Enjoy Honkai Star Rail on Mac with Parallels, BlueStacks, or Boot Camp

How to Download Honkai: Star Rail on Mac

Honkai: Star Rail is a new space fantasy RPG from miHoYo, the developers of the popular Genshin Impact. In this game, you can explore various worlds, meet new companions, and embark on a trailblazing journey across the galaxy. However, if you are a Mac user, you might be wondering how to download and play this game on your device. Unfortunately, Honkai: Star Rail is not officially supported by macOS or Apple Silicon M1/M2 Macs. But don't worry, there are still some ways to enjoy this game on your Mac. In this article, we will show you how to play Honkai: Star Rail on Mac using different methods and tools.

how to download honkai star rail on mac

What is Honkai: Star Rail?

Honkai: Star Rail is a role-playing gacha game that is set in the same universe as Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact 3rd. The game features a rich story, stunning graphics, dynamic combat, and diverse characters. You can customize your own Stellaron, a spaceship that can travel between worlds, and collect various resources, items, and characters along the way. You can also interact with other players in co-op mode or compete with them in PvP mode. The game is free to play, but you can also purchase in-game currency and items with real money.

Why is it hard to play Honkai: Star Rail on Mac?

Honkai: Star Rail is currently only available for Windows PC and Android devices. The game has not been released for iOS or macOS yet. Moreover, the game requires DirectX 12 to run, which is not supported by macOS or virtual machines. The game also uses anti-cheat software that may prevent it from running in some environments. Therefore, playing Honkai: Star Rail on Mac is not easy or straightforward. However, there are some possible solutions that we will discuss below.

How to play Honkai: Star Rail on Mac with Boot Camp (Intel Macs only)

One way to play Windows games on Mac is by using Boot Camp, which allows you to create a dual-boot system that lets you choose between macOS or Windows when you start your Mac. This way, you can run Windows natively on your Mac hardware and access the full performance of your device. However, this method only works for Intel-based Macs, not for Apple Silicon M1/M2 Macs. To play Honkai: Star Rail on Mac with Boot Camp, you will need the following: - An Intel-based Mac with at least 64 GB of free disk space - A Windows 10 ISO file or a USB flash drive with Windows 10 installation media - A valid Windows 10 license key - A Steam account and the Steam client installed on Windows Here are the steps to play Honkai: Star Rail on Mac with Boot Camp: 1. Launch the Boot Camp Assistant app from the Utilities folder in your Applications folder. 2. Follow the on-screen instructions to partition your disk, download the Windows support software, and install Windows on your Mac. 3. When the installation is complete, restart your Mac and hold the Option key to choose between macOS or Windows. 4. Select Windows and log in with your credentials. 5. Connect to the internet and install any updates or drivers that are required. 6. Launch the Steam client and log in with your account. 7. Search for Honkai: Star Rail in the Steam store and download and install the game. 8. Launch the game and enjoy playing it on your Mac. How to play Honkai: Star Rail on Mac with Parallels (Intel and Apple Silicon M1/M2 Macs)

Another way to play Windows games on Mac is by using Parallels, which is a virtualization software that allows you to run Windows and other operating systems as virtual machines on your Mac. This way, you can run Windows and macOS simultaneously and switch between them easily. Parallels works for both Intel-based Macs and Apple Silicon M1/M2 Macs. However, Parallels may not offer the same performance or compatibility as Boot Camp, and it requires more resources from your Mac. To play Honkai: Star Rail on Mac with Parallels, you will need the following: - A Mac with at least 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of free disk space - A Parallels Desktop license and the Parallels Desktop app installed on your Mac - A Windows 10 ISO file or a USB flash drive with Windows 10 installation media - A valid Windows 10 license key - A Steam account and the Steam client installed on Windows Here are the steps to play Honkai: Star Rail on Mac with Parallels: 1. Launch the Parallels Desktop app and click on the + icon to create a new virtual machine. 2. Choose Install Windows or another OS from a DVD or image file and select your Windows 10 ISO file or USB flash drive. 3. Follow the on-screen instructions to configure your virtual machine settings, such as name, location, memory, disk space, etc. 4. Click on Create and wait for the installation to complete. 5. Log in to your Windows virtual machine and connect to the internet. 6. Install any updates or drivers that are required. 7. Launch the Steam client and log in with your account. 8. Search for Honkai: Star Rail in the Steam store and download and install the game. 9. Launch the game and enjoy playing it on your Mac. How to play Honkai: Star Rail on Mac with cloud gaming platforms

