Highball
Which renderer to use
Highball can run each game through three different Direct3D translation layers. This is what the database knows for this title — empty rows are open questions, not failures.
| Renderer | Verdict | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| DXVKDirect3D 9-11 over Vulkan | Partial | reaches the same mission but GPU-bound at about 16 fps, 51 ms GPU per frame, same settings |
| DXMTDirect3D 11 over Metal | Recommended | run by Highball on Apple Silicon |
| D3DMetalApple's Game Porting Toolkit | Untested | no report yet — send one |
last confirmed 2026-09-10 · engine x64-sikarugir10.0_6-r3 · macOS 26.6.2. Dated runs record the engine build and, where the reporter gave it, the macOS version.
Notes
Re-verified on engine r2 on 2026-09-10: the launcher updates and starts the game, Login with Steam signs in without typing anything, and the Orbiter runs at 82-94 fps at 1728x1117 fullscreen on DXMT 0.80. Apply the warframe recipe first: it turns DirectWrite off for the game's launcher only (Tools\Launcher.exe), whose embedded browser otherwise paints a black window on this engine, the same DirectWrite problem as Sikarugir #255. With that override the launcher shows its EULA, updates the game and starts it. The game itself needs nothing. Use DXMT: the first tutorial mission, with combat, ran at about 35 fps at 1728x1117 borderless (the game's own low preset, 1280x720 render, anti-aliasing and ambient occlusion off) with the Metal HUD reading 28 ms of GPU per frame; later in the same session, past the tutorial, the maintainer's own play ran above 100 fps by the HUD. DXVK also reaches the mission but is GPU-bound at about 16 fps (51 ms GPU) with the same settings. 'Login with Steam' works; a Steam account without a Warframe account gets the game's own bind-or-create dialog, which is normal. A sleeping display stalls the game for as long as it sleeps, so keep the Mac awake for long sessions. Verified 2026-09-04 on macOS 26.6.2, M1 Pro: launcher update, Steam login, account creation, tutorial mission and later play; Exit Game shuts the process down cleanly (the game log ends with its normal shutdown). A D3DMetal report on the 0.10.4 beta on an M3 Pro with macOS 27 rates it perfect across every planet and environment with HDR on, with a frame rate drop in Duviri that the reporter says every platform shows. Which engine ran it is not settled, the id in the report matches none, and on macOS 27 D3DMetal is 3.0 on the default r19 or 4.0 beta 2 on the opt-in r20. No frame rate was given for that session. The anti-cheat map still lists Warframe with a custom anti-cheat and a warning verdict, and this reporter, like the earlier ones, played without a kick.
Known issues
Frame rate drops in Duviri (reported on an M3 Pro, D3DMetal, Highball 0.10.4 beta, highball-db#308)
What helps None reported
Why Not investigated here. The reporter says the same drop happens on every platform
One-click setup
Highball ships a recipe for Warframe: open the game in your Library and apply it. The recipe carries the tested renderer and any per-game fixes, so you don't have to reproduce them by hand. Read the recipe.
Provenance
verified locally on Apple Silicon (M1 Pro), engine x64-sikarugir10.0_6-r2, macOS 26.6.2, Highball 0.9.3. Also reported by Roses097 (highball-db#83, 2026-09-16), Apple M3 Pro, macOS 26.6.2, Highball 0.9.19, engine x64-sikarugir10.0_6-r3, rated 5 of 5 after 40 minutes, mode not stated. Mateu6 (highball-db#308, 2026-10-04), Apple M3 Pro, macOS 27.2 as written, Highball 0.10.4 (the beta), D3DMetal, engine written as x64-sikarugir10.0_6-20, which matches no engine id (r19 is the default there and r20 the macOS 27 D3DMetal 4 engine), rated 5 of 5 across every planet and environment with HDR on, no session length or recipe list given. TheCodeDaniel (highball-db#323, 2026-10-05), Apple M3 Max, macOS 27.0, Highball 0.10.3, engine x64-sikarugir10.0_6-r19, DXMT, with the warframe and controller recipes, rated 5 of 5 after a one-minute session.
Before installing anything, it is worth checking whether the game already ships a native Mac build.
Common questions
Does Warframe work on Mac?
Warframe has no native Mac build, but it is reported to run on Apple Silicon through Highball, a free open-source compatibility layer. Highball has run it on Apple Silicon (last confirmed 2026-09-10 · engine x64-sikarugir10.0_6-r3 · macOS 26.6.2).
Which renderer should I use for Warframe?
DXMT. Highball can translate Direct3D through DXVK, DXMT or Apple's D3DMetal, and the right choice varies by game. The database records DXMT for Warframe, and applying the Warframe recipe sets it for you.
Is there a one-click setup for Warframe?
Yes. Highball ships a recipe for Warframe that sets the tested renderer and any per-game fixes. Open the game in your Library and apply it.
Contribute a result
This page is generated from an open database. If you have run Warframe on Apple Silicon, working or not, a report takes a minute and fills in the empty rows above. Send a report, or read how the data is put together.