Got a Mac but your work needs you to use Power BI or Notepad++? You're not alone. Many popular tools were originally built only for Windows, which leaves Mac users a bit stuck.
The good news — there are several easy ways around this. Let me walk you through each one, starting with the simplest.
Option 1: Just Use the Website (No Setup Needed)
Before doing anything else, check if the app has a website version.
Power BI has a free website version at app.powerbi.com. Just open it in your browser — Chrome, Safari, Firefox, any of them work. You can view reports, make edits, and share dashboards without installing anything on your Mac.
Think of it like using Google Docs instead of Microsoft Word — same idea, works in the browser.
Best for: People who mostly need to view or share Power BI reports rather than build them from scratch.
Option 2: Notepad++ — Switch to a Free Mac App Instead
Notepad++ is just a text editor — a tool for opening and editing files. On Mac, there are free apps that do the exact same thing (and honestly do it better).
The most popular one is Visual Studio Code (everyone just calls it VS Code). It's completely free, easy to use, and works just like Notepad++ — you open a file, edit it, save it. That's it.
To install VS Code: 1. Go to code.visualstudio.com 2. Click the big download button 3. Open the downloaded file and drag it into your Applications folder 4. Done
Another option is Sublime Text — also free to try, very fast and simple, great if you just want something lightweight.
Best for: Anyone using Notepad++ to read, write, or edit text files. VS Code is a direct swap — no learning curve.
Option 3: CrossOver — Run Windows Apps on Your Mac Directly
CrossOver is an app for Mac that lets you install and run many Windows applications without needing Windows itself. It basically tricks your Mac into thinking it's running Windows, just enough for the app to work.
How to use it: 1. Go to codeweavers.com/crossover and download it (there's a free 14-day trial) 2. Open CrossOver and search for the app you want (e.g. "Notepad++") 3. Click Install 4. The app opens on your Mac just like any other app
It works well for simpler apps like Notepad++. For heavier apps like Power BI Desktop, it can be a bit unreliable — sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
Cost: Free trial for 14 days, then around ₹6,000/year (or ~$74/year)
Best for: Occasional use of lighter Windows apps. Not ideal for Power BI.
Option 4: Parallels Desktop — The Best Way to Run Power BI on Mac
This is the most reliable solution, especially for Power BI Desktop.
Parallels Desktop creates a "Windows room" inside your Mac. Imagine your Mac as a house — Parallels adds a separate room inside it that runs Windows. You can switch between your normal Mac and this Windows room anytime.
Once Windows is running inside Parallels, you install Power BI Desktop (or any Windows app) exactly as you normally would on a Windows computer. It works perfectly because it literally is Windows.
The cool part — Coherence Mode: There's a setting called Coherence Mode where Power BI Desktop appears as a regular window on your Mac screen — no "Windows room" visible at all. It just sits alongside your other Mac apps like it belongs there.
How to get started: 1. Go to parallels.com and download Parallels Desktop (free 14-day trial) 2. It will guide you to download Windows automatically — just follow the steps 3. Once Windows is set up, open it and install Power BI Desktop from Microsoft's website 4. Turn on Coherence Mode and use Power BI just like any Mac app
Cost: Around ₹7,500/year (or ~$99/year). A one-time purchase option is also available.
Best for: Anyone who regularly needs Power BI Desktop or other heavy Windows-only apps.
Option 5: VMware Fusion — Same as Parallels but Free
VMware Fusion does the same thing as Parallels — it creates a Windows environment inside your Mac. The great news is that it's completely free for personal use as of 2024.
It's slightly more steps to set up than Parallels, but once it's running, it works just as well.
- Go to vmware.com/products/fusion and download Fusion
- Create a new Windows setup inside it
- Install your Windows apps as normal
Cost: Free for personal use
Best for: Anyone who wants the full Windows experience on their Mac without paying for Parallels.
Option 6: Connect to a Windows Computer Remotely
If you already have a Windows computer at home, or your workplace has Windows machines, you can control that computer from your Mac — even from a different room or a different city.
Microsoft has a free app for this called Microsoft Remote Desktop. You install it on your Mac, type in the address of your Windows computer, and your Mac screen shows the Windows desktop. You can open Power BI, use Notepad++, do anything — all remotely.
How to set it up: 1. Search "Microsoft Remote Desktop" in the Mac App Store and install it (free) 2. Ask your IT team for your Windows computer's address, or set it up at home 3. Connect — your Windows desktop appears on your Mac screen
Best for: Office workers whose company has Windows computers, or people who have a Windows PC at home.
So Which One Should You Use?
| What you need | Best option |
|---|---|
| Just view Power BI reports | Power BI website (free) |
| Build Power BI reports regularly | Parallels or VMware Fusion |
| Replace Notepad++ | VS Code (free, works great) |
| Run a Windows app occasionally | CrossOver |
| Already have a Windows PC | Microsoft Remote Desktop (free) |
| Want everything Windows for free | VMware Fusion |
Quick Summary
- For Power BI — use the website for viewing, or Parallels/VMware if you need the full desktop app
- For Notepad++ — just install VS Code, it does the same job and it's free
- For anything else Windows — CrossOver for simple apps, Parallels/VMware for everything else
The Mac is a brilliant computer for almost everything — and with these options, Windows-only apps don't need to slow you down anymore.
Have a specific app you're trying to get working on your Mac? Feel free to reach out — happy to help.