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Arch Linux Installation Guide for Apple Mac (Intel & Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3)

Installing Linux on Apple hardware differs significantly depending on whether your Mac uses an older Intel processor or a modern Apple Silicon chip (M1, M2, M3 series). This guide provides direct instructions for both types of hardware.

Section A: Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3 series)

Running Arch Linux natively on Apple Silicon is made possible by the Asahi Linux project. Rather than using standard live USB flashing, Asahi provides a automated installer that runs safely inside macOS.

1. Preparation inside macOS

  • Operating System: Ensure macOS is fully updated to the latest minor version.
  • Disk Space: You need at least 40 GB of free SSD space (the script will resize macOS containers dynamically).
  • Accounts: You will need your macOS Administrator account name and password, plus your Apple ID/Device password if requested by FileVault.

2. Launch the Installer Script

You do not flash an ISO or use a USB drive.

  1. Open the macOS Terminal application.
  2. Paste and run the official Asahi Linux bootstrap command: 
    curl https://alx.sh | sh
  3. The script will explain each action. Press Enter to download the bootstrap loader.

3. Step-by-Step Installation Wizard

  1. Resize macOS Container: The installer will show your disk structure. Choose to shrink macOS to make room for Linux. Select the amount of space to give Linux.
  2. Select OS to Install:
    • Choose Arch Linux ARM (Asahi Minimal) for a clean terminal installation, or
    • Choose Arch Linux ARM (Asahi Desktop) which comes pre-configured with KDE Plasma or GNOME and all audio/Wi-Fi drivers functional out of the box.
  3. Set Username and Password: Provide administrative credentials for the new Arch setup.
  4. Confirm and Proceed: The script will create partition spaces, install the custom bootloader (m1n1 and U-Boot), and request confirmation.

4. Apple Firmware Authorization

Before final booting, Apple hardware requires secure OS enrollment:

  1. When prompted by the installer, shut down your Mac.
  2. Press and hold the Power Button (Touch ID button) to boot into macOS Recovery / Startup Options. Keep holding until you see "Loading startup options...".
  3. Select Install Asahi Linux and click Continue.
  4. Follow the on-screen terminal prompt inside macOS Recovery. It will ask for your administrator credentials to authorize the new custom kernel as an allowed Boot OS.
  5. Once complete, reboot your Mac. You will boot directly into Arch Linux ARM!

5. Boot Selection

To switch back to macOS at any time, shut down your Mac, hold the power button to open Startup Options, and select your macOS drive as default.

Section B: Older Intel-Based Macs (Pre-2020)

Intel Macs behave similarly to standard x86 UEFI PCs, but have quirky boot behavior, proprietary keyboards, and specific Wi-Fi chipsets (Broadcom).

1. Pre-Installation Partitioning (In macOS)

  1. Open Disk Utility in macOS.
  2. Select your internal SSD, click Partition, and create an unallocated partition of at least 40GB formatted as MS-DOS (FAT) or ExFAT (we will overwrite it in Linux).
  3. Do not modify the existing EFI partition.

2. Flashing the USB and Booting

  1. Download the standard x86_64 Arch Linux ISO.
  2. Flash it using BalenaEtcher or CLI dd.
  3. Shut down your Mac.
  4. Insert your USB, hold the Option (Alt) key on your keyboard, and press the power button.
  5. Hold the key until a list of drives appears. Select EFI Boot (with the orange USB icon).
  6. Press enter to boot into the Arch command line.

3. Special Driver Considerations (Broadcom Wi-Fi)

Most Intel Macs use Broadcom Wi-Fi chips which are not supported by the default open-source kernel modules during live boot.

  • Solution 1 (Tethering): Connect an Android phone via USB and enable USB Tethering, or connect an iPhone via Lightning cable and use Personal Hotspot (USB). Arch will automatically configure this as an ethernet interface (enp0s20u1 etc.).
  • Solution 2 (Ethernet): Use a USB-C to Ethernet adapter.

Once connected to internet, install the system following the standard Windows/PC guide.

4. System Configuration Adjustment (Post-Chroot)

Before finalizing your chroot, you must install the proprietary broadcom drivers to ensure Wi-Fi works after reboot:

  1. Enable the multilib repository if you want 32-bit apps: 
    nano /etc/pacman.conf
# Uncomment:
# [multilib]
# Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
  2. Install Mac-specific packages and Broadcom Wi-Fi support: 
    # Add AUR helper (or install manual package 'broadcom-wl-dkms')
pacman -S linux-headers broadcom-wl-dkms
  3. Sound Fixes: If your MacBook has no sound output through built-in speakers, you may need the snd-hda-intel options: 
    echo "options snd-hda-intel model=mbp15" >> /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf

5. Bootloader (GRUB) Installation

Configure GRUB as follows:

grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB --removable
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Adding the --removable flag ensures the Mac firmware successfully registers the bootloader even if nvram boot variables are cleared.