One of the really useful things nowadays about Macs is that you can run Windows on them if you need to.
I have to admit that I was stymied for a long time about how to right-click within Parallels, a great virtualization application available for Mac OS X that lets you run Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, Linux and a variety of other operating systems within Mac OS X. Plug in an external two-button mouse, of course, and the right click just works, but within Parallels? So, When I first start Parallels, I need to create/install Windows installation on External SSD drive. Whenever I want to use Windows, I need to connect External SSD and then start it from Parallels control panel.
This is the only solution if you want to run Windows only applications or games on your Mac (although there are now arguably other better gaming solutions for Mac around).
Since there’s no official Netflix app for Mac users either, installing Windows on your Mac allows you to use the official Windows Netflix app if you frequently have problems streaming Netflix on your Mac.
There are various ways of running Windows on macOS however and some are definitely better than others.
Here are the best ways to install Windows on a Mac in order of ranking.
1. Virtual Machine
A virtual machine like Parallels (also known as a virtual environment or virtualization software) allows you to run Windows “virtually” within macOS.
This option is by far the most convenient for most users because it allows you to use your Mac as normal but switch to a a Windows application at any time when you need it.
You have full access to the rest of your Mac apps while enjoying the convenience of having the Windows available too.
Virtualization software like Parallels have got this off to a tee nowadays with Coherence Mode blurring the line between macOS and Windows so that you can work in both with almost no separation between the two.
The main disadvantage is that you need to purchase virtualization software in order to run Windows and macOS at the same time the best being Parallels.
External Cd Drive For Mac
The main rival to Parallels is VMWare Fusion but we’ve found that nothing comes close to Parallels in terms of ease of setup, use and support.
The good news however is that since the release of Windows 10, it’s become even cheaper to install Windows on a Mac using virtualization software because you can now install Windows on your Mac for free.
This is because Microsoft now allows you to download a free ISO image of Windows 10 and you only need to pay for a license if you want to activate it.
Note that Parallels and VMWare are by far the best virtualization tools for Mac but there is also the free VirtualBox but it’s considerably more complicated to setup and maintain for the average user.
Here’s a closer look at installing Windows using Parallels vs VMWare Fusion.
Parallels
For those new to Mac or running Windows on their Mac for the first time, we highly recommend using Parallels because it makes both installing Windows on a Mac and switching between Windows and macOS so easy and seamless.
Parallels was one of the first solutions to run Windows on Mac and over the years they’ve refined it so much that it makes using Windows on Mac a pleasure.
Installing Windows on Mac with a virtual machine used to be a very complex affair but Parallels has now made it easy enough for just about anyone to use.
The latest version of Parallels 14 for Mac has also been optimized for gaming by dedicating 1GB of Video RAM (VRAM) to games and has a 3D engine specifically designed for the demands of gaming.
Parallels also supports all types of external devices connected to your Mac so you can connect a USB, Firewire or Thunderbolt device and access it within Windows.
Parallels also has the advantage that you can run Windows and macOS at the same time whereas with Boot Camp, you can only run one at a time.
Although both Macs and Parallels have come a long way in the past few years, Parallels still isn’t suitable for all games. Games such as FIFA that rely on DirectX 11 or OpenGL for 3D graphics are still not supported.
This is a shame because the latest generation of Macs have Intel NVIDIA graphics cards that are more than capable of handling the demands of DirectX and OpenGL.
For games that require either DirectX or OpenGL, your only option is to install Windows with Boot Camp (see option 2 below).
You can choose to either pay a one-off payment for Parallels of $79.99 or pay $79.99 per year, the advantage to the latter being you get free annual upgrades and you get Parallels Access for free which allows you to access your Mac from anywhere with an iOS or Android device.
Most users will only need the Home & Student Version of Parallels to install Windows on Mac, not the more expensive Pro or Business versions.
Note that if you need to run Parallels on more than one Mac, Parallels only allows you one license per Mac per purchase – you cannot install multiple copies of Parallels on multiple Macs unless you purchase a separate license for each. VMWare Fusion (see below) does not have these license limitations.
Until May 31st 2019 you can get 10% off Parallels with Coupon Code: PRLS10.
If you want to learn more, check out our full Parallels Desktop review.
Pros:
Very easy to install Windows
Superb integration between Windows and Mac
Excellent for gaming
Fast Startup and Shutdown time
Optimized for macOS Mojave and Windows 10
Cons:
Updates aren’t free
Requires a separate license for each Mac you want to install it on
Doesn’t support DirectX or OpenGL
VMWare Fusion
The other major virtualization software for running Windows on Mac is VMWare Fusion. In our experience, Parallels is more updated for the latest releases of Windows and macOS, easier to setup use and better supported than VMWare Fusion.
However, it’s still a very good virtual environment and worth taking a closer look at.
VMWare Fusion is generally for more advanced users with more customization options and is less geared towards beginners on Mac.
However, over the years it has been more user friendly and is now an equally viable option as Parallels for general users. In fact, all of the above applies to VMWare Fusion with a few small differences.
The main difference between VMWare Fusion and Parallels is generally in speed and functionality.
