The best way to run Windows on your Mac When it comes to running Windows on a Mac, there are two main players: Parallels Desktop 7. Parallels Desktop 7 makes Windows-on-Mac fast, stable. Parallels Toolbox for Mac and Windows 30+ tools in a lightweight, powerful, all-in-one application for Mac ® and PC. Easy to use and economical—a whole suite of tools for a fraction of the cost of individual apps, packaged in one simple interface.
Run Windows and Mac applications side-by-side Experience as much or as little Windows as you want. Multiple view modes allow you full control of the level of integration between Mac and Windows. Moving from PC to a Mac has never been this easy Easily transfer everything on your current PC–operating system, documents, applications, games, even your internet browser favorites –over to your Mac in a snap. Streamlined Windows Installation Installing Windows on your Mac has never been so simple. The easy to use and intuitive Installation Assistant walks you through the complete setup, including the purchase of a Windows 10 license, if needed. Already using Boot Camp? Easily convert your existing Windows Boot Camp partition to a new Parallels Desktop virtual machine.
Not just for Windows Run a wide array of operating systems including macOS, Windows 10, 8.1, and 7, Linux, Google Chrome, and more. Lightning Fast Performance Resource-hungry Windows applications run effortlessly without slowing down your Mac, and Microsoft® Office is faster than ever. One-click tuning One-click optimization of virtual machine settings makes it easy to get the performance you need.
One-touch Tools for Mac Imagine having a set of tools, with no complicated settings, to simplify everyday tasks. Take a screenshot with a simple click, secure private files with a password, download a favorite video from YouTube or Facebook with little fuss, easily record a screencast, or keep your Mac from sleeping with the push of a button. Now, with Parallels Desktop 13 including Parallels Toolbox, you can do all of that and more, with one click!. Always available in your Windows task bar. Access with one click. Easy to use, no hassle, and no complex keyboard shortc. Pin a tool to the task bar for even easier access.
Frequently updated with new tools (subscription only). One-touch Tools for Windows Imagine having a set of tools, with no complicated settings, to simplify everyday tasks. Take a screenshot with a simple click, secure private files with a password, download a favorite video from YouTube or Facebook with little fuss, easily record a screencast, or keep your Windows from sleeping with the push of a button. Now, with Parallels Desktop 13 including Parallels Toolbox, you can do all of that and more, with one click!. Always available in your Windows task bar. Access with one click.
Easy to use, no hassle, and no complex keyboard shortc. Pin a tool to the task bar for even easier access. Frequently updated with new tools (subscription only). Your Windows on Mac Experience Gets Better. Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac is fully optimized for macOS Sierra—as a host or guest OS.
With new retina display support, enjoy smart resizing and independent screen resolutions for separate displays. Seamless Office 365 Integration now allows Word, Excel, or PowerPoint documents in Safari to open in their native Windows Office app. Distraction free presentation mode for both Mac and Windows, including Keep Mac Awake, Hide Desktop Files, Do Not Disturb, and Start in Full Screen quick modes. Increased Performance Over 47% faster access to Windows files and documents. Release Ready Optimized for macOS High Sierra and Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. Touch Bar Wizard Develop and tailor your favorite Windows applications on the Touch Bar of your MacBook Pro ®. Enhanced Retina Support Display support for your Windows applications in scaled mode.
Faster File Transfer Move, copy, and transfer at lightning speeds with modern USB 3.0 mass storage devices and external Thunderbolt SSD devices. More Power Now featuring up to 128 GB vRAM and 32 vCPU per virtual machine with Parallels Desktop Pro Edition. Touch Bar Support Support for Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint as well as additional integration for the Windows Start Menu and Desktop, including Microsoft Cortana, Task View, and Taskbar pinned elements. People Bar Bring the upcoming Windows 10 People Bar feature to Mac. View recent contacts in the Windows Taskbar or Mac Dock. Dynamic Resolution Changing window size, booting, and rebooting Windows is smoother than ever.
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Picture-in-Picture Monitor your virtual machine with ease using this new view mode. Snapshot Manager Save time and easily access snapshots from Control Center. Windows Update Protection New notifications prevent stopping or resetting Windows during updates setup. Added Support and Appliance New OS support for Kali Linux, Elementary, Manjaro, Zorin Elementary, and a new appliance, Linux Mint.
This page gives instructions on installing Windows on your Mac for the first time to use with Parallels Desktop Lite. You can also:.
Import an existing virtual machine from other Parallels Desktop editions. See for more information. Upgrade an existing Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 virtual machine to Windows 10. For instructions, see. Take the following steps to install Windows on your Mac using a Microsoft Windows installation DVD or an.iso disc image file. Step 1: Purchase Windows Parallels Desktop Lite does not include Microsoft Windows. If you don’t have a Windows copy, you can purchase Windows 10 from the Microsoft Online Store:.
Note: if you need help to choose Windows 10 edition: Home or Pro. After the purchase please visit the page to create your own installation media and the page to learn more about upgrade from previous Windows versions. For earlier versions of Windows, please refer to retail stores or authorized online resellers, including. Step 2: Create a new virtual machine Start Parallels Desktop Lite and click on File in the application menu, and then select New. Click Install Windows or another OS from DVD or image file, then click Continue.
Step 3: Select the installation media You may install Windows from a DVD or an.iso disc image, or a bootable USB drive. Important: Windows installation files with an.exe extension can be used only to upgrade an existing Windows virtual machine (VM).
If you are performing a new install to create a new Windows VM, the.exe installation file will not work. Please contact a retailer to request either a physical disc or an.iso image.
Parallels Wizard will detect the installation media automatically for installing Windows. You can also switch to manual mode and choose the source for Windows installation. Step 4: Enter your Windows product key Click Continue. In the Windows Product Key window, leave Express installation selected. Note: If you uncheck Express installation, you will need to after the Windows installation.
When you are ready, click Continue. Step 5: Select how you want to use Windows Select how you want to use Windows in Parallels Desktop for Mac:. Productivity. Games only To learn more about virtual machine profiles, visit. Step 6: Specify a name and location Name: You may specify a name for your virtual machine. Location: The default location for Parallels Desktop virtual machines is /Users/username/Documents/Parallels.
If you want to change your default virtual machine settings select Customize settings before installation. These settings can also be changed easily after installation. Step 7: Begin the installation Click Continue and Windows installation will begin. Once Windows is installed, launch it by opening a Windows application or by clicking the Power button in the Parallels virtual machines list. Important: The first time you start Windows, Parallels Tools will be installed to allow seamless operation between Windows and OS X.
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Please do not cancel or stop the installation process. Once the Parallels Tools are installed, you will be prompted to restart Windows.
Troubleshooting If you have any problems installing Windows from a DVD, or if you don't have a DVD drive, you can use another drive to create an.iso image and install from that. For instructions, see: How to create an.iso image from a Windows installation DVD.