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Does anyone know if it is possible to create a program which runs on windows.. but has a Macintosh Window appearance? I would like to have a Mac. appearing window.. on windows.. Example: Instead of the close, minimize, and maximize being red, blue, and blue (Windows 7).. I would like the buttons to reflect macintosh's orange, green, and red ones.

If there is no api.. or image library that can be downloaded to fulfil such a task.. then does anyone know if it would be legally possible to just copy and paste a few macintosh window components onto a windows program.. and use them in a commercial product?

Edited by PixelExchange because: n/a
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Dani AI

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A Windows program can be made to look like a macOS window by replacing the OS chrome with a custom-drawn title bar and traffic‑light controls. As noted, that general approach is the practical route. The important engineering points are preserving native window behavior (drag, resize, hit-testing), keyboard and accessibility fallbacks, correct high‑DPI scaling, and consistent animation/timing so the fake chrome feels natural on Windows.

For technical reference, Windows APIs and frameworks offer a few paths:

  • Win32/GDI or Direct2D with a frameless/WS_POPUP window and custom hit-testing (WM_NCHITTEST) or region shaping (see SetWindowRgn).
  • WPF has built-in support for custom chrome via WindowChrome and related guidance (see ).
    These links explain common pitfalls such as losing resize borders, drop shadows, or Aero/DWM composition unless handled explicitly.

Regarding the legal question raised by : extracting Apple system artwork or redistributing macOS resources in a Windows product is risky. macOS UI assets and branding are copyrighted and trademarked. A safer route is to create original icons (vector art), purchase a licensed icon set, or use a clearly distinct design that evokes the idea without copying exact Apple assets. Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines are useful for design intent (see macOS HIG), but they do not grant rights to reuse system artwork. For any commercial distribution, consultation with legal counsel is recommended.

Quick practical checklist:

  • Use frameless/custom chrome, implement robust hit-testing.
  • Use vector assets (SVG) or multiple raster sizes for DPI.
  • Restore standard keyboard/accessibility behaviors.
  • Avoid bundling Apple system files; license or create original artwork.

For true macOS fidelity, building a native macOS app remains the cleanest solution.

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Member Avatar for sfuo

You can create a window without buttons or a boarder and create your own buttons using the mac images and then bind windows functions to them.

Member Avatar for PixelExchange

Would I be infriging on Macintoshes' rights if I were to use mac images in a commercial software for windows though?

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