diff --git a/cmd/crc/cmd/start.go b/cmd/crc/cmd/start.go
index 7bd796360d..2e5db60ecf 100644
--- a/cmd/crc/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/crc/cmd/start.go
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ func runStart(ctx context.Context) (*types.StartResult, error) {
 		PersistentVolumeSize: config.Get(crcConfig.PersistentVolumeSize).AsInt(),
 
 		EnableBundleQuayFallback: config.Get(crcConfig.EnableBundleQuayFallback).AsBool(),
+
+		EnableRosetta: config.Get(crcConfig.UseRosetta).AsBool(),
 	}
 
 	client := newMachine()
diff --git a/pkg/crc/config/settings.go b/pkg/crc/config/settings.go
index 3d8a96c291..2e261e87e4 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/config/settings.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/config/settings.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ const (
 	EmergencyLogin           = "enable-emergency-login"
 	PersistentVolumeSize     = "persistent-volume-size"
 	EnableBundleQuayFallback = "enable-bundle-quay-fallback"
+	UseRosetta               = "use-rosetta"
 )
 
 func RegisterSettings(cfg *Config) {
@@ -127,6 +128,9 @@ func RegisterSettings(cfg *Config) {
 	cfg.AddSetting(EnableBundleQuayFallback, false, ValidateBool, SuccessfullyApplied,
 		"If bundle download from the default location fails, fallback to quay.io (true/false, default: false)")
 
+	cfg.AddSetting(UseRosetta, false, validateRosetta, RequiresDeleteAndSetupMsg,
+		"Use Rosetta to run x86_64/amd64 containers on Apple Silicon (true/false, default: false)")
+
 	if err := cfg.RegisterNotifier(Preset, presetChanged); err != nil {
 		logging.Debugf("Failed to register notifier for Preset: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/crc/config/validations.go b/pkg/crc/config/validations.go
index 5f938e4fe2..8d76bf418d 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/config/validations.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/config/validations.go
@@ -154,6 +154,14 @@ func validatePreset(value interface{}) (bool, string) {
 	return true, ""
 }
 
+// validateRosetta checks if Rosetta can be enabled on this platform
+func validateRosetta(value interface{}) (bool, string) {
+	if runtime.GOOS != "darwin" || runtime.GOARCH != "arm64" {
+		return false, "Rosetta is only supported on Apple Silicon Macs"
+	}
+	return ValidateBool(value)
+}
+
 func validatePort(value interface{}) (bool, string) {
 	port, err := cast.ToUintE(value)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/crc/machine/config/config.go b/pkg/crc/machine/config/config.go
index 682b814e09..610e2ecdbb 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/machine/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/machine/config/config.go
@@ -26,4 +26,7 @@ type MachineConfig struct {
 
