Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac makes it easier than ever to get back space on your Mac! Get up to 20 GB back with new disk usage optimization. Automatically reorganize your virtual disk to increase limits for optimal storage savings. The virtual machine can also be found via Parallels Desktop Control Center. Click on Parallels Desktop logo on Mac menu bar > Control Center. Right click Parallels Desktop application icon in the dock > Control Center. Parallels Desktop is an invaluable tool for those who use a Mac at work, but who need to run legacy apps accessible only via Windows. Desktop 9 is the latest annual refresh – packing support for.
Effectiveness
5 out of 5 Responsive integrated Windows experience
ease of use
5 out of 5 Runs like a Mac app (absolutely intuitive)
support
4.5 out of 5 Multiple ways to contact support Quick Summary
Parallels Desktop lets you run Windows apps on your Mac. That can be very handy if you rely on certain Windows apps for your business, or have switched to Mac and can’t find alternatives for everything you need.
Is it worth it? If you have Mac apps for everything you need you won’t need Parallels, and if you need just a few non-critical Windows apps a free alternative may meet your needs. But if you rely on Windows apps to get your work done, you’ll need the premium Windows performance that Parallels Desktop provides.
What I Like
Parallels Desktop for Mac
macOS, $79.99+
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// Why Should You Trust Me?
// What Is Parallels Desktop for Mac? // Parallels Desktop for Mac: What's in it For You? // Reasons Behind My Reviews and Ratings // Alternatives to Parallels Desktop // Conclusion Why Should You Trust Me?My name is Adrian Try. After using Microsoft Windows for over a decade, I made a deliberate move away from the operating system in 2003. I enjoyed the change, but still needed certain Windows apps on a regular basis. So I found myself using a combination of dual boot, virtualization (using VMware and VirtualBox) and Wine. See the Alternatives section of this review.
I hadn’t tried Parallels Desktop before. I was provided a review license, and installed version 12 on my macOS Sierra-based iMac. 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.
Version 13 was released last night, so I immediately upgraded. This review reflects my use of both Parallels Desktop 12 and 13, and all of the screenshots are from version 13. Third-party reviews that I reference are all of version 12.
In this review I’ll share what I like and dislike about Parallels Desktop. The content in the quick summary box above serves as a short version of my findings and conclusions. Read on for the details!
What Is Parallels Desktop for Mac?
Parallels Desktop allows you to run Windows apps on your Mac. It does this by allowing you to install Windows on a virtual machine — a computer emulated in software. 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 less resources.
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).
What’s New in Parallels Desktop 13?
Parallels has added a number of new features to version 13. According to the release notes from Parallels, those include speed improvements, making GIFs, presentation mode, Picture-in-Picture, Retina display enhancements, etc. Watch this 3-minute video for more.
Is Parallels Desktop Safe?
Yes, it is. I ran and installed the app on my macOS Sierra based iMac and scanned it for viruses. Parallels Desktop 13 doesn’t contain any virus or malicious processes.
Be aware that when you install Windows in Parallels, you become vulnerable to Windows viruses (on the virtual machine and the files it can access), so make sure you protect yourself. A trial version of Kaspersky Internet Security is included, or install your security software of choice.
During my use of the app, my mouse froze once when switching between Windows and Mac. This required a reboot to fix. Your mileage may vary.
Is Parallels Desktop Free?
No, it isn’t freeware though a full-featured 14-day trial is available. There are three versions of the app to consider:
How to Install Parallels Desktop for Mac
Here is an overview of the full process of getting the app up and running:
Parallels Desktop for Mac: What’s in it For You?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. In each subsection, I’ll first explore what the app offers and then share my personal take. 1. Turn Your Mac Into Several Computers with Virtualization
Parallels Desktop is virtualization software — it emulates a new computer in software. On that virtual computer you can run any operating system you like, including Windows, and any software that runs on that operating system. That’s very convenient if you need non-Mac software.
A virtual machine will run slower than your real computer, but Parallels has worked hard to optimize performance. Trusted Reviews ran some benchmark tests and were impressed: “Performance is excellent, with Windows feeling responsive and snappy. I ran GeekBench 3 on both Mac and the Windows virtual machine and got similar scores: Mac OS scored 5,833 in the multi-core test, and the Windows virtual machine scored 5,057.”
