WoWSilicon icon

Standalone runtime

WoWSilicon

Launch classic World of Warcraft on Apple Silicon—without CrossOver.

WoWSilicon bundles its own Wine runtime, D9VK and MTLd3D graphics backends, accelerated x87 translation, and the tools needed to manage older game clients from one app.

Say goodbye to dedicating a full Windows VM just to play old WoW. Run directly on macOS, save storage space, and avoid the extra virtualization layer that can hold performance back.

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WoWSilicon app dashboard

Supported

Vanilla, TBC, WotLK

Runtime

Bundled Wine

Graphics

D9VK + MTLd3D

x87 Translation

JIT + Sidecar

What WoWSilicon Does

Choose a profile or executable, patch the game folder, select your graphics and x87 backends, and launch. The Wine runtime and translators are already included.

Version Profiles

Built-in profiles for VanillaSilicon 1.12.1, BurningSilicon 2.4.3, and WrathSilicon 3.3.5a, plus custom profiles and experimental profiles for other 32-bit Direct3D 9 games.

Standalone Wine Runtime

Ships with a purpose-built Wine runtime. CrossOver and a separate Wine installation are no longer required.

Game Folder Patching

Installs the appropriate Direct3D 9 and WoW-specific runtime files while keeping generic game profiles limited to the required d3d9.dll.

Two Graphics Backends

Use D9VK for Vulkan-based translation or MTLd3D for direct Direct3D 9-to-Metal rendering, including optional HDR.

Flexible x87 Translation

Choose between rosettax87_jit and x87sidecar per profile, or disable accelerated x87 translation for troubleshooting.

Addons and Mods

Install nested addon repositories, update managed addons, and enable or remove DLL-style mods while protecting required runtime files.

Process Monitoring

See when Wine processes are active and use Force Quit when a game or helper process remains open.

Dependencies Built In

Install Wine Mono, Microsoft Visual C++ 2022, and Git from the Dependencies view when a client or addon needs them.

Why x87 Translation Matters

Classic WoW clients rely on old x86 behavior, including x87 floating-point instructions. On Apple Silicon, Rosetta 2 handles a lot well, but x87-heavy paths can be expensive compared with SSE-oriented code paths.

WoWSilicon lets each profile use rosettax87_jit, x87sidecar, or no accelerated translator. Supported WoW clients can also use libSiliconPatch to replace selected hot paths with SSE-friendly implementations.

libSiliconPatch

Replaces functions that use x87 and recompiles them to use SSE, which results in better performance on Apple Silicon.

rosettax87_jit

Hooks Rosetta 2 and emits ARM instructions to accelerate x87 translation, with support for current macOS releases.

x87sidecar

Runs accelerated x87 translation in an isolated helper process as an alternative to rosettax87_jit.

D9VK or MTLd3D

Choose Vulkan-based D9VK or the Metal-native MTLd3D backend per profile. Both are bundled with WoWSilicon.

Supported Clients

  • VanillaSilicon - WoW 1.12.1, vanilla-tweaks support, libSiliconPatch enabled by default.
  • BurningSilicon - WoW 2.4.3, Rosetta patching and DX9 translation support.
  • WrathSilicon - WoW 3.3.5a, libSiliconPatch enabled by default.
  • Custom profiles - create additional profiles from the base versions for custom WoW clients or alternate folders.
  • Non-WoW game - experimental support for other 32-bit Direct3D 9 games using a selected executable and d3d9.dll only.

Requirements

  • Apple Silicon Mac, M1 or newer.
  • macOS 15 or later.
  • A supported World of Warcraft client or experimental 32-bit Direct3D 9 executable.
  • Permission to read and modify the selected game folder.

Download WoWSilicon

Download the latest release from GitHub, move it to Applications, then follow the setup guide below.

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If macOS blocks the first launch for an unsigned build, remove the quarantine flag after moving the app to Applications.

Installation Guide

WoWSilicon includes the runtime it needs. Install the app, choose a profile or executable, and patch the selected game folder.

1

Open the downloaded archive

After downloading, open the WoWSilicon DMG or ZIP from your Downloads folder. If it is a DMG, it will mount in Finder.

2

Move WoWSilicon.app to Applications

Drag WoWSilicon.app into /Applications.

You can open Applications from Finder, or press Cmd+Space, type /Applications, and open the folder.

3

Remove security quarantine if needed

Unsigned builds are blocked by Gatekeeper. This is needed because the app is free and there is no Apple Developer ID to sign it with. Run the following command in Terminal after moving it to Applications:

xattr -cr /Applications/WoWSilicon.app
4

Launch and choose a profile

Open WoWSilicon and select a built-in WoW profile, create a custom profile, or choose the experimental Non-WoW game option.

Select the game executable when prompted and allow macOS to access its folder. Existing profiles are migrated automatically.

5

Patch and play

  • Confirm the selected profile and executable.
  • Click Patch to install the required game files.
  • Choose D9VK or MTLd3D and your preferred x87 translator in Options.
  • Install optional dependencies only if your client needs them.
  • Click Play.

Troubleshooting

  • Game patch is not applied: make sure the selected executable exists and its folder is writable.
  • Graphics problems: switch between D9VK and MTLd3D in Options to identify backend-specific issues.
  • Launch problems: try the other x87 translator and install Wine Mono or Visual C++ only when the client requires it.
  • Wine remains active: use the process indicator and Force Quit control to close remaining Wine processes.
  • Vanilla tweaked executable is stale: let WoWSilicon regenerate it when the build mismatch prompt appears.
  • Need logs: generate a debug log from Troubleshooting or enable Show Terminal in Options.

Need Help?

If setup fails, include your macOS version, selected profile, graphics backend, x87 translator, debug log, and the exact step that failed.

Join the Discord Open a GitHub issue

The troubleshooting view inside WoWSilicon can also collect useful context before you report a problem.

Disclaimer

WoWSilicon is not advocating the use of any private server. The launcher is intended to help older World of Warcraft clients run on Apple Silicon hardware in an efficient and performant way. Users are responsible for how they use the software, and WoWSilicon is not liable for that use.