A third way to play Windows games on Mac is by using cloud gaming platforms, which are services that stream games from remote servers to your device over the internet. This way, you don't need to install anything on your Mac or worry about compatibility or performance issues. However, cloud gaming platforms may require a fast and stable internet connection, a subscription fee, and a compatible controller or keyboard/mouse setup. Some of the cloud gaming platforms that can stream Honkai: Star Rail to your Mac are: - Luna: Luna is Amazon's cloud gaming service that offers a library of games that you can play on various devices, including Macs, PCs, Fire TV devices, iPhones, iPads, and Android phones. To play Honkai: Star Rail on Luna, you will need a Luna+ subscription ($5.99 per month), a Luna controller ($69.99), and an invitation to join the service (currently in early access). You can request an invitation at - GeForce Now: GeForce Now is Nvidia's cloud gaming service that allows you to play games that you own on Steam, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, GOG.com, and other platforms on various devices, including Macs, PCs, Chromebooks, Android devices, iPhones, iPads, and Apple TV devices. To play Honkai: Star Rail on GeForce Now, you will need a GeForce Now membership (free or $9.99 per month for priority access), a compatible controller or keyboard/mouse, and a Steam account with the game purchased. You can sign up for GeForce Now at - Shadow: Shadow is a cloud computer service that provides you with a full Windows 10 PC in the cloud that you can access from various devices, including Macs, PCs, Android devices, iPhones, iPads, and Apple TV devices. To play Honkai: Star Rail on Shadow, you will need a Shadow subscription ($11.99 to $39.99 per month depending on the configuration), a compatible controller or keyboard/mouse, and a Steam account with the game purchased. You can sign up for Shadow at Here is a table that compares some of the features and requirements of these cloud gaming platforms: Platform Subscription fee Controller required Invitation required Internet speed required --- --- --- --- --- Luna $5.99 per month Luna controller ($69.99) Yes 10 Mbps (HD) or 35 Mbps (4K) GeForce Now Free or $9.99 per month Any compatible controller or keyboard/mouse No 15 Mbps (720p) or 25 Mbps (1080p) Shadow $11.99 to $39.99 per month Any compatible controller or keyboard/mouse No 15 Mbps (1080p) or 30 Mbps (4K) How to play Honkai: Star Rail on Mac with cloud computer services

A fourth way to play Windows games on Mac is by using cloud computer services, which are similar to cloud gaming platforms but offer more flexibility and control over your cloud PC. You can install any software or game on your cloud PC and access it from various devices, including Macs, PCs, Android devices, iPhones, iPads, and Apple TV devices. However, cloud computer services may also require a fast and stable internet connection, a subscription fee, and a compatible controller or keyboard/mouse setup. Some of the cloud computer services that can provide a Windows PC in the cloud are: - Paperspace: Paperspace is a cloud computing platform that offers various plans and options for your cloud PC, such as GPU, CPU, RAM, storage, etc. You can also choose between hourly or monthly billing. To play Honkai: Star Rail on Paperspace, you will need a Paperspace account and subscription (starting from $0.08 per hour or $5 per month), a compatible controller or keyboard/mouse, and a Steam account with the game purchased. You can sign up for Paperspace at - AWS: AWS is Amazon's cloud computing platform that offers various services and solutions for your cloud PC, such as EC2, S3, Lambda, etc. You can also customize your cloud PC configuration and pay only for what you use. To play Honkai: Star Rail on AWS, you will need an AWS account and subscription (starting from $0.0058 per hour), a compatible controller or keyboard/mouse, and a Steam account with the game purchased. You can sign up for AWS at - Azure: Azure is Microsoft's cloud computing platform that offers various services and solutions for your cloud PC, such as Virtual Machines, Storage, Functions, etc. You can also customize your cloud PC configuration and pay only for what you use. To play Honkai: Star Rail on Azure, you will need an Azure account and subscription (starting from $0.004 per hour), a compatible controller or keyboard/mouse, and a Steam account with the game purchased. You can sign up for Azure at Here is a table that compares some of the features and requirements of these cloud computer services: Service Subscription fee Controller required Internet speed required --- --- --- --- Paperspace Starting