Skip to content

Restore Image (macOS Only)

Use this section to install macOS in a virtual machine using an IPSW restore image.

📸 Screenshot: Restore Image Section

Options

You have two ways to provide a restore image:

  • Select Restore Image (IPSW): Choose a .ipsw file from your local disk, or drag and drop it into the designated area.
  • Image Catalog: A dropdown listing supported macOS versions available for download. Selecting a version automatically fills in the path if the file is already downloaded. If not, a Download button appears to fetch it from Apple's servers.

Supported Versions

The catalog includes:

  • Latest — resolves to the newest macOS version supported by your hardware
  • Specific versions: Tahoe, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey

Download Progress

While downloading, a progress bar shows:

  • Percentage and bytes downloaded (e.g. 42% 1.2 GB / 2.9 GB)
  • Download speed in MB/s
  • Estimated time remaining
  • A Cancel button to abort at any time

Downloads are managed by the global download engine — progress is shared with the Image Catalog window and any other views tracking the same file.

💡 The Image Catalog picker is for catalog-based downloads only. If you provide your own IPSW file using the file picker, the picker shows no selection — that is expected behaviour.

💡 All downloaded restore images are stored in the app's images folder, configured in VirtualProg Settings. Previously downloaded files are reused automatically — no re-download needed.