Technologies

Can’t Choose Between Windows and MacOS? You Don’t Have To

Two operating systems — one computer.

When you’re purchasing a new computer, you’ll most likely choose one of the two most popular operating systems out there: Windows or MacOS. And that can be a difficult decision to make because while you like the privacy features on one, you might really want the proprietary software from the other.

What if you didn’t have to choose?

As long as you have an Intel-based Mac with enough storage and the correct Windows 10 ISO file, you can run Windows on your Apple computer in less than an hour. From then on, anytime you boot up your Mac, you can choose to run either Windows 10 or the latest MacOS. Here’s how.

While you’re here, check out these 17 essential MacBook settings you need to try and 6 time-saving Mac keyboard shortcuts more people should use.

Here’s what you need before you start

To successfully run Windows 10 on your Mac computer, here’s what you need to have:

An Intel-based Mac computer (if your computer is on this list, it’s not supported).
64GB or more free storage space on your startup disk.
A power connection (if you’re on a laptop).

If you’re unsure whether your computer is Intel-based, click on the Apple logo on the menu bar, and then go into About This Mac. If you see the words Processor, followed by the name of an Intel processor, like «2.6GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7,» then you have an Intel-based Mac.

Before you start, though, it’s wise to back up your disk with Time Machine before partitioning just in case something goes wrong.

1. Download the Windows 10 ISO File

Windows 11 isn’t currently compatible with Boot Camp Assistant on MacOS. So, you’ll need to download Windows 10 instead. You can download a free disc image, also known as an ISO file, of Windows 10 from the official Windows website.

1. On your Mac, go to this Windows software download page.

2. Click on Select Edition, and choose Windows 10 (multi-edition ISO).

3. Hit Confirm, and wait for your request to be verified.

4. Once that finishes, choose your language and click on Confirm.

5. Finally, click on 64-bit Download to download the Windows 10 ISO file.

The Windows 10 ISO file is nearly 6GB, so depending on your internet connection and speed, it could take up to 30 minutes to finish downloading. After the ISO file is done, leave it in your downloads, and move on to the next step.

2. Run Boot Camp Assistant

The software you’ll use to run Windows 10 on your Mac is Boot Camp Assistant, which comes factory-installed on your Mac. Boot Camp Assistant is made specifically for installing Windows operating systems on your computer, and fortunately the setup process is pretty straightforward.

1. Launch Boot Camp Assistant on your Mac, and click Continue.

2. Click on Choose a Windows 10 ISO file, and upload the Windows 10 ISO file you downloaded in the previous step.

3. Drag the bar to choose a size for your Windows partition disk (42GB is the minimum).

4. Click Install, and wait roughly 10 minutes for the partition to be created.

Once the Windows partition is finished, your laptop will restart.

3. Install Windows on your Mac

Your computer will boot up, but instead of showing you the Apple logo you’re accustomed to, you should instead see the blue Windows logo appear. Here’s what you need to do next:

1. Go through the Windows setup.

2. Enter a product key if you have one. If not, you can continue without one.

Even without a product key, you’ll be able to access Windows on your Mac, so don’t worry. During the installation, you’ll see window files copied, features and updates installed and more. This should take another 10 minutes.

4. Set up Windows on a Mac

Your Mac will restart. But this time you’ll be asked to set up Windows, just as you would on a Windows computer. You can use Cortana and your voice to complete the setup, but you’re also welcome to use your keyboard, mouse and trackpad.

1. Choose your language, keyboard layout, Wi-Fi and more to begin.

2. If you have a Windows account, log in with your credentials.

3. Windows will boot up on your Mac. You’ll be asked to create a passcode and/or PIN to enter your computer. Do that to protect your account.

5. Install Boot Camp on Windows

Finally, the last thing you’ll need to do is install and update Boot Camp on Windows. That will let you make any additional changes to your partition or fix any issues while you’re running Windows. When you access Windows for the first time, you should receive a notification to install Boot Camp. This will take 10 minutes to install, but it’s the last thing you need to do before you can use Windows without any issues.

