BootCamp Download Stuck – How to Get Drivers for Macs to run Windows 7 or 8

— updated after BootCamp 5 release June 2013 —

Where can you get a direct download of Windows drivers for Macs if BootCamp is stuck, and says 'could not continue' or you have some other problem downloading the drivers?

The brute force solution: it’s a darned large download, so physically take your machine to somewhere with a very fast internet connection that can download 600MB – 1GB in a couple of minutes. There, you’re done. Especially if you have a laptop, this would be the simplest solution - even take it to an Apple Store.

For the rest of us:

  1. If not, then first find out your Mac's ModelIdentifier
    • Q: How do I find my Mac's Model Identifier?
      A: Open System Information, and look in the Hardware Overview section.
      In other words: Click Apple menu -> About this Mac -> More Info… -> System Report -> Hardware. Now, read down the list in the Hardware Overview panel, looking for Model Identifier
    • If you're stuck, see the note below.
    • Note that a ModelIdentifierHasNoSpacesInItAtAll.
  2. Second, get a download manager. You can try doing without, but the reason you're on this page is that you're having trouble getting a file to download reliably. A download manager such as iGetter or Folx solves this problem.

  3. Then, search for your ModelIdentifier in the table below. Click the link to get the download package. Be patient as they are 600MB to over 1GB. It will be much simpler if you do the download in OS X, because OS X can open the downloaded file and also open the dmg file inside it.

  4. Still in Mac OS X, once your pkg is downloaded, double click it and install to a folder on your hard drive so you know where to find it. During the Installation, click the "Change Location" option so that you can choose where it gets installed.Image of OS X Installer step where you can choose the folder to install to

  5. The folder contains a nest of folders, the last of which contains a dmg disk image file. Double click that to open. At last! Here are your Windows installer files.Install BootCampESD 4 Find and Double click the dmg fileBootCamp WindowsSupport.dmg Contents

    BootCamp WindowsSupport.dmg Contents of Drivers Folder

  6. Copy them to a usb drive, or a burnable CD. NB, it’s still 660MB or more, so it’s a full CDs worth of burning time.
  7. Done. You can now proceed with Boot Camp assistant Windows installation and boot the Mac in Windows.

If you must do the download in Windows instead OS X, it's harder. You will need the help on http://www.cafe-encounter.net/p860/opening-a-bootcamp-driver-download-on-windows-7-or-8-with-7-zip to open the pkg file and the dmg file inside it.

BootCamp Direct Download Links

Most of these driver downloads work for both Windows 7 and Windows 8. Windows 8 on 32-bit is not officially supported, but almost everything seems to works on fine on not-officially supported models: the only specific shortcoming I'm aware of is that the screen brightness buttons don't work on all models.

Model Identifier Size & driver release date Direct Download Link
Macmini6,1
Macmini6,2
MacBookPro10,2
iMac13,1
iMac13,2 		438MB, 3 Dec 2012 http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/54/18/041-8805/9tglhtxadqtnrro79rsdy4f0mkgu7wg6or/BootCampESD.pkg
MacBookPro9,1
MacBookPro9,2 		1,058MB, 15 June 2012 http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/11/05/041-0925/g27es04pw9re5ggrfp3vuf8ew6r53asfz8/BootCampESD.pkg
MacBookPro10,1
MacBookAir5,1
MacBookAir5,2 		942MB, 15 June 2012 hhttp://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/55/51/041-3891/se4uhpqng48t842cdsosqh28lft54fmswl/BootCampESD.pkg
MacBookAir4,1
MacBookAir4,2
Macmini5,1
Macmini5,2
Macmini5,3 		676MB, 23 May 2012 hhttp://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/32/33/041-2303/W5jKtsQhhMgMXs3TKhPDqLXrpXyY2HdXMN/BootCampESD.pkg
MacBook2,1
MacBook3,1
MacBook4,1
MacBook5,1
MacBook5,2
MacBook5,3
MacBook6,1
MacBook7,1
MacBookAir1,1
MacBookAir2,1
MacBookAir3,1
MacBookAir3,2
MacBookPro2,1
MacBookPro2,2
MacBookPro3,1
MacBookPro4,1
MacBookPro5,1
MacBookPro5,2
MacBookPro5,3
MacBookPro5,4
MacBookPro5,5
MacBookPro6,1
MacBookPro6,2
MacBookPro7,1
MacBookPro8,1
MacBookPro8,2
MacBookPro8,3
MacPro1,1
MacPro2,1
MacPro3,1
MacPro4,1
MacPro5,1
Macmini2,1
Macmini3,1
Macmini4,1
iMac5,1
iMac6,1
iMac7,1
iMac8,1
iMac9,1
iMac10,1
iMac11,1
iMac11,2
iMac11,3
iMac12,1
iMac12,2 		632MB, 23 May 2012 http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/33/54/041-2011/pRtCDYcWShMLxFggy3TzFzmfnnWQNFQBfJ/BootCampESD.pkg

