Run Windows on Your Mac Without Rebooting If you need regular access to Windows apps, Parallel’s implementation is superb. My personal take: Virtualization technology provides a convenient way of accessing non-Mac software while using macOS. Virtualization is an excellent alternative.
That’s very convenient if you need non-Mac software.Ī virtual machine will run slower than your real computer, but Parallels has worked hard to optimize performance. But why run a slower virtual machine when you can install Windows on your actual computer using Bootcamp? Because having to restart your machine to change operating systems is slow, inconvenient, and incredibly frustrating. On that virtual computer you can run any operating system you like, including Windows, and any software that runs on that operating system. Parallels Desktop is virtualization software - it emulates a new computer in software. Turn Your Mac Into Several Computers with Virtualization In each subsection, I’ll first explore what the app offers and then share my personal take. Since Parallels Desktop is all about running Windows apps (and more) on your Mac, I’m going to list all its features by putting them into the following five sections. Parallels Desktop Review: What’s in It for You? Install any Windows application software you need. Your new Windows desktop will be displayed.Windows will be installed along with some Parallels tools.Enter the Windows product key when prompted. To install Windows, you have three choices: purchase it online, install it from a US stick, or transfer it from a PC. You’ll be asked to choose an operating for your new virtual machine.Download and install Parallels Desktop for Mac.
Here is an overview of the full process of getting the app up and running:
How to Install Parallels Desktop for Mac?
I ran and installed the app on my iMac and scanned it for viruses.
According to the release notes from Parallels, those include 30+ new features such as macOS Catalina support, full Apple Pencil support in Sidecar, screenshot preview to Windows, and more. Parallels has added a number of new features to version 15. Other operating systems will also run on Parallels Desktop, including Linux, Android, and macOS - even older versions of macOS and OS X (El Capitan or earlier). Your virtual computer is assigned a portion of the RAM, processor and disk space of your real computer, so it will be slower and have fewer resources. It does this by allowing you to install Windows on a virtual machine - a computer emulated in software. It’s an app that allows you to run Windows apps on your Mac. Parallels Desktop FAQs What is Parallels Desktop? The content in the quick summary box above serves as a short version of my findings and conclusions. In this Parallels review, I’ll share what I like and dislike about Parallels Desktop. This review reflects my use of both versions and all of the screenshots are from version 13. The new version was released last night, so I immediately upgraded.
For the last week, I’ve been putting it through its paces, installing Windows 10 (purchased just for this review) and several other operating systems, and trying just about every feature in the program. I was provided a review license and installed an earlier version on my iMac. See the Alternatives section of this Parallels Desktop review. So I found myself using a combination of dual boot, virtualization (using VMware and VirtualBox) and Wine. I enjoyed the change, but still needed certain Windows apps on a regular basis. After using Microsoft Windows for over a decade, I made a deliberate move away from the operating system in 2003. Reasons Behind My Reviews and Ratings Parallels Desktop Review: What's in It for You?