VMWare Fusion isn’t quite as fast at handling Windows on a Mac so if you’re planning on using some memory hogging application on Windows or using it for gaming, you might find it a bit slow.
Parallels is also easier to setup and holds your hand through the whole setup process.
Like Parallels, installation of VMWare is very simple offering. Unlike Parallels however, there’s no option to purchase Windows during installation so you must make sure you have a copy of Windows available when you install it.
Alternatively, if you have a PC already, you can import your current Windows operating system plus files from the PC to your Mac.
Simply install a small application on your PC, connect your PC to your Mac with a network cable and VMWare fusion will transfer all of your Windows files to your Mac.
Finally, connectivity is just as good in VMWare Fusion as it is in Parallels with support for USB, Firewire and Thunderbolt.
You can try a free trial of VMWare before deciding whether to purchase it
Pros:
Easy to setup Windows on a Mac
Superb integration between Windows and Mac
Doesn’t require a separate license for each Mac installed on
No account needed to use free trial
Optimized for macOS Mojave and Windows 10
Cons:
Doesn’t provide any way to download or purchase Windows during install
Slightly slower than Parallels especially for gaming
Doesn’t support DirectX or OpenGL
2. Apple Boot Camp
By far the most popular alternative to installing Windows with a virtualization software is by using Apple Boot Camp.
Boot Camp is a free tool in macOS which allows you to install Windows on a partition on your Mac hard drive so you can choose whether to boot your Mac in either Windows or macOS.
This option is best for those that want to play games on their Mac or run games such as FIFA on Mac which require DirectX or OpenGL as it’s the only way to make these Windows components work on Mac.
Because Boot Camp only allows your Mac to boot in either Windows or macOS (rather than running both at the same time as with a virtual environment) your Mac can devote all of its resources to the high demands of games and other power hungry applications.
The other big advantage of Boot Camp is that it’s free in macOS – just search for “Boot Camp” using Spotlight on your Mac and you’ll see it.
The disadvantage of installing Windows with Boot Camp is that you’re restricted to using either Windows or macOS at one time – you can’t switch between the two instantly like with virtualization software.
Note also that that are some iMacs which can’t use Boot Camp in macOS Mojave.
You can find full instructions on how to install Windows 10 on Mac for free with Boot Camp here.
For most users, virtualization software is the best way to run Windows on a Mac because it’s just so convenient to switch between macOS and Windows in just a click.
3. Wine
No not the alcoholic type, the Windows wrapper. Wine is a free way to install Windows on your Mac but it works by “wrapping” Windows in macOS.
This is hard to explain without getting very technical and boring but it basically allows your Mac to interpret what are called Windows API calls.
However, we only recommend Wine for those that really know what they’re doing and have strong technical skills with Macs. Wine is notoriously difficult to use, setup and many times, doesn’t even work properly for all problems.
If you’re brave enough to try Wine, definitely check out the list of supported Wine applications first to avoid saving yourself a lot of pain.
Pros:
Free to use
No copy of Windows required
Cons:
Complicated to setup for many apps
Doesn’t work with all Windows programs
4. Crossover
Crossover is basically based on Wine but in a far easier to use interface. Unlike Wine, Crossover isn’t free but like Wine, it can’t run Windows programs that are not Wine compatible.
Again, we recommend checking the list of Crossover supported apps and games before buying it although you can also try a free trial.
Pros:
Easier to setup and use than Wine
Cons:
Some Windows apps or games won’t run or work properly
5. Remote Desktop Software
Another option is to run Windows remotely on another PC and access it on your Mac. This involves using a remote desktop application of which there are many on the market.
They all basically connect to a Windows machine and then display the desktop of the PC on your Mac desktop.
This isn’t an ideal solution though because there’s usually plenty of lag between the PC, Mac or mobile device you’re connecting to and your Mac.
It’s also limited in what you can actually do – you can usually drag files and folders, open documents and save files but it’s certainly not suitable for playing games.
![Connect Connect](/uploads/1/2/6/8/126888033/690679246.jpg)
For a look at some of the options available, check out our guide to the best remote desktop tools for Mac.
Pros:
Lots of apps to help you connect to a Windows machine
Easy to use once setup
Cons:
Can be lots of lag
Definitely not suitable for gaming
6. Frame
Frame doesn’t actually run Windows on your Mac but it does allow you to access Windows applications remotely and use them on your Mac in your browser.
Frame uses the same principle as remote desktop software by hosting Windows and Windows applications in the Cloud and then giving you access to them via your browser.
You can’t actually use Windows but you can use some Windows based applications using Frame. Frame is particularly popular for accessing Windows only CAD applications on Mac such as Solidworks.
The main drawback of Frame is that it doesn’t actually give you access to Windows, it’s Cloud based so requires an internet connection and it’s not cheap with plans starting at $20 per user per month.
Pros:
Nothing to install, all Cloud based
Use a wide range of Windows applications
Cons:
Doesn’t actually give you access to Windows
Can suffer lag depending on stability of connection
Windows On Mac Installation Checklist
If you choose one of our top 2 choices – a Virtual Machine or Boot Camp, there are some essential things to prepare first to prevent serious problems or disappointments further down the line.
