GhostVM
GhostVM is a native macOS virtualization app for creating and running isolated macOS virtual machines on Apple silicon Macs.
What is GhostVM?
GhostVM is a native macOS virtualization app that helps users create, run, and manage isolated macOS virtual machines on Apple silicon Macs. It is designed for developers, security-minded users, and technical workflows that benefit from separating tools, testing environments, or automated tasks from the main Mac. The app provides a graphical interface for creating VMs, starting and stopping them, and managing restore images used to install macOS. It also supports guest integration features such as clipboard sync, file transfer, and guest terminal access when its bundled guest tools are installed inside the virtual machine. GhostVM is published by Jacob Groundwater and is focused on local VM workflows rather than remote cloud desktops, making it useful for secure development, testing, and contained workspace setups on macOS.
Key features
- Create and run macOS virtual machines on Apple silicon Macs
- Manage virtual machines from a native graphical interface
- Import and manage macOS restore images for VM setup
- Use clipboard sync between the host Mac and guest VM
- Transfer files between the host and guest when guest tools are installed
- Open a guest terminal for command-line access inside the VM
- Configure port forwarding for services running inside a VM
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Safety overview
Status: Mostly safe
GhostVM is legitimate virtualization software that runs macOS virtual machines locally on your Mac. For its core features, it may request normal access related to login items or helper components, and virtual machines you create can contain apps, files, and credentials of their own. Use it thoughtfully if you handle sensitive work inside a VM, keep enough free disk space available, and avoid sharing VM bundles unless you intend to share everything stored inside them.
Recommendation: Keep GhostVM if you use virtual machines for development, testing, or isolated workspaces on your Mac. Remove it if you no longer use macOS VMs and want to recover storage, but expect any virtual machines and related data you created with it to stop being available unless you back them up first.
Common paths
/Applications/GhostVM.app
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