 	// Experimental features
 	NetworkMode network.Mode
+
+	// Rosetta for x86_64 emulation on Apple Silicon
+	EnableRosetta bool
 }
diff --git a/pkg/crc/machine/start.go b/pkg/crc/machine/start.go
index 226db0fc48..6f3c72bae1 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/machine/start.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/machine/start.go
@@ -267,6 +267,63 @@ func configureSharedDirs(vm *virtualMachine, sshRunner *crcssh.Runner) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func configureRosetta(sshRunner *crcssh.Runner) error {
+	logging.Infof("Configuring Rosetta for x86_64 emulation")
+
+	// Create mount point and mount the Rosetta virtiofs share
+	if _, _, err := sshRunner.RunPrivileged("Creating Rosetta mount point",
+		"mkdir", "-p", "/media/rosetta"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if _, _, err := sshRunner.RunPrivileged("Mounting Rosetta share",
+		"mount", "-t", "virtiofs",
+		"-o", `context="system_u:object_r:bin_t:s0"`,
+		"rosetta", "/media/rosetta"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Bind mount the Rosetta binary to a local path with shared propagation.
+	// This avoids virtiofs dropping file connections across namespace boundaries
+	// (e.g. buildah unshare), while preserving the virtiofs transport Rosetta requires.
+	if _, _, err := sshRunner.RunPrivileged("Making Rosetta mount shared",
+		"mount", "--make-shared", "/media/rosetta"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if _, _, err := sshRunner.RunPrivileged("Creating local Rosetta directory",
+		"mkdir", "-p", "/var/lib/rosetta"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if _, _, err := sshRunner.RunPrivileged("Creating bind mount target",
+		"touch", "/var/lib/rosetta/rosetta"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if _, _, err := sshRunner.RunPrivileged("Bind mounting Rosetta binary to local path",
+		"mount", "--bind", "/media/rosetta/rosetta", "/var/lib/rosetta/rosetta"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Mask QEMU x86_64 binfmt config so systemd-binfmt won't register it
+	if _, _, err := sshRunner.RunPrivileged("Masking QEMU x86_64 binfmt config",
+		"ln", "-sf", "/dev/null", "/etc/binfmt.d/qemu-x86_64-static.conf"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Write Rosetta binfmt config pointing to the bind mount path
+	rosettaBinfmt := `:rosetta:M::\x7fELF\x02\x01\x01\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x02\x00\x3e\x00:\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xfe\xfe\x00\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xfe\xff\xff\xff:/var/lib/rosetta/rosetta:CFP`
+	if _, _, err := sshRunner.RunPrivileged("Writing Rosetta binfmt config",
+		fmt.Sprintf("tee /etc/binfmt.d/rosetta.conf <<< '%s'", rosettaBinfmt)); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Restart systemd-binfmt to apply the new handler
+	if _, _, err := sshRunner.RunPrivileged("Restarting systemd-binfmt",
+		"systemctl", "restart", "systemd-binfmt"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (client *client) Start(ctx context.Context, startConfig types.StartConfig) (*types.StartResult, error) {
 	telemetry.SetCPUs(ctx, startConfig.CPUs)
 	telemetry.SetMemory(ctx, uint64(startConfig.Memory.ToBytes()))
@@ -331,6 +388,7 @@ func (client *client) Start(ctx context.Context, startConfig types.StartConfig)
 			SharedDirs:        sharedDirs,
 			SharedDirPassword: startConfig.SharedDirPassword,
 			SharedDirUsername: startConfig.SharedDirUsername,
+			EnableRosetta:     startConfig.EnableRosetta,
 		}
 		if crcBundleMetadata.IsOpenShift() {
 			machineConfig.KubeConfig = crcBundleMetadata.GetKubeConfigPath()
@@ -469,6 +527,11 @@ func (client *client) Start(ctx context.Context, startConfig types.StartConfig)
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
+	if startConfig.EnableRosetta {
+		if err := configureRosetta(sshRunner); err != nil {
+			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "Failed to configure Rosetta")
+		}
+	}
 
 	if _, _, err := sshRunner.RunPrivileged("make root Podman socket accessible", "chmod 777 /run/podman/ /run/podman/podman.sock"); err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "Failed to change permissions to root podman socket")
diff --git a/pkg/crc/machine/types/types.go b/pkg/crc/machine/types/types.go
index 08e67527d9..2240728728 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/machine/types/types.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/machine/types/types.go
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ type StartConfig struct {
 
 	// Enable bundle quay fallback
 	EnableBundleQuayFallback bool
+
+	// Enable Rosetta for x86_64 emulation on Apple Silicon
+	EnableRosetta bool
 }
 
 type ClusterConfig struct {
diff --git a/pkg/crc/machine/vfkit/driver_darwin.go b/pkg/crc/machine/vfkit/driver_darwin.go
index 882f8ccaf1..6c256c4d4e 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/machine/vfkit/driver_darwin.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/machine/vfkit/driver_darwin.go
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ func CreateHost(machineConfig config.MachineConfig) *vfkit.Driver {
 
 	vfDriver.SharedDirs = configureShareDirs(machineConfig)
 
