It lives in Finder
Every Windows app becomes its own .app. Find it in Applications, open it from Spotlight or Launchpad, and keep it in the Dock.
Pane · by Flowstate Labs
Windows apps.
Mac manners.
Pane turns a Windows app into a real Mac app. It gets its own icon in Finder, Launchpad and the Dock, and it saves files straight into your Mac's own folders. No virtual machine. No rebooting into Windows.
For macOS 14.6 Sonoma or later · Apple Silicon and Intel
Running one Windows program shouldn't mean running all of Windows. Pane skips the second desktop and gives you just the app, behaving like it belongs on your Mac.
Why Pane
It feels like it came from the Mac.
Saves where you expect
Hit Save and the file lands in your real Desktop, Documents or Downloads. It isn't buried in a hidden drive you have to dig through.
No virtual machine
Pane doesn't boot a copy of Windows. It translates the app's requests for your Mac as it runs, so it starts fast and doesn't need a Windows licence.
Games, too
DirectX 9 through 12 is translated to Metal, including Apple's D3DMetal for DirectX 11 and 12 on Apple Silicon.
One app, one bundle
Each app keeps its own settings, fonts and add-ons in its own bundle. Delete the app and it all goes with it.
Stays on your Mac
Your apps and files never leave your machine. There's no cloud streaming and no account just to open a program.
How it works
Three steps, then it's just an app.
-
1
Drop in the installer
Drag a Windows
.exeor.msionto Pane, or pick the app's folder. -
2
Pane builds a Mac app
It installs the program, chooses the right graphics settings and wraps it all in a single
.appwith its own icon. -
3
Open it like any other app
Launch it from Finder, Spotlight or the Dock. Your files save to your Mac, ready for AirDrop, iCloud or Time Machine.
Compared
Less than a whole second computer.
| Pane | Virtual machine | Second PC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opens from Finder & the Dock | Yes | Inside a VM window | No |
| Saves to your Mac's folders | Yes | Through shared folders | Copy files across |
| Needs a Windows licence | No | Yes | Yes |
| Memory & battery cost | Just the app | A whole OS | A whole machine |
FAQ
Good questions.
Will every Windows app work?
Not every one, and we won't pretend otherwise. Most everyday programs and many games run well. Apps with kernel-level anti-cheat or special hardware drivers usually don't.
Do I need a copy of Windows?
No. Pane is built on Wine, which runs Windows programs directly on macOS without Windows itself. You only need the app you want to run.
Which Macs are supported?
macOS 14.6 Sonoma or later, on Apple Silicon or Intel. Apple Silicon Macs also need Rosetta 2, which macOS offers to install the first time it's needed.
Where do my files go?
The app's Desktop, Documents and Downloads are your Mac's real folders. Anything you save shows up in Finder straight away.
My antivirus flagged a file. Is it safe?
Windows programs compiled for Wine sometimes trip antivirus heuristics. That's a known false positive across Wine-based tools. Only download Pane from this site.
When can I get it?
Pane is in active development. Leave your email on the Flowstate Labs site and you'll get one short note when it ships.
Bring your Windows apps home.
One email when Pane is ready. Nothing else.
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