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Grapple

Mac compatibility

Can you play X-Plane 12 on a Mac?

Likely to work — not tested yetUpdated

Short answer: There's a native Mac version on Steam — the easy route. The Windows version requires DirectX 12, which Grapple runs through D3DMetal, but we haven't tested it.

What we know

Steam ships a macOS build of X-Plane 12 with the same purchase as the Windows version. Steam's Mac requirements list macOS 12 (Monterey) or newer. If your Mac meets those requirements, the native version is the better route — nothing is being translated.

The Windows version is what Grapple would run. Its minimum and recommended requirements both list DirectX 12, though the minimum graphics line asks for a Vulkan 1.3-capable card.

Grapple ships Apple's D3DMetal, which handles DirectX 11 and 12, so there is nothing extra for you to download. That's an expectation, not a result — we haven't tested it yet.

Grapple settings

Nothing verified for this game yet — but here's where to start, based on its DirectX version. If you get somewhere, tell us and we'll put the real settings here. You can change the same options in the app. The commands below assume the game came from Steam; use Epic, GOG or Games instead if that's where it runs in Grapple.

  • DirectX 12 runs through D3DMetal, which comes with Grapple — a new install already uses it, and nothing needs downloading. See the Game Porting Toolkit guide.
  • To see frame rates, turn on the Metal HUD: grapple set Steam hud on

Test record

Empty until someone runs it. A record here lists the Mac, macOS and Grapple versions, the engine and graphics layer, the settings and every check — yours can fill it, or ours will.

FAQ

Can I play X-Plane 12 on a Mac?

Steam ships a macOS build of X-Plane 12 with the same purchase as the Windows version. Steam's Mac requirements list macOS 12 (Monterey) or newer. Likely to work — not tested yet. It requires DirectX 12, which Grapple runs through D3DMetal, the graphics layer from Apple's Game Porting Toolkit that ships with Grapple. There's nothing extra to download. That's what the game's published facts suggest, not a result. We publish a verified status only after running the game on a real Mac.

What might stop X-Plane 12 from working?

There's a native Mac version too — this expectation is about the Windows version run through Grapple. DirectX 12 is the newest thing Grapple translates, so it's also where we've seen the most surprises. Nobody has run this one yet.

Is there a Mac version of X-Plane 12?

Steam ships a macOS build of X-Plane 12 with the same purchase as the Windows version. Steam's Mac requirements list macOS 12 (Monterey) or newer.

How can I try X-Plane 12 myself?

Grapple's Free plan runs one game, forever — enough to settle this one. Add Steam in one click (launchers and Windows tools never count as your game), install the game and launch it: that first launch is what claims it, and you can swap it for a different game once every 30 days. If it won't start, try the other graphics layer in the game's settings. Then send us the result — the game and where you bought it, your Mac model and macOS version, the engine and graphics layer it ran on (grapple info Steam), your in-game settings, the frame rate from the Metal HUD, and screenshots of any error or a diagnostics report (grapple report Steam) — and we'll publish it here once it's a real test run.

Sources

Every factual claim on this page comes from these. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.

  1. Steam store page — system requirements, supported platforms and DRM/anti-cheat notices (checked 28 September 2026)

Try X-Plane 12 yourself — and tell us

Grapple's Free plan runs one game, forever — exactly enough to settle X-Plane 12. It's claimed the first time you play it, launchers and Windows tools don't count towards it, and you can swap it for another game once every 30 days. Install it, play for a bit, and send us what you saw. Every result — working or broken — decides what we test next, and verified results get published here with credit if you want it.

What to send

  • The game and where you bought it (Steam, GOG, Epic…)
  • Your Mac model, chip and macOS version
  • The engine and graphics layer the game ran on — grapple info Steam
  • The resolution and graphics preset you played at
  • Frame rate from the Metal HUD, and the scene you measured it in — grapple set Steam hud on
  • Screenshots of any error, plus a diagnostics report — grapple report Steam

Those commands assume the game came from Steam; use Epic, GOG or Games instead if that's where it runs in Grapple. How to create a diagnostics report — it collects the game's settings, versions and logs into one zip, with your username removed.

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X-Plane 12 is a trademark of its owner and is named here only to identify the game. Grapple isn't affiliated with or endorsed by Laminar Research.