--- title: 'Kubernetes on Mac: how to set up' description: Instructions on how to set up MicroK8s to run Kubernetes on Mac (macOS) for developing and testing apps, microservices and local builds. url: https://canonical.com/blog/kubernetes-on-mac-how-to-set-up?format=md --- 1. [Blog](https://canonical.com/blog) 2. Article --- [wgs1](https://canonical.com/blog/author/wgs1 "More about wgs1") 20 June 2019 # Kubernetes on Mac: how to set up [containers](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/containers) [kubernetes](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/kubernetes) [MicroK8s](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/microk8s) [Multipass](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/multipass) [Snaps](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/snaps) [Virtual Machines](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/virtual-machines) --- Share the article UPDATED in July 2020 with the latest instruction set. Are you looking for a Kubernetes solution to run on your Mac? [MicroK8s](https://microk8s.io/) is a lightweight, pure upstream distribution of Kubernetes developed by Canonical. It’s a compact [Linux snap](https://snapcraft.io/) that installs a single-node Kubernetes cluster alongside carefully selected add-ons on Linux, Windows and macOS. Although MicroK8s was originally built for Linux, Kubernetes on Mac works natively with MicroK8s, using an Ubuntu virtual machine (VM). MicroK8s has a low resource footprint and can be used as a single-node Kubernetes or as a multi-node cluster. This allows teams to develop and test their cloud-native applications, build CI-CD pipelines, develop AI/ML models or embed an auto-upgradeable Kubernetes in IoT and edge appliances. While MicroK8s automates the typical functions of Kubernetes, such as scheduling, scaling and debugging, it also abstracts some of its complexity by pre-packaging add-ons such as DNS, the Kubernetes dashboard, and Istio. Additionally, MicroK8s follows the upstream Kubernetes release cadence, making new versions available within days of the official release. ## Kubernetes on Mac set up steps The following steps are required to download MicroK8s on macOS and set up the necessary add-ons to access the MicroK8s dashboard. #### Step 1: Install MicroK8s ``` brew install ubuntu/microk8s/microk8s ``` ``` microk8s install ``` If you don’t have the brew command you can get it from the [Homebrew website](http://brew.sh/). #### Step2: Check MicroK8s status ``` microk8s status --wait-ready ``` #### Step 3: Enable the dashboard add-on ``` microk8s enable dashboard ``` #### Step 4: Access the Kubernetes dashboard ``` microk8s dashboard-proxy ``` ## Kubernetes on Mac in summary MicroK8s is easy to install and provides a nice way to do Kubernetes on Mac workstations. For larger-scale use cases, MicroK8s nodes can be clustered together. To read more about clustering and other advanced MicroK8s configuration, continue reading and exploring with the [official MicroK8s documentation](https://microk8s.io/docs). ## Useful reading * [Install a local Kubernetes with MicroK8s – tutorial](https://tutorials.ubuntu.com/tutorial/install-a-local-kubernetes-with-microk8s?_ga=2.161708799.211762691.1560682047-1699069766.1559131861#0) * [Build a RaspberryPi Kubernetes cluster with MicroK8s](https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/how-to-build-a-raspberry-pi-kubernetes-cluster-using-microk8s/14792) * [Install single node and multi-node Kubernetes](https://ubuntu.com/kubernetes/install) * [Kubernetes on Windows: how to set up](https://blog.ubuntu.com/2019/06/19/kubernetes-on-windows-how-to-set-up) * [For CTOs: the no-nonsense way to accelerate your business with containers](https://pages.ubuntu.com/container-whitepaper.html?utm_source=Insights&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=2)%20Containers%20whitepaper&) * [Multipass on Mac](https://multipass.run/docs/installing-on-macos) * [How to integrate Ubuntu with Microsoft Active Directory](https://ubuntu.com/engage/microsoft-active-directory) ## Sign up for our newsletter Get the latest Canonical news and updates in your inbox. Work email: \*I agree to receive information about Canonical's products and services. By submitting this form, I confirm that I have read and agree to [Canonical's Privacy Policy](https://canonical.com/legal/dataprivacy). Sign up ## Share on --- ## Related posts [### How to set up a micro lab: four principles for a reliable homelab](https://canonical.com/blog/how-to-set-up-a-reliable-homelab) After over a decade of running a homelab, I have learned a few difficult lessons. Although it begins as a “lab,” you inevitably end up with something you want to keep. If a... [Jake Nabasny](https://canonical.com/blog/author/slapcat) 17 March 2026 [### Canonical partners with Snyk for scanning chiseled Ubuntu containers](https://canonical.com/blog/canonical-partners-with-snyk-for-scanning-chiseled-ubuntu-containers) Canonical, the publisher of Ubuntu, is pleased to announce a new partnership with developer-focused cybersecurity company Snyk. Snyk Container, Snyk’s container security... 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