Here are some important things you’ll need before you start installing Windows on your Mac.
A Copy Of Microsoft Windows
Whichever of these methods you choose, you’ll need to download a free Windows ISO image. With Parallels, you can conveniently do this within the setup Wizard by selecting the first option “Get Windows 10 from Microsoft”.
With VMWare Fusion, you need to download it separately from Microsoft and put it on a USB drive or external drive with at least 5GB of space on.
Alternatively, if you have a PC already, both Parallels and VMWare allow you to import your current Windows operating system plus files from the PC to your Mac.
You simply install a small application on your PC, connect your PC to your Mac with a network cable and Parallels or VMWare will transfer all of your Windows files to your Mac.
A Lot Of Hard Drive Space
You need a lot of free hard drive space to install Windows and Windows programs on a Mac.
Virtualization software such as Parallels and VMWare work by “reserving” a portion of your hard drive to run Windows and any programs that you want to install within it.
You can install as many virtual instances as you want (useful for example if you want to install all of Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10) but just one installation of Windows can take anything from 15GB upwards depending on how many programs you intend to install within it.
Microsoft Office for example takes almost 50GB of hard drive space and things such as Adobe Creative Suite take even more.
Remember that apart from the space needed for both Windows and programs you want to install, you need to leave extra space on top to save files and folders.
If you need to clear some space on your hard drive, check out our guide about how to check storage on your Mac and find large files that are hogging valuable disk space.
If you’re really struggling for space, you don’t have to install Windows on your Mac’s internal hard drive – you can also install it on a an external USB 3.0, Thunderbolt or SSD hard drive.
The technology of external hard drives is constantly changing however with new standards, speeds and capacities constantly being developed and we recommend reading our guide to the best external hard drive for Mac before choosing one.
However, it’s recommendable to install Windows on your hard drive if you have space although preferably, your Mac should have an SSD hard drive and if not, you should consider upgrading it to one.
A Fairly New Mac
Finally, you’ll need a fairly recent Mac for Windows to run well. MacBook Pros built within the last 3 or 4 years should have no problem while the MacBook Air may struggle a bit depending on the specs.
A virtual machine will just about work with 4GB of RAM it’s not recommended and you’re much better having 8GB of RAM. You can check your Mac’s specs by going to the Apple logo in the top left corner and selecting “About This Mac”
Tips For Running Windows On A Mac
- Sharing Windows
You can share and move an entire Windows installation and all of the apps installed to another Mac or machine whenever you want.
In fact, if you know what you’re doing you can host Windows and all it’s programs on one Mac and share it with several others to use too.
However, we strongly recommend backing it up to an external drive regularly as if it goes wrong or your Mac crashes or dies, you’ve lost everything installed within Windows.
Note that although you can use Time Machine to back up your Windows VM installations, it will slow down Time Machine due to the huge size of the installation and you’re better backing it up in a separate file.
In addition, when it comes to your saved files and work, we recommend saving them to the Cloud.
That way if your Windows installation crashes or your Mac dies, your work can be more easily recovered rather than having to recover then entire Windows installation.
- Accessing Files On Your Mac
Virtualization software allows you to access files and folders on your Mac. There’s no need to worry about transferring everything into your Windows installation.
You can conveniently access, copy and use folders and files on your Mac from within Windows in a Parallels or VMWare. In addition, you can set your virtualization software to open things such as Microsoft Access, Project and Visio files by default even if it’s saved on your Mac.
So if you double click on a Windows file on your Mac, it will automatically start Parallels or VMWare and open the file in the appropriate application.
- Virus Protection
Windows installed in Virtual Environments on a Mac can still get viruses or malware. Whilst it’s easier to rescue Windows in a VM than on a PC via the use of virtual machine snapshots which instantly roll back Windows to the last clean version, you should use anti-virus or anti-malware software just as you would on a normal Windows installation.
Note that there’s no way a virus or malware can “jump” from your Windows installation into macOS.
Conclusion
Many Mac users still ask why the hell would someone want to install Windows on Mac?
After all, one of the main reasons for using a Mac is that macOS is so much better than Microsoft Windows. However, the fact is that there are many popular applications such as Visio, Access, Project and Publisher that still aren’t available on Mac.
Installing Windows on your Mac opens up a whole new world of applications as well as play Windows games such as FIFA and Cuphead on Mac.
In addition, Macs generally last a lot longer than PCs too so it’s much more cost efficient, not to mention convenient, to install Windows on your Mac rather than buy a separate PC or laptop specifically for running Windows apps which will need replacing in a few years.
For most users, using a virtual environment such is the simplest and most convenient way to go because it allows you to use Windows and macOS at the same time.
Parallels is easily the best at this making it easy enough for anyone to setup Windows in macOS. However, in some cases, for applications or games that require DirectX or OpenGL, using Boot Camp is your only option.
We hope we’ve helped you choose a way to install Windows on your Mac but If you have any questions, issues or problems, let us know in the comments below.