Finding your ModelIdentifier

If you're struggling to find your ModelIdentifier then you want the brilliant page at everymac.com which can tell you what model Mac you have based on serial number. On the result page after you submit, look carefully and you'll the ModelIdentifier.

Still stuck?

If you're still stuck, then:

  1. Look through the comments for people with similar problems -- there have been a couple of hundred so they cover pretty much everything I can suggest.
  2. Try my summary of problems/solutions for direct download of bootcamp drivers

References

See BootCampESD.pkg download instructions for references and for the DIY instructions to work out these links yourself.

365 thoughts on “BootCamp Download Stuck – How to Get Drivers for Macs to run Windows 7 or 8”

  1. Will the boot camp drivers for the retina display MBP also work for the hi-res, but not Retina, display? Please advise.

    Thx,
    Victor

    1. Hi Victor, What you need to do is, get hold of your model number by following the instructions on http://www.cafe-encounter.net/p640/bootcamp-4-lion-drivers-download.
      Then, if your model number is one of MacBookPro10,1 or MacBookAir5,1 or MacBookAir5,2 the link on this page is the one you want. But if your computer is older than Mid-2012 then you must look through the links on http://www.cafe-encounter.net/p640/bootcamp-4-lion-drivers-download till you find the link for your model number.

      If your computer is a mid-2012 model but not the retina display, then I’m not sure – if you post your model number we can help you find the right download.

  3. Hi Chris, Great to see the efforts put in by you to help… I have mid-2012 Macbook Air 5,2. Upgraded to Mountain Lion. I need to run Win 7. Please help with the download link for the Win 7 drivers.

    1. Hi Rajeel, I added a complete table of the models and links from the Mountain Lion update file. So you should now find your MacbookAir5,2 link in the bottom row of the table at the top of this page.
      Cheers,
      Chris

  5. Hello
    I have a 10.8.1 so I tryed to get the new update of MAC os X lion Mountain but my computer says “there is no update available” and If I try to download the windows support software dirrectly from bootcamp it says “we couldn’t download the windows software support cause it’s not available yet on the server”. I don’t really understand how to get drivers for this version…please H.E.L.P

    1. Hi Alex,
      The ‘not available yet on the server’ is interesting. But if you know what your mac model identifier is, then you can still download the windows support software using the links above. You should find they work on 10.8.1

  6. Just wanted to say thanks a lot for this guide!
    Got stuck downloading using BCA but this worked like a charm (despite the huge 1GB download)

  7. Thanks Chris! I was having so much trouble trying to download the drivers through bootcamp. Your post was very helpful and worked like a charm. 🙂

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    1. Hi Jedd, when you download the file, it will just go into your Download folder, depending on which browser you’re using. Then you open it, you choose where it goes. You just have to remember where you put it.

