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no seriously there are .exe to .app converters , well…
You cannot directly convert a Windows .exe (executable) file to a macOS .app file because they are for different operating systems, but you can run .exe files on a Mac using virtualization software like Parallels or by using compatibility layers like Wine. For Windows-to-Windows deployment, you can "wrap" an .exe into a package like .intunewin or .msix for deployment through management tools like Microsoft Intune.
Running an .exe on a Mac
- Virtualization:
Install a virtual machine like VMware Fusion or Parallels Desktop, then install Windows inside it. You can then run Windows applications from the
.exefile within the virtual machine. - Compatibility Layers:
Tools like Wine (or its commercial version, CrossOver) can create an environment on macOS that allows Windows
.exefiles to run without a full virtual machine.
Packaging an .exe for Windows Deployment
If you are trying to deploy an .exe file to multiple Windows computers, such as within an organization using Microsoft Intune, you will need to convert it into a deployable package.
- Create an
.intunewinpackage: Use Microsoft's tools to compress the.exeand its supporting files into a single.intunewinfile, which can then be uploaded to Intune for deployment. - Create an
.MSIXpackage: You can use the MSIX Packaging Tool to convert an.exeinstaller into an MSIX application package for a more modern deployment experience.
Why Direct Conversion Isn't Possible
- Different Operating Systems:
.exefiles are the executable format for Windows, while.appfiles are the application bundle format for macOS. They are built for entirely different operating system architectures. - Compiled Code:
.exefiles are already compiled and ready to run on a Windows system. There is no universal tool that can magically translate this compiled Windows code into a format compatible with macOS