Developer(s) | Parallels |
---|---|
Stable release | |
Operating system | Mac OS X |
Platform | Apple–Intel architecture |
Available in | English, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, German, Russian, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Polish, Czech |
Type | Hypervisor |
License | Proprietary |
Website | www.parallels.com/desktop/ |
Parallels Desktop for Mac, by Parallels, is software providing hardware virtualization for Macintosh computers with Intel processors.
- 1Overview
- 2Version 2.5
- 3Version 3.0
- 4Version 4.0
- 5Version 5
- 5.1Feature update
- 15Supported operating systems
Overview[edit]
Parallels, Inc. is a developer of desktop and server virtualization software.
Historical[edit]
Released on June 15, 2006, it was the first software product to bring mainstream virtualization to Macintosh computers utilizing the Apple–Intel architecture (earlier software products ran PC software in an emulated environment).
Its name initially was 'Parallels Workstation for Mac OS X', which was consistent with the company's corresponding Linux and Windows products. This name was not well received within the Mac community, where some felt that the name, particularly the term “workstation,” evoked the aesthetics of a Windows product. Parallels agreed: “Since we've got a great Mac product, we should make it look and sound like a Mac product...”, it was therefore renamed ‘Parallels Desktop for Mac’.[1]
On January 10, 2007, Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac was awarded “Best in Show” at MacWorld 2007.[2]
Technical[edit]
Parallels Desktop for Mac is a hardware emulation virtualization software, using hypervisor technology that works by mapping the host computer's hardware resources directly to the virtual machine's resources. Each virtual machine thus operates identically to a standalone computer, with virtually all the resources of a physical computer.[3] Because all guest virtual machines use the same hardware drivers irrespective of the actual hardware on the host computer, virtual machine instances are highly portable between computers. For example, a running virtual machine can be stopped, copied to another physical computer, and restarted.
Parallels Desktop for Mac is able to virtualize a full set of standard PC hardware, including[4]
- A virtualized CPU of the same type as the host's physical processor,
- ACPI compliance system,
- A generic motherboard compatible with the Intel i965 chipset,
- Up to 64 GB of RAM for guest virtual machines,
- Up to 2 GB of video RAM (VRAM),
- VGA and SVGAvideo adapter with VESA 3.0 support and OpenGL and DirectX 10.1 acceleration,
- A 1.44 MB floppy drive, which can be mapped to a physical drive or to an image file,
- Up to four IDE devices. This includes virtual hard drives ranging in size from 20 MB to 2 TB each and CD/DVD-ROM drives. Virtual CD/DVD-ROM drives can be mapped to either physical drives or ISO image files.
- DVD/CD-ROM “pass-through” access,
- Up to four serial ports that can be mapped to a pipe or to an output file,
- Up to three bi-directional parallel ports, each of which can be mapped to a real port, to a real printer, or to an output file,
- An Ethernet virtual network card compatible with Realtek RTL8029(AS), capable of up to 16 network interface connections,
- Up to eight USB 2.0 devices and two USB 1.1 devices,
- An AC'97-compatible sound card.
- A 104-key Windows enhanced keyboard and a PS/2 wheel mouse.
Version 2.5[edit]
The first official release of version 2.5 was on February 27, 2007, as build 3186.
Version 2.5 brought support for USB 2.0 devices, which expanded the number of USB devices supported at native speed, including support for built-in iSight USB webcams. The amount of video RAM allocated to the guest OS was made adjustable, up to 32MB. Full featured CD/DVD drives arrived in this version, which allowed the user to burn disks directly in the virtual environment, and play any copy-protected CD or DVD as one would in Mac OS X. In addition, a shared clipboard and drag-drop support between Mac OS X and the guest OS was implemented. This version brought the ability for users with a Windows XP installation to upgrade to Windows Vista from within the VM environment.[5] A new feature known as Coherence was added, which removed the Windows chrome, desktop, and the virtualization frames to create a more seamless desktop environment between Windows and Mac OS X applications. This version also allowed users to boot their existing Boot Camp Windows XP partitions, which eliminated the need to have multiple Windows installations on their Mac. A tool called Parallels Transporter was included to allow users to migrate their Windows PC, or existing VMware or Virtual PC VMs to Parallels Desktop for Mac.
Netsys lawsuit[edit]
In 2007, the German company Netsys GmbH sued Parallels' German distributor Avanquest for copyright violation, claiming that Parallels Desktop and Parallels Workstation are directly based on a line of products called “twoOStwo” that Parallels developed on paid commission for Netsys, of which it says, Netsys has been assigned all copyrights. Additionally, the lawsuit claimed that Parallels Desktop 2.5's compatibility with “twoOStwo” showed that the two software products are run by essentially the same functional core.[6] When Netsys lost its initial urgency proceeding, it filed a new suit, in which it requested a temporary injunction from the Landgericht district court of Berlin.[7]
Version 3.0[edit]
On June 7, 2007 build 4124 was released as the first publicly available version of Desktop 3.0.
