Install Paint Tool Sai On Your Mac Easily

Paint Tool SAI is a lightweight painting software with full digitizer support and anti-aliased paintings, making digital art more enjoyable and comfortable. However, the software can only be run on Microsoft Windows, leaving Mac users to find alternative solutions. One way to run Paint Tool SAI on a Mac is by using Windows Parallels. First, download Windows Parallels and open the application. Then, choose the Windows ISO file from within Parallels. After that, select the kind of Windows you want to run, and you should be good to go.

Download Paint Tool Sai (by VILEBILE)

Paint Tool SAI is a popular graphic design software among digital artists. It is a straightforward and powerful yet lightweight program that gives users access to simple vector tools and works with touchscreen devices, enabling them to draw with a digital pen.

To download Paint Tool SAI (by VILEBILE) on a Mac, you will first need to download Windows Parallels. Then, open Parallels and choose the Windows ISO file from within Parallels. After that, when Parallels starts running Windows, it will ask you which kind of Windows to run.

Another option is to use Boot Camp or VirtualBox, which also requires a copy of Windows. Boot Camp involves repartitioning your hard drive to install the other operating system, which will allow you to run Windows applications on your Mac at full speed with no compatibility issues. However, this method requires dedicating some drive space to the alternative operating system and selecting which one you want to run each time you boot up your computer.

Additionally, you can use Wine or Crossover to run Windows applications on your Mac, but these may have more compatibility issues and require more effort to set up.

Get Windows Parallels

To get Windows Parallels on your Mac, you will need to download and install Parallels Desktop. This software allows you to run Windows and other operating systems on your Mac seamlessly, without needing to reboot your computer. Parallels Desktop is available on the Mac App Store for $90, although you can download a free trial to test it out.

Once you have downloaded and installed Parallels Desktop, you can install Windows. You can download and install Windows 11 automatically by opening the Installation Assistant and clicking "Install Windows". You can also provide your own Microsoft Windows license key, purchase a new one from the Microsoft Store, or transfer an existing Boot Camp partition with Windows already installed.

Parallels Desktop supports legacy Windows OS versions (2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8/8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2) but with limited functionality. It is also authorised by Microsoft to run the Arm version of Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise on a Mac with Apple silicon.

With Parallels Desktop, you can use your Mac peripherals, such as your camera, microphone, trackpad, and keyboard, with Windows. You can also enable USB Windows-only devices like printers and scanners, and connect your Android phone and many other devices.

Parallels Desktop also allows you to effortlessly move and share content between Mac and Windows, with seamless integration. You can use Windows apps side by side with Mac apps, and easily access your Mac files in Windows to avoid duplicates and optimise disk space usage.

Open Parallels and choose Windows ISO file

To install Paint Tool Sai on a Mac, you'll need to download Windows Parallels. Once you've downloaded it, open Parallels and choose the Windows ISO file from inside Parallels.

To do this, first open Parallels Desktop (you can find it in the Applications folder). Then, choose File > New. If you have a Windows installation disc, insert it into the DVD drive. If you're using a USB storage device, connect it to your Mac.

If the Windows installation source doesn't show up automatically, click "Choose Manually" and browse for it. You can choose from the following sources:

• DVD: Insert a Windows DVD into the DVD drive. Once Windows is detected, click "Continue". If your Mac doesn't have a DVD drive, you can use an Apple SuperDrive or another Mac's DVD drive via Remote Disc.
• Image File: Click "Image File" and drag the image to the Parallels Installation Assistant window. Once Windows is detected, click "Continue".
• USB Drive: Connect a bootable USB installer with Windows to your Mac. Once Windows is detected, click "Continue".

After choosing your installation source, Parallels Desktop will scan for and list installable operating systems. Select the version of Windows you want to install and follow the installation prompts.

Use Boot Camp or VirtualBox

To install Paint Tool SAI on a Mac, you need to use a Windows operating system. Two ways to do this are through Boot Camp or VirtualBox.

Using Boot Camp allows you to freely switch between OS X and Windows, and drag and drop between the two operating systems. However, applications running in the virtual machine may not run at full speed and there may be compatibility issues. Boot Camp also requires repartitioning your hard drive, as you will need some space to install Windows.

VirtualBox is another option, which is a free and open-source hypervisor that allows you to run Windows on your Mac. With VirtualBox, you can run Windows applications on your Mac without having to restart your computer each time, as you do with Boot Camp. However, it's important to note that VirtualBox may not support all the features of Paint Tool SAI, and you may need to configure certain settings to get it working properly.

To use either Boot Camp or VirtualBox, you will need a copy of Windows to install on your Mac. You can then download and install Paint Tool SAI within the Windows environment.

It's worth noting that some users have reported issues with getting Paint Tool SAI to work with certain graphics tablets when using Boot Camp. If you plan to use a graphics tablet, you may want to consider using VirtualBox or another alternative such as Parallels Desktop for Mac, which is reported to be compatible with most external graphic tablets.

Try CrossOver

Crossover is a software that allows you to run Windows applications on your Mac without requiring a dual boot or another OS license. It is a commercialised version of Wine, a program that packages Windows applications with a runtime library so that they can run like native apps on Mac.

Crossover has compatibility issues, with many applications not able to run at all, and others with limited support. However, if your application is known to run on Crossover, it is an acceptable solution.

To use Crossover, first download the software and install it on your Mac. You can then download and install your Windows application. A free trial of Crossover is available for 14 days.

There are other methods to run Paint Tool SAI on a Mac, such as Boot Camp, VMWare, and VirtualBox, but these may require more drive space and have compatibility issues.

Frequently asked questions