  12. Thx sooo much, after promising to setup bootcamp for my boss I was starting to panic a little bit….(a lot)
    Your a life saver
    Thankyou

      1. hi chris,

        i wiped out my mac osx and put on windows, now i can’t open the pkg and dmg folders, could you provide me with the contents of the dmg file which are the windows support folder, i believe. i have a rapidshare account i’m willing to give you access to, if you’re willing to help me out. thanks, [email protected]

          1. hi chris, i already read that comment and tried it with 7zip, it makes only 5 files that i can’t use (an xml, bom, payload, scripts, and package info ). would you mind helping me out, and uploading only the windows support folder contents, which includes the drivers and setup.exe to my rapidshare. i’ll give you access thru email. i have a macbook pro 8,1. thanks.

          2. hi chris, i realize i was using 7zip on the pkg file, then i get those 5 files that i can’t use. nonetheless, any help would be appreciated.

          3. Hi Ahmed … Easiest is to do the download on OS X, then run the pkg file and let it save the dmg file. Then double click the dmg file and copy to a usb stick. If you must do it on Windows, then 7-zip will work – the thing I missed was that the pkg contains a Payload file – double click that while still in 7-zip and then whatever you get just keep double clicking it. Eventually you get to 0.Apple_ISO, double click that and there are you driver installers.

          5. Hi, I have the same problem – I’ve used 7-zip to open the .pkg but there is no .dmg to be found. I’m using the second link from this page – has anyone managed to use this?

          6. Hi Elleoh – bear in mind first of all that unless you’ve utterly deleted OS X from your MAc then the simplest way is to download the pkg file when booted in OS X and just run it. You can then open the dmg file too just by double clicking.

            On Windows I did manage to get into it with 7-zip. Use 7-zip to open the .pkg file, double click on the Payload file and *just keep double clicking down*. In the end you get to an ISO file. Still in 7-zip, double click it. Inside there … the setup files you seek.

  13. i have a rapidshare account for one more month, if anyone is willing to supply me with the drivers inside the pkg and dmg folders, then i’m willing to upload if they work and then share.

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  15. Hi, do these download include the Windows Drivers? For some reason my boot camp assitant does not let me downlad the windows drivers. I installed windows 7 already, all I need is the drivers that accelerate the video card..etc..I have a macbook pro, i just bought it last week. THANKS!

    1. Hi Elvyn, Yes, these links are exactly the windows drivers for Mac hardware. They’re what you need when your BootCamp Assistant stops half way through downloading them. Join the club 😉

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  19. Hello Chris, Pls. I Need A BootCamp Driver Download Link For MacBookPro7,1 .
    My MacBook Pro Is Currently Running OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion With Version 5.0.0 (444) Of BootCamp Assistant. THANKS!

  22. Hi Chris …
    I am having a macbook with mac OS X lion 10.7 …model identifier macbook7, 1.
    I have installed win 7 64 bit on this mac, i did download “http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/33/54/041-2011/pRtCDYcWShMLxFggy3TzFzmfnnWQNFQBfJ/BootCampESD.pkg” and I am not able to install any drivers of it ..please help .. Have I downloaded the correct file ???
    Please help …..

    1. Hi Gaurav. Not all versions of 64-bit windows work on all Macs – see this page http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1846 for which models/Windows 7 versions work.
      The file you downloaded is the right one. For the instructions at the top of the page to work for you, you should be doing the download in OS X, not Windows.
      hope that helps,
      Chris

  24. Hi ahmed
    Could you share your file WindowsSupport.zip again please?

    This link is death: dropbox.unl.edu/uploads/…etc…/WindowsSupport.zip

    Thanks in advance

  25. Might have to use this now. BUT do I still click on download the Windows Support software then click on the CD, or do I just skip this step? install, then install the drivers when I install windows. Btw this is windows 8 I am installing.

    1. Hi Jonathan,

      You no longer need the ‘Download the Windows support software’ checkbox in Bootcamp Assistant if you’ve got the pkg from the link above.

      The Win7 drivers work on Win 8 too.

      Cheers, Chris

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