+	vfDriver.Rosetta = machineConfig.EnableRosetta
+
 	return vfDriver
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight.go b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight.go
index fb729e9dd8..de020650fd 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight.go
@@ -157,8 +157,9 @@ func getPreflightChecksHelper(config crcConfig.Storage) []Check {
 	bundlePath := config.Get(crcConfig.Bundle).AsString()
 	preset := crcConfig.GetPreset(config)
 	enableBundleQuayFallback := config.Get(crcConfig.EnableBundleQuayFallback).AsBool()
+	enableRosetta := config.Get(crcConfig.UseRosetta).AsBool()
 	logging.Infof("Using bundle path %s", bundlePath)
-	return getPreflightChecks(experimentalFeatures, mode, bundlePath, preset, enableBundleQuayFallback)
+	return getPreflightChecks(experimentalFeatures, mode, bundlePath, preset, enableBundleQuayFallback, enableRosetta)
 }
 
 // StartPreflightChecks performs the preflight checks before starting the cluster
diff --git a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_checks_darwin.go b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_checks_darwin.go
index 284b96d895..0af41316f5 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_checks_darwin.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_checks_darwin.go
@@ -226,6 +226,15 @@ func fixPlistFileExists(agentConfig launchd.AgentConfig) error {
 	return waitForDaemonRunning()
 }
 
+const rosettaPath = "/Library/Apple/usr/libexec/oah/libRosettaRuntime"
+
+func checkRosettaInstalled() error {
+	if _, err := os.Stat(rosettaPath); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Rosetta is not installed, which is required for x86_64 emulation")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func deprecationNotice() error {
 	supports, err := darwin.AtLeast("13.0.0")
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin.go b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin.go
index efc3e63abc..372cbf1bb2 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin.go
@@ -75,6 +75,16 @@ var trayLaunchdCleanupChecks = []Check{
 		labels: labels{Os: Darwin},
 	},
 }
+var rosettaPreflightCheck = Check{
+	configKeySuffix:  "check-rosetta-installed",
+	checkDescription: "Checking if Rosetta is installed",
+	check:            checkRosettaInstalled,
+	fixDescription:   "Rosetta is required for x86_64 emulation, install it with: softwareupdate --install-rosetta",
+	flags:            NoFix,
+
+	labels: labels{Os: Darwin},
+}
+
 var resolverPreflightChecks = []Check{
 	{
 		configKeySuffix:    "check-resolver-file-permissions",
@@ -109,10 +119,10 @@ var daemonLaunchdChecks = []Check{
 // Passing 'SystemNetworkingMode' to getPreflightChecks currently achieves this
 // as there are no user networking specific checks
 func getAllPreflightChecks() []Check {
-	return getPreflightChecks(true, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(crcpreset.OpenShift), crcpreset.OpenShift, false)
+	return getPreflightChecks(true, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(crcpreset.OpenShift), crcpreset.OpenShift, false, false)
 }
 
-func getChecks(_ network.Mode, bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enableBundleQuayFallback bool) []Check {
+func getChecks(_ network.Mode, bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enableBundleQuayFallback bool, enableRosetta bool) []Check {
 	checks := []Check{}
 
 	checks = append(checks, deprecationWarning)
@@ -121,6 +131,9 @@ func getChecks(_ network.Mode, bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enabl
 	checks = append(checks, memoryCheck(preset))
 	checks = append(checks, genericCleanupChecks...)
 	checks = append(checks, vfkitPreflightChecks...)
+	if enableRosetta {
+		checks = append(checks, rosettaPreflightCheck)
+	}
 	checks = append(checks, resolverPreflightChecks...)
 	checks = append(checks, bundleCheck(bundlePath, preset, enableBundleQuayFallback))
 	checks = append(checks, trayLaunchdCleanupChecks...)
@@ -130,9 +143,9 @@ func getChecks(_ network.Mode, bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enabl
 	return checks
 }
 
-func getPreflightChecks(_ bool, mode network.Mode, bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enableBundleQuayFallback bool) []Check {
+func getPreflightChecks(_ bool, mode network.Mode, bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enableBundleQuayFallback bool, enableRosetta bool) []Check {
 	filter := newFilter()
 	filter.SetNetworkMode(mode)
 