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. Virtualization is an excellent alternative.
GeekWire’s Daniel Rasmus agrees. “Parallels virtual machines can run almost any operating system, even those that are no longer supported (as long as you have a CD and license key)… Parallels works closely with Apple, Microsoft and the open source community to ensure that Parallels Desktop will not only run their operating systems, but that they run relatively fast in a very stable environment.”
My personal take: Virtualization technology provides a convenient way of accessing non-Mac software while using macOS. If you need regular access to Windows apps, Parallel’s implementation is superb.
2. Run Windows on Your Mac Without Rebooting
You may need to run Windows on your Mac for a variety of reasons. Here are some examples:
Parallels provides the virtual machine, you need to supply Microsoft Windows. There are three options:
Transferring a previously-installed version of Windows is the least-recommended option, as it can lead to
licensing issues or driver problems. David Ludlow from Trusted Reviews explains:
“But there are caveats. Foremost, is that Windows’ licensing prevents you from moving an OEM version of an OS to a new computer, even to a virtual machine. In other words, you can only transfer an old PC if you bought a retail version of Windows.”
“Secondly, Windows 10 doesn’t particularly like being moved, and Windows apps won’t necessarily run. I got a warning when trying to run some apps, such as Edge, telling me that they ‘can’t be opened using the Built-in Administrator account’.”
In my case, I purchased a shrink-wrapped version of Windows 10 Home (with USB an enclosed USB stick) from a store. The price was the same as downloading from Microsoft: $179 Aussie dollars.
I started up Parallels Desktop 13, inserted my USB stick, and Windows was installed without fuss.
Once installed, Windows feels snappy and responsive. Moving from Windows to Mac and back again is fast and seamless. I’ll explain how that’s done in the next section.
My personal take: For those needing access to Windows while using macOS, Parallels Desktop is a godsend. They have obviously worked hard to optimize their software for Windows, as it is incredibly responsive.
3. Switch Conveniently between Mac and Windows
How easy is switching between Mac and Windows using Parallels Desktop? You don’t even notice it. By default it runs inside a window like this.
When my mouse is outside of that window, it is the black Mac mouse cursor. Once it moves inside the window, it becomes the white Windows mouse cursor automatically and instantly.
For some uses that can feel a little cramped. Pressing the green Maximize button will make Windows run full screen. The screen resolution adjusts automatically. You can switch to and from Windows using a four-finger swipe.
Very fast, very easy, very intuitive. Switching between Mac and Windows couldn’t be easier. Here’s another bonus. For convenience, I found myself leaving Windows open even when I wasn’t using it. When not in use, Parallels pauses the virtual machine to reduce the load on your computer.
Once your mouse enters the Windows environment again, Windows is up and running again within about three seconds.
My personal take: Whether running Windows full-screen or in a window, switching to it is simple and seamless. It’s no harder than switching to a native Mac app.
4. Use Windows Apps alongside Mac Apps
When I first moved away from Windows, I found myself still relying on a few key apps. You might be the same:
It’s surprising how reliant businesses can become on out-of-date software that is no longer updated or supported. Daniel Rasmus from GeekWire explains:
“People working outside of large corporations may be surprised by how much of the world continues to run on old software — some supported, some not. If a financial application relies on an old Windows NT or other legacy framework that doesn’t run on Windows 10, let alone on macOS, the choice comes down to investing in new software and the associated implementation costs, or keeping old hardware in play, or using a virtualization solution.”
Parallels Desktop provides a Coherence Mode which lets you work with Windows apps without dealing with the Windows interface. David Ludlow sums it up: “Coherence turns your Windows apps into Mac ones.”
Coherence Mode hides the Windows interface altogether. You launch the Start Menu by clicking the Windows 10 icon on your dock.
You can search for and run the Windows Paint program from Spotlight.
Paint runs right on your Mac desktop, no Windows in sight.
And the Mac’s right-click Open With menu even lists Windows apps.