Version 3.0 retained all of the functionality from previous versions and added new features and tools. Support for DirectX 8.1 and OpenGL[8] was added, allowing Mac users to play some Windows games without the need to boot into Windows with Boot Camp.[9] A new feature called SmartSelect offers cross OS file and application integration by allowing the user to open Windows files with Mac OS X programs and vice versa. Parallels Explorer was introduced, which allows the user to browse their Windows system files in Mac OS X without actually launching Windows. A new snapshot feature was included, allowing one to restore their virtual machine environment to a previous state in case of issues. Further, Parallels added a security manager to limit the amount of interaction between the Windows and Mac OS X installations. This version included a long-awaited complete “Parallels tools'” driver suite for Linux guest operating systems. Therefore, integration between Mac OS X and Linux guest-OS's was greatly improved.[10]
Despite the addition of numerous new features, tools and added functionality, the first iteration of Parallels Desktop for Mac 3.0 was missing some of the features that Parallels had planned for it. A Parallels, Inc. representative stated at MacWorld in January 2007 that version 3.0 would bring accelerated graphics, “multi-core virtual machines/virtual SMP, some SCSI support, a more Mac-like feel, as well as a more sophisticated coherence mode, dubbed Coherence 2.0”.[11] While accelerated graphics have materialised, Coherence, as well as the overall look and feel of Parallels Desktop for Mac has only changed slightly. Also, SCSI support has not been implemented.[12]
It is currently unknown if these features have been abandoned altogether, or if they will show up in a later build of version 3.0.
Build 4560, released on July 17, 2007,[13] added an imaging tool which allowed users to add capacity to their virtual disks.
Feature update[edit]
Parallels Coherence in Exposé
Build 5160, released on September 11, 2007,[14] added some new features and updated some current features.
The release focused on updates to Coherence, with support for Exposé, window shadows, transparent windows, and the ability to overlap several Windows and Mac windows. Further, Parallels' Image Tool was updated to allow one to change their virtual hard disk format between plain and expanding.Parallels Explorer was updated to allow for one to automatically mount an offline VM hard drive to the Mac desktop. Some new features added are iPhone support in Windows, allowing iTunes in Windows to sync with it.[15] Users can now mirror desktops or other folders. Further, Mac drives can now be mapped by Windows and sound devices can now be changed ‘on the fly’. Up to 2 GB of RAM can be allocated to a virtual machine, with a total of 4 GB of RAM available.[16]
Parallels Desktop for Mac Build 5608 added support for guest Parallels Tools for Linux in the latest Linux distributions (including Ubuntu 8). It also added support for running 3D graphics in Windows virtual machines on Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.3.
Use of code from the Wine project[edit]
According to Parallels' Licensing page, Desktop for Mac version 3.0 contains Direct3D code that was originally developed by the Wineopen-source project.[17] Wine software is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License, which required Parallels to release the source code. Parallels released the modified source code on July 2, 2007, about 2 weeks after the promised release date.[18] A Parallels spokesman explained the reasons for the delay in a message on the official company blog.[19]
Version 4.0[edit]
Version 4.0, released November 11, 2008,[20] updates its GUI, adds some new features, enhances its performance by up to 50%[21] and consumes 15–30% less power than previous versions.[22] Version 4.0 is the first version that supports both 32-bit and 64-bit guest operating systems. Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac's 3D support includes DirectX 9.0, DirectX Pixel Shader 2.0 and OpenGL 2.0[23] as well as 256 MB video memory. It also adds support for 8 GB RAM in a virtual machine and 8-way SMP. Parallels Desktop 4.0 introduces an adaptive hypervisor, which allows users to focus the host computer's resources towards either host or the guest operating system.[24]
Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac adds some new features such as:
- A fourth viewing mode called Modality,[20] which allows users to scale the size of an active guest operating system on the Mac's desktop
- A new screenshot utility called Clips, which lets users take and share screenshots between the host and the guest operating systems.
- Start Menu integration and Automatic Windows Notifications on the Apple Menu Bar.
- The ability to use select voice commands[25] to remotely control the virtual machine.
- The ability to start and stop a virtual machine via the iPhone. (Requires installing an iPhone application from Apple's AppStore.)
Starting with the Version 4.0 release, Parallels Desktop for Mac has a new logo, which resembles an aluminum iMac, with what appears to be Windows XP on the screen and 2 parallel red lines overlaid on the right side.
Feature update[edit]
Build 3810, released January 9, 2009,[26] includes performance enhancements and features, such as DirectX 9.0 Shaders Model 2 and Vertex Shader support for additional 3D support Intel Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE4) for better media applications performance. Build 3810 also adds support for running Windows 7 in a VM and for running Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server as either a host or as a guest OS.[27]
Also included are usability features such as the ability to share Windows files by dragging them directly to a Mac application in the Mac Dock. Windows can now also automatically start in the background when a user opens a Windows application on the Mac desktop. Version 4.0 drew criticism for problems upgrading from Version 3.0 shortly after its initial release.[28] Build 3810 also addresses installation and upgrade issues previously experienced with Version 4.0 and introduces the option to enroll in the company's new Customer Experience Program, which lets customers provide information about their preferences and user priorities.
Version 5[edit]
Officially released on November 4, 2009, Parallels Desktop 5 adds several new features, mainly to improve integration with the host OS.