-	return filter.Apply(getChecks(mode, bundlePath, preset, enableBundleQuayFallback))
+	return filter.Apply(getChecks(mode, bundlePath, preset, enableBundleQuayFallback, enableRosetta))
 }
diff --git a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin_test.go b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin_test.go
index d696176469..e068d0f628 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin_test.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_darwin_test.go
@@ -17,9 +17,13 @@ func TestCountConfigurationOptions(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestCountPreflights(t *testing.T) {
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 20)
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 20)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false, false), 20)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false, false), 20)
 
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 19)
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 19)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false, false), 19)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false, false), 19)
+
+	// With Rosetta enabled, one additional preflight check is added
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false, true), 21)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false, true), 20)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_linux.go b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_linux.go
index fd89e6319a..02d2eef21a 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_linux.go
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ func getAllPreflightChecks() []Check {
 	return filter.Apply(getChecks(distro(), constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(crcpreset.OpenShift), crcpreset.OpenShift, false))
 }
 
-func getPreflightChecks(_ bool, networkMode network.Mode, bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enableBundleQuayFallback bool) []Check {
+func getPreflightChecks(_ bool, networkMode network.Mode, bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enableBundleQuayFallback bool, _ bool) []Check {
 	usingSystemdResolved := checkSystemdResolvedIsRunning()
 
 	return getPreflightChecksForDistro(distro(), networkMode, usingSystemdResolved == nil, bundlePath, preset, enableBundleQuayFallback)
diff --git a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows.go b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows.go
index 50166169ec..e4a362cfa0 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows.go
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ func checkVsock() error {
 // Passing 'UserNetworkingMode' to getPreflightChecks currently achieves this
 // as there are no system networking specific checks
 func getAllPreflightChecks() []Check {
-	return getPreflightChecks(true, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(crcpreset.OpenShift), crcpreset.OpenShift, false)
+	return getPreflightChecks(true, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(crcpreset.OpenShift), crcpreset.OpenShift, false, false)
 }
 
 func getChecks(bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enableBundleQuayFallback bool) []Check {
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ func getChecks(bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enableBundleQuayFallb
 	return checks
 }
 
-func getPreflightChecks(_ bool, networkMode network.Mode, bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enableBundleQuayFallback bool) []Check {
+func getPreflightChecks(_ bool, networkMode network.Mode, bundlePath string, preset crcpreset.Preset, enableBundleQuayFallback bool, _ bool) []Check {
 	filter := newFilter()
 	filter.SetNetworkMode(networkMode)
 
diff --git a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows_test.go b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows_test.go
index b13e40e64b..9366e24c71 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows_test.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/preflight/preflight_windows_test.go
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ func TestCountConfigurationOptions(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestCountPreflights(t *testing.T) {
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 22)
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 22)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false, false), 22)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.SystemNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false, false), 22)
 
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 23)
-	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false), 23)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(false, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false, false), 23)
+	assert.Len(t, getPreflightChecks(true, network.UserNetworkingMode, constants.GetDefaultBundlePath(preset.OpenShift), preset.OpenShift, false, false), 23)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/drivers/vfkit/driver_darwin.go b/pkg/drivers/vfkit/driver_darwin.go
index c480fce0e2..05655103a8 100644
--- a/pkg/drivers/vfkit/driver_darwin.go
+++ b/pkg/drivers/vfkit/driver_darwin.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ type Driver struct {
 	*drivers.VMDriver
 	VfkitPath string
 	VirtioNet bool
+	Rosetta   bool
 
 	VsockPath       string
 	DaemonVsockPort uint
@@ -230,6 +231,17 @@ func (d *Driver) Start() error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// rosetta
+	if d.Rosetta {
+		rosettaDev, err := config.RosettaShareNew("rosetta")
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if err := vm.AddDevice(rosettaDev); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	// entropy
 	dev, err = config.VirtioRngNew()
 	if err != nil {