My personal take: Parallels Desktop allows you to use Windows apps almost as if they were Mac apps. You can start the from your Mac’s Dock, Spotlight, or a context menu.
5. Run Other Operating Systems on Your Mac
The convenience of Parallels Desktop doesn’t stop with Windows. You can run a variety of operating systems, including Linux, Android and macOS. Why would someone want to do that? Here are some examples:
You can install macOS from your recovery partition or a disk image. You can also install older versions of OS X if you still have the installation DVDs or disk images. I chose to install macOS from my recovery partition.
I found macOS significantly less responsive than Windows — I assume Parallel’s main priority is Windows performance. It was definitely usable, though.
Installing Linux is similar. You can either choose to have Parallels Desktop download a number of Linux distros (including Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS, Debian and Linux Mint), or install from a disk image.
Like macOS, Linux seems less responsive than Windows. Once you have a few operating systems installed, the Parallels Desktop Control Panel is a handy way to start and stop them.
My personal take: Parallels Desktop can run macOS or Linux on a virtual machine, though not with the same speed as Windows, or with as many integration features. But the software is stable and usable all the same.
Reasons Behind My Reviews and RatingsEffectiveness: 5/5 Parallels for mac shrink hd.
Parallels Desktop does exactly what it promises: it runs Windows apps alongside my Mac apps. Running Windows in a virtual machine was convenient and responsive, and allowed me to access Windows apps that I rely on. Windows paused when not in use, so unnecessary resources were not being wasted.
Price: 4.5/5
Although there are free virtualization options, $79.95 is a reasonable price to pay for the amount of work Parallels have put into optimizing performance and integration. The $39.95 option should be affordable to most students.
Ease of Use: 5/5
I found launching Windows and switching between Mac and Windows absolutely intuitive. The integrated approach of displaying Windows software in Spotlight searches, context menus and the Dock is brilliant.
Support: 4.5/5
Parallels for mac gaming. Free support is available via Twitter, chat, Skype, phone (Click-to-Call) and email for the first 30 days after registering. Email support is available for up to two years from the product release date, though you can purchase phone support when required for $19.95. A comprehensive knowledge base, FAQ, Getting Started guide and User’s Guide are available.
Alternatives to Parallels Desktop
VMware Fusion 8.5: VMware Fusion ($79.99) is Parallel Desktop’s closest competitor, and is a little slower and more technical. A major upgrade is about to be released.
Veertu Desktop: Veertu (free, $39.95 for premium) is a lightweight alternative. It’s almost as quick as Parallels, but has fewer features.
VirtualBox: VirtualBox is Oracle’s free and open source alternative. Not as polished or responsive as Parallels Desktop, it’s a good alternative when performance is not at a premium.
Boot Camp: Boot Camp comes installed with macOS, and allows you to run Windows alongside macOS in a dual-boot setup — to switch you need to restart your computer. That’s less convenient, but has performance benefits.
Wine: Wine is a way of running Windows apps on your Mac without needing Windows at all. It can’t run all Windows apps, and many require significant configuration. It’s a free (open source) solution that just might work for you.
CrossOver Mac: CodeWeavers CrossOver ($59.95) is a commercial version of Wine that is easier to use and configure.
Conclusion
Parallels Desktop runs Windows and other operating systems in a virtual machine alongside your Mac apps. It’s a good option for those who still rely on certain Windows apps for their business, or gamers who can’t live without a favorite Windows game. It’s also a great solution for developers who need to test their apps or websites on other platforms.
If you’ve found native Mac apps that meet all of your needs, you don’t need Parallels Desktop. If you need to run just a handful of non-critical Windows apps, one of the free virtualization alternatives may be all you need. But if you’re looking for best performance, Parallels Desktop is your best option. I highly recommend it.
Parallels Desktop is virtualization software for macOS. It lets you run multiple operating systems like Windows 10, Linux, and macOS inside virtual installations on your Mac.
While it might not be as fast as a local installation, using a VM is the convenient way to run Windows and its software on a Mac. There’s no need for a dedicated Boot Camp partitionHow to Create a Bootable Windows 10 Installer USB on a MacHow to Create a Bootable Windows 10 Installer USB on a MacMicrosoft offers a simple tool to create a bootable USB on Windows, but there is no such tool for Mac users. Fortunately the process is pretty easy, if you know how.Read More and you don’t need to restart your Mac every time you want to switch.
