# Hackintosh Checklist ## What's working? **Working:** check-mark. **Not Working:** bold. **Not Tested:** leave as-is. **Not applicable:** strike-through or delete. ### Useful tools and utilities [Checklist Tools](https://chriswayg.gitbook.io/opencore-visual-beginners-guide/step-by-step/checklist-tools) ### Desktop and General #### OpenCore Booting * [ ] Correct OS choices shown in OpenCore Menu/GUI * [ ] Keyboard shortcuts working (see details below in *OpenCore Boot Key Combinations*) * CMD+V — verbose mode *(check KeySwap)* * [ ] NVRAM working: [Verifying if you have working NVRAM](https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Post-Install/misc/nvram.html#verifying-if-you-have-working-nvram) * Apple -> System Preferences -> Startup Disk (uses NVRAM). * [ ] Security (especially SIP) use *Menu Bar SIP Detector* * [ ] FileVault (if used) * [ ] Windows and/or Linux Multi-Boot * [ ] Recovery (macOS) Boot * [ ] Serial Number: ensure that it does not exist elsewhere, [Check Apple Coverage](https://checkcoverage.apple.com/us/en/) *(and not uploaded to Github)* #### Display * [ ] Display via HDMI * [ ] Display via DisplayPort * [ ] Display via DVI * [ ] Native Resolution * [ ] Refresh rates * [ ] Multimonitor displays #### Graphics Acceleration * [ ] dGPU dedicated GPU * In *Terminal*: `gfxutil -f GFX0` or check in *IORegistryExplorer* * [ ] iGPU internal GPU * In *Terminal*: `gfxutil -f IGPU` or check in *IORegistryExplorer* * [ ] QE/CI *(full acceleration requires both Quartz Extreme and Core Image)* * Check for transparent menu bar and fast smooth UI * Hackintool -> System -> System -> *Quartz Extreme (QE/CI)* * [ ] VDA *(Video Decode Acceleration framework)* * *Hackintool -> System -> System -> VDA Decoder* (should show '*fully supported*') * Or use `VDADecoderChecker` * [ ] Metal * *System Information* -> Graphics/Displays -> Metal: Supported * *GLView* * *Geekbench* -> Compute -> Metal * [ ] Intel Quick Sync, H.264 & HEVC (H.265) hardware decoding/encoding * *Intel Power Gadget > GFX* (green line) check while exporting H.264 from FCP-X * [ ] dGPU hardware acceleration #### Audio * [ ] Audio out (see in *Audio MIDI Setup*) * [ ] Audio in * [ ] Frontpanel audio connectors * [ ] Audio over HDMI * [ ] Audio quality #### Sleep & Power Use *Energy Saver > Restore Defaults* * [ ] Check Hibernate Mode (desktop `0`, laptop `3`). In Terminal: `pmset -g | grep hibernatemode` * [ ] Shutdown (from Apple menu) * [ ] Restart (from Apple menu) * [ ] Manual Sleep (Apple menu -> Sleep) * [ ] [Press and hold power button for 1.5 seconds](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201236), select Sleep * [ ] Auto Sleep (*System Preferences* -> Energy Saver) * [ ] Wake by keyboard * [ ] Wake by mouse/trackpad #### CPU * [ ] CPU Power Management [Optimizing Power Management](https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Post-Install/universal/pm.html#optimizing-power-management) * Check with *IORegistryExplorer* * [ ] Temperatures and stability with 100% CPU * Use *Prime95* Torture Test #### Disk Test with *AJA System Test Lite or AmorphousDiskMark* * [ ] NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen3 or Gen4 speeds) * [ ] SATA SSD * [ ] TRIM support (*System Information* -> SATA -> SSD drive) * [ ] USB Drives #### Sensors Check with HWMonitorSMC2 * [ ] CPU * [ ] GPU * [ ] SSD, NVMe, HD * [ ] Fans #### Keyboard * [ ] Option/Command correctly mapped in macOS * For PC Keyboards swap in: *System Preferences* -> Keyboard -> Modifier Keys * Press *Spacebar* and the key left of the Spacebar. This should show Spotlight * [ ] Fn keys working (Audio Volume keys, etc.) #### USB Check with *USBToolBox* or *Hackintool* (shows connection speed) Test external drive speed with *AJA System Test Lite* * [ ] USB 2 ports * [ ] USB 2 on USB 3 ports * [ ] USB 3 and 3.1 ports (check transfer speed during copy) * [ ] USB Type-C ports * [ ] SD Card Reader * [ ] Camera (Photo Booth, Facetime, Zoom) * [ ] Fingerprint reader #### ThunderBolt * [ ] File transfer * [ ] Display #### Ethernet * [ ] Gigabit LAN (*System Preferences*-> Network -> Ethernet -> Advanced -> Hardware -> Speed should be 1000baseT or more) * [ ] 2.5GBase-T (especially on Comet Lake and above boards) * [ ] 10GBase-T (Aquantia with updated firmware) #### Wifi & Bluetooth * [ ] Wifi function and transmission speed (Option Click -> Wifi menu bar icon -> check Tx Rate) * [ ] Bluetooth devices (trackpad, mouse, keyboard, headset) * [ ] AirDrop (test with iDevices) * [ ] AirPlay to Mac (macOS Monterey or later, test with iOS 14 or later devices) * tap the AirPlay icon on your Apple device to share videos to your Hackintosh * [ ] Handoff [System requirements for Continuity](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204689) and [Use Continuity](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204681) which requires macOS Catalina & iOS 13+ * [ ] [Sidecar](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210380) requires macOS Catalina or later and a compatible iPad using iPadOS 13 or later. #### OS Features * [ ] iMessage, FaceTime, App Store, iTunes Store * [ ] DRM support *(iTunes Movies, Apple TV+. Amazon Prime and Netflix, and others - test in Safari. Requires AMD Polaris or newer GPU.)* ### Laptop Specific additional checks relevant for Notebooks including MacBooks with Legacy Patchers #### Display * [ ] Backlight setting * [ ] Backlight sensor * [ ] Backlight Fn keys #### Audio * [ ] Internal Speakers * [ ] Internal Microphone * [ ] 3.5 mm Jack Headphones * [ ] 3.5 mm Jack Microphone #### Sleep & Power * [ ] Sleep by close lid * [ ] Sleep by close lid with external display * [ ] Wake by open lid #### Battery * [ ] Showing percentage * [ ] Showing capacity/health * *coconutBattery* * [ ] Charge plug/unplug detected #### Sensors * [ ] Battery #### Keyboard & Trackpad * [ ] Keyboard (possibly PS2 based) * [ ] Brightness and other Fn Keys * [ ] Touchpad basic functions * [ ] Touchpad Gestures *Location of Checklist:* [![CC0](https://i.creativecommons.org/p/zero/1.0/88x31.png)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) I make this checklist available under public domain [(CC0)](https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/) --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://chriswayg.gitbook.io/opencore-visual-beginners-guide/step-by-step/hackintosh-checklist.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.