New features include:
- 3D graphics and speed improvements
- Optimized for Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
- Support for Windows 7
- Theming of Windows applications to make them look like native applications
- Support for Multi-Touch gestures (from a trackpad or Magic Mouse) and the Apple Remote
- The ability to drag and drop formatted text and images between Windows, Linux, and Mac applications,
- The ability for a system administrator to lock down a virtual machine so that users can't change the state of the virtual machine,
- Support for OpenGL 2.1 for Linux guest virtual machines.
- Support for DirectX 9c with Shader Model 3.
Feature update[edit]
Build 9308, released on December 21, 2009, added some new features.[29]
Linux guest operating systems[edit]
- Parallels Tools support Xorg 1.7 in Fedora 12 virtual machines (experimental)
- Parallels Tools support Mandriva 2010 (experimental)
- OpenSUSE 11.1 installation media auto detection
Virtualization[edit]
- Improved performance for USB mass storage.
Windows guest operating systems[edit]
Mac External Drive On Pc
- Improved resume from suspend in virtual machines with multiple monitors assigned.
- Improved performance for file access via Shared Folders.
3D and video[edit]
- Improved performance for video playback in Windows Vista and Windows 7.
- Windows Aero is not available by default for machines with Intel GMA X3100 and GMA 950 graphic adapters (some MacBook and Mac Mini models). It is available on MacBooks with NVIDIA 9400M graphics cards.[30]
- Vertical synchronization is now configurable. You can configure these settings using the corresponding option in the virtual machine video configuration page.
- Improved 3D performance for the video game Mirror's Edge.
macOS Server guest operating system[edit]
- The ability to pass kernel options to the macOS Server guest OS has been added. To do so, enable the 'Select boot device on startup' option in the virtual machine configuration, which will enable you to specify the necessary kernel options in the 5-second timeout before booting the kernel.
Version 6[edit]
Officially announced on September 9, 2010 and launched on September 14, 2010, Parallel 6 has full 64-bit support for the first time. Parallels claims that Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac '[has] over 80 new and improved features, including speed 40% above the previous version.' Specific new features include:
- An all-new 64-bit engine
- 5.1 Surround Sound support
- Better import implementation of VMware, Virtual PC virtual machines and Boot Camp partitions
- Improved network, hard drive and Transporter performance
- Windows program Spotlight integration
- Faster Windows launch time
- Enhanced 3D graphics that are 40% better than previous versions
- Ability to extend Mac OS X Parental Controls to Windows applications
- Ability to use Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts in Windows applications
- Enhanced Spaces and Exposé support
Version 7[edit]
Officially announced on September 1, 2011 and released on September 6, 2011, Parallels Desktop 7 adds many new features. These include:
- Integration with OS X 10.7.4 'Lion':
- Full-screen support
- Use of Launchpad for Windows apps
- Mission Control support
- Lion as a guest OS
- Lion animations support
- Improved user interface
- New standard help and documentation
- Shared devices with Mac OS X
- Longer battery life
- Mac OS X parental controls support
- Support for Intel AES-NI encryption
- Enhanced performance and 3D graphics
- Support for up to 1GB video memory in virtual machine
- Enhanced audio support - up to 192 kHz
- Surround sound 7.1
- Added support for Windows 7
Version 8[edit]
Officially announced August 22, 2012 and released September 4, 2012, Parallels Desktop 8 adds many new features:
- OS X 10.8 'Mountain Lion' as a guest OS
- Retina resolution can be passed to virtual machines
- Windows 7 and Windows 8 automatically optimised for best experience on Retina
- Parallels Desktop notifications
- Notification Center support for Windows 8 toast notifications
- Mountain Lion Dictation in Windows apps
- Full screen on demand for Windows applications in Coherence
- Presentation Wizard
- Open in Internet Explorer button for Safari
- Drag & drop file to Outlook in the Dock opens new email with attachment
- Multi-language Keyboard Sync in Mac and Windows
- Full support for new Modern UI Windows 8 applications (Dock, Mission Control, Launchpad)
- Reworked Keyboard shortcuts preferences
- Use the standard OS X system preferences to set Parallels Desktop application shortcuts.
- Resources (CPU/RAM) monitoring
- Indication for VM hard drive space usage
- Shared Bluetooth
- Improved Virtual Machine boot time/Windows boots time are up to 25% faster than previous version
- Pause & resume Windows up to 25% faster than previous version
- Input/output (I/O) operations are up to 35% faster than previous version
- Games run up to 30% faster than previous version
- DirectX 10 support
- Full USB 3.0 support for faster connections to peripheral devices for Virtual Machines starting from Parallels Desktop 8.0.18305 <http://kb.parallels.com/en/115008>
Version 9[edit]
Officially announced on August 29, 2013 and released on September 5, 2013, Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac includes these new features and enhancements:
Connect External Drive To Xbox One Console
- Brings back the 'real' Start menu for Windows 8 and enables Modern apps in separate windows instead of full screen
- Power Nap support, so applications stay up-to-date on Retina Display Mac and MacBook Air computers
- Thunderbolt and Firewire storage devices are designated to connect to Windows virtual machine
- Sticky Multi-monitor setup remembers settings and puts Windows virtual machines back into Full Screen mode on the remote monitor
- Sync iCloud, SkyDrive, Dropbox and more without unnecessary duplication of files
- Windows apps can launch the OS X Mountain Lion Dictionary with Dictionary gesture
- Enhanced integration with MacOS for Linux users
- Enhanced New Virtual Machine Wizard makes it easier to set up a new virtual machine, especially on computers without hard drives
- PDF printer for Windows to print from any Windows application to a PDF on the Mac desktop, even if the application doesn't have that functionality
- Compatibility with OS X 10.9 'Mavericks'
- Easily install and access complimentary security software subscriptions from one location
- Up to 40% better disk performance than previous versions
- Virtual machines shut down up to 25% faster and suspend up to 20% faster than with Parallels Desktop 8
- 3D graphics and web browsing are 15% faster than in Parallels Desktop 8
Enterprise version:
- Set an expiration date for the virtual machine.