Parallels Desktop can have your Windows 10 installation up and running in under 10 seconds.
Download:Parallels Desktop 13
Ideal for Beginners and Power Users
The best thing about Parallels is that its seamless user experience scales from beginner all the way to a professional level. When you first install it, Parallels doesn’t ask you to configure the VM environment at all. There’s no need to decide what resources to dedicate to the VM, or how much hard drive space to block off for the new Windows installation.
You just have to hit “Next” a couple of times. The installation assistant will even download and install Windows 10 for you (the feature also works with Linux distrosTop 5 Linux Operating Systems You Should Try in a Virtual MachineTop 5 Linux Operating Systems You Should Try in a Virtual MachineFive Linux operating system distributions are particularly suitable for running virtual machines, so let's take a look at them.Read More, like Ubuntu and Elementary OS10 Elementary OS AppCenter Apps That'll Make You More Productive10 Elementary OS AppCenter Apps That'll Make You More ProductiveHaving an app store of its own has really brought Elementary OS to life with a great choice of apps. I use these AppCenter tools to improve my productivity -- perhaps you will too.Read More).
If you’ve ever used a VM app on Mac, you know that this is not a trivial thing.
In under an hour, I went from downloading the Parallels app from their website to booting into a fresh Windows 10 installation. And all the while, I just hit “Next” a couple of times and I was able to continue my work in other apps.
Once the Windows 10 install is up and running, you’re free to go in and mess about. Click on Settings, go to Hardware, and you can change the amount of RAM and GPU Parallels Desktop can use.
Parallels Desktop Features You Should Know About
The app is filled with features that will make your VM experience pain-free.
Copy and Paste or Drag and Drop
Because Windows is virtualized on your Mac, you can just copy and paste content between macOS apps and Windows apps. You can even drag and drop files between the two. And your macOS DesktopHow to Clean Up Your Mac Desktop and Increase ProductivityHow to Clean Up Your Mac Desktop and Increase ProductivityA cluttered desktop can not only decrease productivity but can also cause cognitive stress. Here's how to clean up your Mac desktop for a better work environment.Read More will show up as the Windows Desktop as well.
Run Windows Apps Alongside Mac Apps
Parallels has a special Coherence mode. In which, the Windows environment disappears and the Windows app shows up as an independent app. This means you can put a Mac app next to a Windows app and work in both environments seamlessly.
If you only need to use a couple of Windows apps for work, put Parallels in this mode and you won’t have to interact with Windows OS at all.
Full Screen and Keyboard Shortcuts![]()
Click on the Parallels menu bar icon, go to View and select Enter Full Screen. Windows 10 will take up a whole new Space in macOS and you’re now basically running a Windows OS inside a Mac.
From Preferences, you can change keyboard shortcuts for common Windows actions. You can change the preset to macOS or Linux shortcuts.
Pin Windows Apps in the Dock
Active Windows apps will show up in the DockMake Your Mac Dock Great Again With These 5 ShortcutsMake Your Mac Dock Great Again With These 5 ShortcutsWhy stick with the jumble of icons that came with your Mac's dock when you can swap them for a bunch of super useful shortcuts?Read More and the App Switcher. This makes it really easy to jump between apps across both OS.
External Hard Drives and Simple Backups
If all your friends and coworkers use Windows, sometimes it can be hard to exchange data. They’ll give you an external hard drive that’s formatted in NTFS. macOS just won’t let you copy files to it. And in some situations, you can’t format the drive to macOS friendly formats like FATWrite To Your NTFS Drives Again in OS X El Capitan (For Free)Write To Your NTFS Drives Again in OS X El Capitan (For Free)Some of the most common methods of adding NTFS support broke with the recent release of El Capitan, but you can still write to your Windows drives with a bit of tinkering.Read More.