6. Use Windows on your Mac

Feel free to use Windows how you want. Windows 10’s default web browser is Microsoft Edge, but you can use it to download Chrome or anything else to surf the internet. You can then download files and install software you would only be able to install on a Windows-powered computer — like Paint.NET and certain games from Steam — but on your Mac.

7. Switch Between Windows and Mac

If you ever want to go back to MacOS from Windows, do the following:

1. Restart your computer.

2. As soon as the screen goes black, hold down the Option key for 5 seconds.

3. On the screen, you’ll then have the option to boot up MacOS or Windows.

4. Choose the partition you want to open.

Use this keyboard shortcut to switch between your disks as needed.

Technologies

Google Gives Chrome an AI Side Panel and Lets Gemini Browse for You

The update also includes Nano Banana image tools and deeper integrations with Google apps like Gmail, Calendar, Maps and Flights.

Google is turning Chrome into something closer to a digital copilot.

In the next wave of Gemini updates rolling out, Google on Wednesday revealed a set of new AI-powered features coming directly to its browser, aimed at reducing the frustrations of exploring the internet each day. Built on Gemini 3, the updates introduce an always-available side panel, deeper app integrations, creative image tools and a new browser agent called auto browse that can complete multistep tasks on your behalf.

Essentially, Google wants Chrome to be like an AI wingman that browses, compares and multitasks for you.

Now you can automate browsing

To me, the standout new addition is auto browse, a browser agent designed to handle tedious and time-consuming chores. Instead of hopping between tabs, filling out forms or manually comparing prices of things like products or flights, you can ask Chrome to do the legwork.

Auto browse can research flights and hotels across different dates, collect documents, schedule appointments, manage subscriptions and help with tasks like renewing a driver’s license or filing expense reports.

In a live demo I saw, Product Lead Charmaine D’Silva used the new tools to plan a family vacation. Gemini compared destinations and prices across multiple travel sites, checked school calendars to see when her kids were off and lined up schedules to find workable travel windows. When it came time to book, though, D’Silva emphasized that the final decision and purchase were still hers, underscoring Google’s plan to keep humans in control for key tasks like booking and purchases.

The feature is rolling out to AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US now, signaling Google’s broader push toward more agentic AI experiences.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

A new side panel experience

Another update rolling out now is a redesigned Gemini side panel in Chrome, available across MacOS, Windows and Chromebook Plus. Instead of opening a separate tab, Gemini now lives alongside whatever you’re working on, making it easier to multitask without breaking your flow. Testers have used it to summarize reviews across sites, compare shopping options and juggle packed calendars while keeping their main task front and center.

AI image editing with Nano Banana

Chrome is also trying to become more creative. Google is bringing Nano Banana, its AI image editing and generation tool, directly into the browser. You can now edit and reimagine images you find on the web without downloading files or switching apps — whether that’s mocking up a living room redesign or turning raw data into an infographic at work.

Chrome connects with other Google apps

Under the hood, Gemini in Chrome is becoming more connected to the rest of Google’s ecosystem. Integrations with Gmail, Calendar, Maps, YouTube, Google Flights and Shopping will allow the assistant to pull in relevant context and take action across apps. Planning a trip, for example, could involve referencing an old email, checking flight options and drafting a follow-up email to your travel companions. Now all in one place.

More to come

Looking ahead, Google says personal intelligence is coming to Chrome in the coming months. With user opt-in, Gemini will remember context from past interactions to deliver more tailored, proactive help across the web, while giving you control over what data is connected and when.

Technologies

If You Drink Decaf, Read This: More Than 80,000 Keurig Pods Recalled

Here’s how to get a full refund if you bought these coffee pods.

If you’re a decaf K-Cup drinker, this message is for you. Keurig has recalled the McCafe Premium Roast Decaf Coffee K-Cup Pods because they may contain caffeine.

Here’s everything to know.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

What was recalled?

Keurig Dr Pepper voluntarily recalled 960 cartons of McCafe Premium Roast Decaf Coffee K-Cup Pods, according to a US Food and Drug Administration memo. The reason listed for the recall reads: «Product is labeled as decaf, but might contain caffeine.»

