Hey there! Let's break this down clearly for you—since M1 Macs use ARM architecture, getting older Ubuntu versions like 18.04 running isn't as straightforward as on Intel Macs, but it's definitely doable with the right steps.

先说说可行性 #

Ubuntu 18.04 does have ARM64 support, but the official desktop ISO for ARM64 wasn't widely distributed back when 18.04 was active. Most users end up starting with the server version and adding the desktop environment later, which works perfectly fine for everyday use.

VMware Fusion 下的安装方法 #

VMware Fusion for Apple Silicon has better compatibility with older ARM Linux distros compared to VirtualBox. Here's how to make it work:

• First, grab the Ubuntu 18.04 ARM64 Server ISO (this is the only official ARM64 image available for 18.04 from Canonical).
• Open VMware Fusion, click "Create a Custom Virtual Machine".
• When selecting the operating system, choose Other Linux 5.x or later kernel 64-bit (ARM) from the dropdown menu.
• Proceed through the setup wizard, making sure to mount the downloaded ISO as the installation media.
• Complete the server installation process—this will give you a minimal command-line Ubuntu system.
• Once logged in, install the desktop environment by running these commands:

  sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
  sudo apt install ubuntu-desktop -y
  

• Reboot the VM, and you'll be greeted with the full Ubuntu 18.04 desktop interface.

VirtualBox 下的现状 #

Unfortunately, VirtualBox's Apple Silicon support is still in early beta, and it has very poor compatibility with older Ubuntu versions like 18.04. The 18.04 kernel is too outdated to play nicely with VirtualBox's ARM virtualization layer, so you'll likely run into boot failures, random crashes, or performance issues that are hard to troubleshoot. For 18.04 on M1, VirtualBox isn't a reliable option right now.

替代方案：UTM #

If you're open to trying another virtualization tool, UTM is built specifically for Apple Silicon and handles older ARM Linux distros much better. The process mirrors the VMware method: start with the 18.04 ARM64 Server ISO, install the base system, then add the desktop environment using the same commands listed above. It’s often more stable for this use case.

备注：内容来源于stack exchange，提问作者Lital Weissfeiler