Get GhostVM

A complete macOS guest in an isolated virtual machine.
Your apps see a clean machine, with the fingerprint you choose.

A second macOS, on your Mac

GhostVM uses Apple's Virtualization framework to run a complete macOS guest. The guest has its own hardware identity and storage, fully separate from your host. You install applications inside it and they see a clean machine.

┌── Your Mac (host) ────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ ┌── GhostVM.app (Apple Virtualization) ────┐ │ │ │ ┌── macOS guest ────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ │ · Distinct hardware identity │ │ │ │ │ │ · Sandboxed storage │ │ │ │ │ │ · Your apps run here │ │ │ │ │ │ · Rosetta 2 for x86 binaries │ │ │ │ │ └────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Apple Silicon M1 / M2 / M3 / M4
macOS 14+ Sonoma or later
~25 GB free disk
8 GB RAM 16 GB ideal

What you get

Separate identity

UUID, MAC address, ComputerName, and hw.model all distinct from your host machine.

Native performance

Apple's Virtualization framework runs at hardware speed. Rosetta 2 inside the guest for x86 binaries.

Reset any time

Throw the guest away and set up a fresh one. Five minutes, clean slate, new fingerprint.

One subscription

Time on your LDBypass account works for both GhostVM and the overlay. Switch between products freely.

Install

①

Download

Signed and notarized for macOS. Apple Silicon required.

⚠️ GhostVM is macOS only. Open this page on your Mac to download.
②

Unzip & Open

Double-click the .zip, then open GhostVM.app. The build is signed and notarized so it should open normally on current macOS.

🔒

If macOS still warns, use the built-in override once

This should be rare on the notarized build, but the fallback is simple:

③

Allow in System Settings

⚙️ System Settings → Privacy & Security → scroll down → Open Anyway

Then open GhostVM.app again. After that macOS remembers the app.

④

Sign in

Open GhostVM.app. A browser opens to sign in, and the backend checks the host Mac license before the VM can run. Guest UUID changes are VM metadata, not a new subscription.

Same subscription: any active time on your LDBypass account works for both GhostVM and the overlay. The host-device binding and account balance are shared, so there is no re-purchase and no reset-by-VM trick.
⑤

First-run setup · one-time, 15–40 min

Click Setup macOS guest. GhostVM does the heavy lifting:

  • Pulls a fresh macOS image from Apple (~14 GB, one time)
  • Provisions the guest using Apple's Virtualization framework
  • Boots into the macOS Setup Assistant inside the VM (you create a guest user, ~3 min)
  • Configures the guest for full isolation from your host

Realistic timing: 15 min on fast fiber, 30–40 min on average broadband, 1 h+ on a slow link. Setup is resumable if your connection drops you can close the app and continue later.

Subsequent boots take ~5 seconds.

⑥

Boot & use

Click Boot guest in GhostVM. The guest macOS opens in its own window with full keyboard, mouse, and audio. Sign in with the guest user you created.

From inside the guest:

  • Open Safari and download whatever app you need (LockDown Browser, Respondus, etc.) The guest sees a clean Mac.
  • Take your exam inside the guest. Your host session stays untouched.
  • Move files via the Shared Folder on the guest desktop (drag & drop both ways).
  • Press ⌘Q in GhostVM to exit; the guest pauses and resumes from where you left it.
Common issues

"Virtualization is not supported"

You're on an Intel Mac. GhostVM requires Apple Silicon (M1 or later) because Apple's Virtualization framework depends on Apple Silicon hardware.

Setup stops mid-download

The IPSW comes directly from Apple's CDN; speed depends on your connection. Setup is resumable: close the app and reopen, it picks up where it left off.

"Not enough disk space"

The guest needs ~25 GB. Free up space and retry; the existing partial guest will be reused.

The guest feels laggy

Close other heavy apps on your host (browsers, Xcode, video editors). The guest gets dynamically allocated RAM; on 8 GB Macs running other apps simultaneously you'll feel it. 16 GB+ runs the guest at native speed.

Can I install Windows?

Not via GhostVM. Apple's Virtualization framework on Apple Silicon supports macOS and Linux guests only. For Windows on Apple Silicon you'd need Parallels or VMware Fusion, which are separate products.

The guest can't reach the internet

Check your host firewall and VPN aren't blocking GhostVM. If your VPN routes selectively, the guest may need its own connection settings inside the guest macOS.

How do I reset the guest before an exam?

Use Reset guest in GhostVM's menu while the guest is paused. Restoring is one click. Good practice: reset between exams to start from a clean baseline.

How do I delete the guest entirely?

Use Delete guest in the app menu, or quit and clear GhostVM's data via Finder (⌘⇧G in Finder → ~/Library/Application Support → remove the GhostVM folder). Next launch lets you start fresh.

Verify download (SHA-256)

695fe42643427f5d97b5e3abf4375c20c391ca342604b05583cec2ff9a1349d5

Want a lighter, no-VM option? Try the LDBypass overlay →

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