CNET chose McCafé Premium Roast as the best K-Cup, although the decaffeinated version was not included. It is unclear at this time how many states sold the cartons.

A representative for Keurig Dr Pepper did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

How to know if you have a recalled product

The recalled items will have the following information:

Best by date: 17 NOV 2026
Batch number: 5101564894
Material number: 5000358463
ASIN: B07GCNDL91
UPC: 043000073438

The recall is ongoing. If you have a recalled product, you can return it to your place of purchase for a full refund.

Technologies

The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold’s Nearly $3,000 Price Might Unfold Your Whole Wallet

This double-folding phone will be the most expensive mainstream handset released in the US.

Samsung’s twin-hinged Galaxy Z TriFold is nearly on sale, coming before the Galaxy S26 launch next month. Starting Jan. 30, foldable phone fans who want the most advanced device in the US can pick one up, but they’ll have to pay a hefty price: The device starts at a jaw-dropping $2,900.

Yes, for over three times the price of a Galaxy S25, you can pick up the most advanced smartphone — and certainly the most expensive — Samsung has ever rolled out. Even the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which starts at $2,000 with 256GB of storage, only reaches $2,420 at the highest 1TB storage configuration.

As products across all industries get costlier, phone-makers have priced foldables in an even more premium tier than the most innovative flat smartphones (like the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra). It seems Samsung will use the twin-hinged Galaxy Z TriFold to set an even higher price ceiling for smartphones.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Anyone who buys the Galaxy Z TriFold will get one of the most technically impressive handsets released in the US. But is the technology worth the cost?

The Galaxy Z TriFold unfolds into a 10-inch inner display that rivals the screens of full-size tablets. It’s noticeably larger than the 8-inch inner screen on the single-hinged Galaxy Z Fold 7 foldable. Its two hinges, built of titanium, are tested to endure 200,000 folds, according to Samsung.

When unfolded, the Z TriFold is 3.9mm at its thinnest point. That’s slightly outdone by the slimmer Huawei Mate XT’s 3.6mm, which beat Samsung to market by an entire year with a trifold that’s not available in the US. That might be nearing the limit for phone thinness, as it’s barely enough to accommodate the USB-C port at the bottom of either device.

The Galaxy Z TriFold and Huawei Mate XT are roughly comparable in size and specs, though the Huawei phone’s EMUI operating system and the lack of familiar Google apps (due to the ban on US companies working with the Chinese phone-maker) mean Android fans may prefer Samsung’s. The Huawei foldable is also more expensive, starting at 3,499 euros (about $4,150 today), and may not be compatible with US carriers out of the box.

Read more: Galaxy Z TriFold vs. Huawei Mate XT: One Is the Most Versatile Phone I’ve Ever Used

The Galaxy Z TriFold has a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the same one that powers last year’s Galaxy S25 series. It won’t feature the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 silicon, which is likely to power this year’s most advanced Android handsets (potentially including the upcoming, but not yet announced, Samsung Galaxy S26 series).

The Galaxy Z TriFold will start at 512GB of storage and packs a 5,600-mAh battery, larger than the Z Fold 7’s 4,400-mAh capacity unit. It recharges at 45 watts, which is typical for Samsung phones, though other premium Android handsets have long ago surpassed that rate, like the OnePlus 15 with 80-watt charging. It has three rear cameras (a 200-megapixel main, a 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 10-megapixel telephoto) and comes in a single color, crafted black.

All told, the Galaxy Z Trifold offers only marginal upgrades over the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and its hardware will likely be surpassed soon when the Galaxy S26 series launches with newer chips.

At $1,000 to $2,000 above other Android phones and foldables, the Z TriFold seems to offer only a single advantage: its massive inner display. While undeniably a technical marvel, that’s not nearly enough added value for most people to justify the steep upsell on your standard smartphone, or even another book-style foldable. For folks who «crave» the most advanced phone on the market, though, maybe it’s worth the expense.