Linux on Macs Rare Niche Use

Linux on Macs Rare Niche Use | Generated by AI

Home 2026.02

Question: Do many people use Mac Pro or MacBook Air to run Linux?

Answer:

No, not many people run Linux as their primary or native OS on MacBook Air or Mac Pro models — it’s a niche activity rather than a common one.

Here’s a breakdown of the current situation (as of early 2026):

Overall numbers and popularity

Desktop Linux (traditional distributions, not including Android or ChromeOS) has roughly 4–6% global market share on desktops/laptops. macOS has around 15–16%.
The subset of Mac hardware running Linux is much smaller — a tiny fraction of Mac users.
Most Mac users stay on macOS because of the tight hardware-software integration, ecosystem (iPhone/iPad continuity, Final Cut, Logic, etc.), and excellent battery life/power management.

Intel-based Macs (older MacBook Air/Pro, older Mac Pro)

Running Linux natively (dual-boot or full replacement) used to be reasonably popular among enthusiasts, developers, and people reviving old hardware (e.g., 2012–2019 MacBook Pros/Airs).
It still happens, but it’s not mainstream. Common issues include suboptimal battery life, missing drivers (webcam, some function keys, sleep), and tinkering required.
Many who want Linux on Intel Macs now prefer running it in a virtual machine (Parallels, UTM, VirtualBox) rather than native install — this is far more common because you keep macOS as the host.

Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3/M4 MacBook Air/Pro, Mac Pro M2 Ultra)

This is where most newer MacBook Air and Mac Pro models are (2021+).
Asahi Linux (and Fedora Asahi Remix) is the main way to run Linux natively/dual-boot.
Progress is impressive: M1/M2 support is quite good (GPU acceleration, good performance, daily-driver possible for many).
M3/M4/M5 support is still emerging — basic booting works, but GPU acceleration and some features (e.g., better external display, power management) are incomplete or experimental as of early 2026.
Asahi’s own install stats show ~82,000 installations tracked (mostly M1/M2 MacBook Air/Pro models; very few on Mac Pro).
Even if we assume many more untracked installs, this is still a very small number compared to hundreds of millions of active Macs worldwide.
Adoption remains enthusiast/developer-focused. Most Apple Silicon users stick with macOS; some run Linux in VMs (UTM is popular and fast on ARM).

Who actually does it?

Developers who need native Linux environments (containers, kernel work, specific tooling).
People unhappy with macOS changes or wanting more customization/privacy.
Hobbyists reviving “obsolete” Intel Macs or experimenting with ARM Linux.
Very few “average” users — it’s not common in offices, schools, or general consumer settings.

Bottom line

Running Linux on Mac hardware exists and works well in many cases (especially M1/M2 + Asahi), but “many people” do not do it. It’s a small niche within the already small desktop Linux user base. Most Mac owners who want Linux simply use a VM or buy separate Linux hardware.

References:

Back Donate