Microsoft has partnered with Parallels to enable Windows 11 to run in a virtual environment (also called as parallels desktop 18 for mac), and as a result, the operating system is now officially supported on Apple’s M1 and M2 Macs. According to a new Microsoft support document released today, Parallels Desktop version 18 is “an authorized solution” to run Arm versions of Windows 11 on Apple’s most recent M1 and M2 Macs.
While Microsoft places restrictions on which CPUs may run Windows 11 natively, it is delighted for users of Apple M1 and M2 to run the OS in a virtual environment. Although it won’t deliver the greatest performance possible, Apple hasn’t indicated that it will support Boot Camp on M1 or M2 Macs.
Even yet, Microsoft’s intention to formally approve Parallels’ support for this method of running Windows 11 on Apple’s most recent Macs goes beyond what we’ve seen so far. It has been challenging for M1 and M2 users to officially run Arm in VM because Microsoft has only directly licensed Windows versions of Arm to OEMs up to this point.
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All you need to know about: “Parallels Desktop 18 for Mac“
With the release of Parallels Desktop 16.5, Microsoft began to support Windows on M1 CPUs, but the most recent version enables one-click installation of Windows 11. Parallels is also able to meet the demanding TPM and Secure Boot requirements of Windows 11 thanks to a virtual TPM paired with Apple hardware.
Although the Arm version of Windows 10 could technically have had a license key purchased and activated, this wasn’t authorized. That presents a bigger issue for Windows enterprise customers who may utilize a combination of Windows- and macOS-powered laptops.
Yet the license issue in this case is still not entirely apparent. Businesses can buy a Windows 11 license “via their usual Windows procurement process,” according to Parallels, while private customers can buy a $199 Windows 11 Pro license directly from Microsoft. Nevertheless, it’s unclear how Microsoft has altered its licensing policies in this case, so we’ve asked the software behemoth for more information.
Microsoft is now providing Windows 365 Cloud PCs as an additional option for those who want to access Windows 11 on an M1 or M2 Mac. These are virtual machines with complete application compatibility that are hosted in the cloud. There are various restrictions on the kinds of hardware, games, and apps that are supported by the Arm version of Windows 11 that is used by Parallels Desktop 18.
Parallels Desktop 18 for Mac – The Limitations
Hardware drivers only operate on Windows 11 Arm-based Computers if they are expressly made for these platforms. Other issues include games that depend on anti-cheat drivers or use OpenGL 3.3 or above. Also, many applications that try to interact with the Windows shell, such as cloud storage applications and assistive technologies, will not function properly. Other antivirus programs from other parties also cannot be set up.
The majority of apps should function normally because Windows on Arm now supports x64 app emulation. However, you should usually use the genuine Microsoft Edge browser because mimicked applications like Google Chrome don’t often function very well.
Note: Please check out this official youtube video from Parallels to know more about “What’s New in Parallels Desktop 18 for Mac”
Video: Parallels