Running Apple System 7 or Mac OS 8 on a Raspberry Pi 5 in 2026 is a surprisingly practical way to preserve and experience classic Macintosh computing, and Basilisk II remains the most capable emulator for the job. Leveraging the Pi 5’s modern performance, Basilisk II delivers smooth 68k emulation with colour graphics, sound, networking, internet and full-screen support, making it suitable not only for nostalgia but also for education, software preservation, and museum or kiosk installations. With readily available ROMs and disk images, a compact footprint, and the ability to boot directly into the classic Mac environment, the Raspberry Pi 5 transforms into a quiet, low-power “instant Macintosh” that faithfully recreates the look, feel, and workflow of Apple’s System 7 and Mac OS 8 era on contemporary hardware.
This tutorial is for intermediate-level users, familiar with Terminal and how to run commands. You can also purchase the ready-made solution.
Step 1: Prepare the Host OS
Flash OS: Use Raspberry Pi Imager to install Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit) on your microSD card.
Once ready, insert your micro SD card in your Raspberry Pi 5 and power it on. Make sure the desktop is fully loaded and connected to the internet. First of all, we need to update the system. Open the Terminal, and run:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install git libsdl2-dev automake gobjc samba-common libmpc-dev -y
Step 2: Download Source and Compile
git clone https://github.com/kanjitalk755/macemu.git
cd macemu/BasiliskII/src/Unix
Compile with SDL2 support:
NO_CONFIGURE=1 ./autogen.sh
./configure --enable-sdl-video --enable-sdl-audio --disable-vosf --disable-jit-compiler
make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install
Important! Watch for any errors during the process and address them before going to the next steps.
Step 3: Configure and Setup Files
Use the desktop’s graphical file manager to:
Place Files: Copy your Macintosh ROM, System 7.5.5 bootable disk and Basilisk II GUI into a folder /home/pi/mac/
Setup: Run the BasiliskII-aarch64.AppImage (Basilisk II
GUI) to perform the setup. You can find detailed instructions on how to setup your emulator here.
Save Settings: Click Start to ensure it boots. Exit the emulator. Your settings are now saved in /home/pi/.basiliskII/prefs. To start Basilisk II from the terminal, type: BasiliskII
Step 4: Configure Autorun (Optional)
To make the emulator start automatically every time you boot:
4.1 Create Autostart Directory:
mkdir -p ~/.config/autostart
4.2 Create Desktop Entry:
~/.config/autostart/basilisk.desktop
4.3 Add Configuration:
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Basilisk II Mac OS 7
Comment=Launch Mac OS 7 Emulator
Exec=/usr/local/bin/BasiliskII
Terminal=false
Categories=Utility;Emulation;
4.4 Save and Exit: (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X)
Step 5: Removing Splash and Logos at the BOOT Screen (Optional)
5.1 Removing splash screen (Logo)
Go to Menu / Preferences / Control Centre and navigate to System
- Console Auto Login: YES
- Desktop Auto Login: YES
- Splash Screen: NO
5.2 Removing 4 logos on top of the screen
sudo nano /boot/firmware/cmdline.txt
Add at the end of the line (on the same line):
quiet loglevel=3 logo.nologo vt.global_cursor_default=0
5.3 Removing the rainbow splash screen
sudo nano /boot/firmware/config.txt
Add at the very bottom on a new line:
disable_splash=1
Best Practices in 2026
In 2026, the performance of the Raspberry Pi 5 allows for “quality of life” enhancements that were previously difficult on older Pi models. Beyond basic installation, here are the best practices for a professional-grade Mac OS 7 setup:
1. Optimise Disk & Model Settings
- Emulate a Quadra 900: While earlier Mac models work, emulating a Quadra 900 with a 68040 CPU and OS 8 provides the best balance of speed and software compatibility.
- Disk Image Sizes: For Mac OS 7, keep your primary boot disk under 2GB (the HFS limit). You can create multiple 2GB “Hard Files” to store more data without risking directory corruption.
- RAM Allocation: Set the RAM in Basilisk II to 128MB. While original hardware rarely had this much, it prevents “Out of Memory” errors when running modern retro-ports or large applications.
2. Networking and Internet
- Use “Slirp” for Networking: Set your Ethernet Interface to slirp in the Basilisk II preferences. This allows your emulated Mac to share the Raspberry Pi’s internet connection without needing complex sudo bridge configurations.
- Enable 68k Browsing: Use “vintage-friendly” web tools. In 2026, the best way to browse the modern web from within OS 7 is to use a proxy like FrogFind or WRP (Web Rendering Proxy), which converts modern sites into basic HTML/GIFs that original 68k browsers (like iCab or Netscape) can handle.
3. High-Performance File Sharing
- The “Unix Root” Disk: Always configure a “Unix Root” folder in the Basilisk II settings. This folder appears as a drive named “Unix” on the Mac desktop. Any file you drop into this folder on your Raspberry Pi OS will instantly appear on the Mac, and vice versa.
- Avoid the Desktop Folder: Never move files directly from the “Unix” drive onto the Mac desktop. Instead, copy them to the emulated “Macintosh HD” first to ensure file resource forks are preserved.
4. Performance & Stability Tweaks
- JIT Compiler Caution: While the JIT (Just-In-Time) compiler can make the Mac significantly faster, it is often unstable on ARM64 (Pi 5). If you experience frequent system bombs, disable JIT in the preferences; the Pi 5 is fast enough to run OS 7 perfectly without it.
- Cleaning Prefs: If Basilisk II fails to boot (white screen or “Unhappy Mac”), delete the prefs and xpram files in your home directory to reset the environment.
- KMS/DRM Drivers: Ensure your Pi 5 is using the Full KMS driver (standard in 2026). This allows the SDL2 backend of Basilisk II to communicate directly with the hardware for zero-lag video.
5. Essential Retro Software for 2026
- StuffIt Expander 5.5: This is mandatory. Almost all classic Mac software found online is compressed in .sit or .bin formats.
- Disk Copy 6.3.3: Use this to mount .img or .dmi files within the Mac OS environment itself.
Ready-made Solution
If you’re uncomfortable using Terminal or don’t want to spend your time on this, consider purchasing a ready-made solution from the link below:
