.md](AGENTS.md): instructions for coding agents.
- [docs/](docs/README.md): how each part works.
## License
[MIT](LICENSE). Created by [Eduardo Martinez](https://x.com/martiano). Omarchy and bundled components keep their own licenses; see [THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md](THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md). The Omarchy mark comes from the [official brand kit](https://omarchy.org/brand/) and remains subject to Omarchy's trademark rights.