In times like these, Parallels Desktop can help. Boot up Windows 10 and open the hard drive from Windows 10’s File ExplorerHow to Get the Most Out of the Windows 10 File ExplorerHow to Get the Most Out of the Windows 10 File ExplorerWindows File Explorer is one of the most underrated features of Windows 10. Here we demonstrate how to manage and control the Windows 10 File Explorer from the bottom up and reveal features you never..Read More.
Snapshots in Parallels are a virtual machine equivalent of Time MachineHow to Restore Data From Time Machine BackupsHow to Restore Data From Time Machine BackupsIt's really easy to set up Time Machine, the backup software that comes with every Mac — but how do you get your files back when things go wrong?Read More, but they happen on the device. You’ll see the option in the Parallels dropdown in the menu bar. When you click on it, Parallels will save your virtual machine in the state it was in. You can choose to revert back to a snapshot at a later point.
What’s New in Parallels Desktop 13?
macOS High SierraHow to Try macOS High Sierra Right Now Before Everyone ElseHow to Try macOS High Sierra Right Now Before Everyone ElsemacOS High Sierra is now available for beta testing. If you'd like to give it a try before the general release, here's how to get your hands on it now.Read More introduces a new file format: APFSNew macOS, New Filesystem: What Is APFS and How Does It Work?New macOS, New Filesystem: What Is APFS and How Does It Work?iOS already has APFS. Now it's the Mac's turn. But what exactly are we getting into this Fall?Read More. As Parallels Desktop 13 comes with High Sierra support out of the box, you won’t have to worry about your VM’s compatibility. Similarly, when Windows 10’s Fall Creators UpdateWindows 10 Fall Creators Update Release Date ConfirmedWindows 10 Fall Creators Update Release Date ConfirmedThe Windows 10 Fall Creators Update finally has a release date, but what will be included in the next big update? Let's take a look.Read More ships, it will be supported by Parallels Desktop 13.
Version 13 also brings Windows 10’s People Bar to the Mac. You can now interact with the People Bar right from macOS’s Spotlight search and the Dock. The other major new feature in Parallels Desktop 13 is Touch Bar supportHow Useful Is the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro?How Useful Is the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro?Does Apple's thin context-dependent OLED strip improve productivity or is it just a gimmick as some users are making it out to be?Read More. And it’s not just for Windows 10, but also for Microsoft Office apps like Windows, Excel, and more.
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Finally, Picture in Picture mode puts your Windows 10 VM into a floating window on top of everything in macOS. This way, you can monitor what’s happening in the Windows 10 installation, while continuing your work in macOS. When you focus on any other application in macOS, the floating window becomes translucent.
Is Parallels Desktop for You?
I’ve been using Parallels Desktop 13 on my MacBook Pro with the default configuration which is 2GB of RAM and 256MB shared graphics. I haven’t faced any issues jumping between macOS and Windows 10. Interacting with Windows apps and browsing the web in Microsoft Edge have all been smooth.
That said if you’re going to be running professional apps, you might want to increase the RAM limit to 4GB.
Parallels Desktop’s chief competitor is VMware Fusion. Both apps have a healthy competition and it leads to better updates every year. For the past couple of years, Parallels Desktop has taken the clear lead when it comes to user experience and ease of use.
If you’re in a corporate or IT environment where you need to roll out virtual machines by the hundreds, VMware Fusion has a clear advantage. But for everyone from beginners to independent professionals, Parallels will offer a better, faster experience (especially for Windows 10).
Parallels Desktop 13 costs $80. If you’ve used Parallels 11 or 12, you can upgrade for $50. If you’re a professional or a business user, you should look into their Parallels Desktop Business plan that starts at $100/year. If you’re okay with configuring and managing your own VM, VirtualBox is a good free alternative to Parallels Desktop.
Try Parallels for FreeVirtualbox Vs Parallels For Mac
You can try Parallels Desktop for 14 days before deciding if you want to jump in. That’s enough time to setup your Windows environment and test it in a work environment, before deciding whether or not to take the plunge.
Parallel Desktop 9 For Mac Download
Will you be buying Parallels Desktop for Mac? What is your Windows 10 VM setup like? Share with us in the comments below.
Activation Key For Parallels Desktop 9 For Mac
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