- Run virtual machines in headless mode.
- Start virtual machines on Mac boot.
Version 10[edit]
Released August 20, 2014, Parallels Desktop 10 for Mac includes support for OS X 10.10 'Yosemite'.[31]
Less than a year after release of its release, Parallels spokesperson John Uppendahl confirmed version 10 will not be fully compatible with Windows 10. The coherence mode, which integrates the Windows user interface with OS X, will not be updated and users will need to purchase and upgrade to version 11 to continue using this feature.[32]
Version 11[edit]
Released August 19, 2015, Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac includes support for Windows 10 and is ready for OS X 10.11 'El Capitan'.[33]
Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac is available as a one-time purchase of $79.99 for the Desktop edition, and as an annual subscription of $99.99 for Pro edition.[34] Version 11 has multiple issues with macOS 10.13, High Sierra. The website currently offers a full price upgrade to Version 13 as a correction, effectively making this version obsolete with the macOS upgrades.[35]
Version 12[edit]
Released August 18, 2016.[36]
Version 13[edit]
Released August 22, 2017,[37] Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac provides macOS High Sierra readiness and support for upcoming Windows 10 features. According to Parallels, the new version makes it simple for MacBook Pro users to add Windows applications to the Touch Bar, and to use the Touch Bar within Windows applications. It is also the first solution to bring the upcoming Windows 10 People Bar feature to the Mac, including integration with the Mac Dock and Spotlight. The new version also features up to 100 percent performance improvements for completing certain tasks. The update also brings in a slightly refreshed UI to better match macOS and visual improvements for Windows users on Retina displays.[38]
Version 14[edit]
Released August 21, 2018, Parallels Desktop 14 supports macOS 10.14 'Mojave'.[39]
Supported operating systems[edit]
Parallels Desktop for Mac Business, Home and Pro Editions requires these versions of MacOS:[40]
Parallels Desktop Version | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Macintosh OS host version | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2.5 | |
macOS 10.14 'Mojave' | 10.14 | ✓ | ||||||||||||
macOS 10.13 'High Sierra' | 10.13 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓AB | ✓AB | |||||||||
macOS 10.12 'Sierra' | 10.12 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||||
10.11 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||||
10.10 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||||
10.9 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
10.8 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||||||
10.7.5 10.7.0 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
OS X 10.6 'Snow Leopard' & | 10.6.8 10.6.3 10.6.0 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||
OS X 10.5 'Leopard' & | 10.5.8 10.5.2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||||
OS X 10.4 'Tiger' & | 10.4.11 10.4.6 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Parallels Desktop 11 and 12 only partially support macOS 'High Sierra':
A Coherence Mode windows may appear under MacOS windows, and some graphics artifacts may occur.
B Neither Parallels Desktop 11 nor 12 fully support APFS disks, including virtual disks and Boot Camp partitions. Therefore, a 'High Sierra' guest machine must be installed 'manually' by passing the '--converttoapfs NO' command line switch, and cannot use the automated Parallels virtual machine creation process.
Guest[edit]
In Parallels Desktop 10 for Mac, support for guest operating systems includes a variety of 32-bit and 64-bit x86 operating systems, including:[40]
- Multiple versions of Windows, including Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 (Windows 8.1 must generally be installed from a DVD, since Microsoft offered only the '.exe' version of Windows 8.1 in downloadable form, and did not offer the '.iso' version as a download (Microsoft has released an ISO version of Windows 8.1 a few months earlier)).
- Mac OS X Leopard Server, Snow Leopard Server, and Mac OS X Lion (only with Mac OS X Lion as host OS)
- Various Linux distributions
- eComStation, OS/2, Solaris
See also[edit]
How To Connect External Drive To Ps4
References[edit]
- ^Rudolph, Ben (2006-05-18). 'Parallels Workstation for Mac OS X is now Parallels Desktop for Mac—and the release candidate is ready for download!'. The Official Parallels Virtualization Blog. Retrieved 2006-09-26.
- ^Rudolph, Ben (2006-05-18). 'Parallels Desktop for Mac Update RC Wins MacWorld Expo 2007 'Best in Show''. Parallels, Inc. Archived from the original on 2007-01-16. Retrieved 2007-01-10.
- ^'Parallels Desktop for Mac Datasheet'(PDF). Parallels, Inc. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2007-03-07. Retrieved 2007-01-02.
- ^'System Requirements'. Parallels, Inc. Archived from the original on 2006-12-21. Retrieved 2007-01-02.
- ^'Desktop Release Features'. Parallels Web. Archived from the original on 2007-03-02. Retrieved 2007-02-28.
- ^'Virtualization's Dirty Laundry Aired in German Court Room'. Virtual Strategy. 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2019-01-09.
- ^'Netsys sues Parallels German distributor'. MacNN.
- ^'Parallels Desktop for Mac 3.0 3D Graphics'. SWSoft Parallels. 2007-06-07. Archived from the original on 2007-06-09.Cite uses deprecated parameter
|deadurl=
(help) - ^Wang, Anthony (2006-12-11). 'Inside Mac Games Interviews Parallels'. Inside Mac Games. Retrieved 2006-12-21.
- ^'Parallels Desktop for Mac 3.0 overview'. SWSoft Parallels. 2007-05-31.
- ^Chang, Jacqui (2007-01-11). 'Ars at Macworld: Interview with Parallels'. Ars Technica.
- ^'Parallels Desktop for Mac 3.0 overview'. SWSoft Parallels. 2007-06-07. Archived from the original on 2007-06-09.Cite uses deprecated parameter
|deadurl=
(help) - ^Rudolph, Ben (2007-07-17). 'Desktop for Mac 3.0 – Build 4560'. Official Parallels Blog. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
- ^Rudolph, Ben (2007-09-01). 'Parallels Desktop 3.0 Feature Update is LIVE!'. Official Parallels Blog. Retrieved 2007-09-12.
- ^'Beta Announcement Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac Feature Update'. Parallels, Inc. 2007-08-02.
- ^'Parallels Desktop 3.0 build 5160 features and improvements'. Parallels. Retrieved 2019-01-09.
- ^Licensing information. Parallels, Inc. Retrieved 2007-07-16.
- ^Dösinger, Stefan (2007-07-03). Parallels Desktop WatchArchived 2012-07-17 at Archive.today. The official Wine Wiki. Retrieved 2007-07-30.
- ^Rudolph, Ben (2007-07-03). 'The Lowdown on Parallels & Wine'. Official Parallels Blog. Retrieved 2014-04-07.
- ^ ab'Parallels Desktop for Mac 4.0 Released'. O'Grady's PowerPage. 2008-11-11. Archived from the original on 2009-05-03.
- ^Vilches, Jose (2008-11-11). 'Parallels launches Desktop for Mac 4.0'. TechSpot. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
- ^'Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac Offers Premium Windows-on-Mac Experience with Virtualization Enhancements Plus Internet Security, Data Protection and Disk Management' (Press release). Parallels. 2008-11-11. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
- ^'Parallels Desktop for Mac 4.0 unveiled'. MacWorld.
- ^Wagner, Mitch (2008-11-11). 'Parallels Boosts Mac Virtualization Performance'. InformationWeek. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
- ^'ITT Systems - Information Technology News, Reviews and Product Comparisons'. jkontherun.com.
- ^Marshall, David (2009-01-06). 'Parallels updates Desktop 4.0 for Mac'. Virtualization Report. InfoWorld. Archived from the original on 2009-03-18.
- ^Barylick, Chris (2009-01-05). 'Parallels Desktop 4.0 Build 3810 Released'. The Mac Observer. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
- ^Ecommerce Times[dead link]
- ^'A Holiday Basket of Goodies: Parallels Desktop 5 Build 9308 and New Features'. Parallels, Inc. 2009-12-21. Retrieved 2012-01-22.
- ^'Aero does not work in Parallels 5'. Parallels.
- ^'Parallels Announces Parallels Desktop® 10 for Mac'. Parallels. Archived from the original on 2014-08-23. Retrieved 2014-08-23.Cite uses deprecated parameter
|dead-url=
(help) - ^'Year-old Parallels and VMware software won't be updated for Windows 10'. Ars Technica.
- ^'Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac'. Parallels. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
- ^'Parallels'. Retrieved 2015-08-24.
- ^'KB Parallels: Known issues with macOS 10.13 High Sierra and Parallels Desktop for Mac'. Parallels. Retrieved 2017-12-17.
- ^'Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac Launches with 20 Smart and Simple Mac and Windows Tools, macOS Sierra Readiness, and Over 25 Percent Performance Improvements'. Parallels. Retrieved 2019-01-09.
- ^'Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac Launches and is the First to Bring Windows Apps to the Mac Touch Bar and Windows People Bar to the Mac'. Parallels. Retrieved 2019-01-09.
- ^'Parallels Desktop 13 brings improved performance & native Touch Bar support to Windows'. 9to5Mac. 2017-08-22. Retrieved 2019-01-09.
- ^'Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac Launches'. August 21, 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ^ ab'KB Parallels: Parallels Desktop and Mac OS (Host) Compatibility'. Parallels. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
Parallels For Mac Connect External Drive To Router
External links[edit]
- Official website
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parallels_Desktop_for_Mac&oldid=910639191'