How to install Windows 11 on M1/M2 Macs using Parallels 18

47 Comments on How to install Windows 11 on M1/M2 Macs using Parallels 18

1. I’m not sure but I think the standard version of Parallels is a one time purchase. The pro version is $120 a year

   • I have a lifetime license of parallel do you Want?

   • did you buy it? at check out, it turns out to be 129$.. falsely advertised at their home page

   • @Eddy Gonzales no I haven’t. I don’t need it. But you’re right the purchase page is really confusing. I just checked and it’s not at all clear how you can but the standard version without subscribing

   • @Eddy Gonzales you want parallels? I have it

2. Great video – although I’m not sure it’s worth paying the parallel’s desktop subscription just to play rocket league!! Crossover would probably be a better alternative. Good to see you back Jeff!

   • There is a standard edition that doesn’t require a subscription. The version cost a one-time $99.99 and gets you a permanent license. Hint: Its the only version listed that does not indicate a $$/yr figure.

   • @Mark Goodman the “permanent” goes for 4 years though, so not exactly permanent, and it is limited also in terms of hardware allocation for the VM

3. I didn’t know they had started to limit the standalone edition! That sucks! I have 17 and then 18 on both my M1 Macbooks. It is much more straight forward than VMware to get running on M1 but I am not paying to upgrade each year and seems even less reason to from now on as I hate subscription models.

   • I thought that the standalone is always a limited version but you can keep it for 4 macOS updates (4 years), and the subscription is always the unlimited version but you have to pay a hefty price
     I’m still using Parallels 17 until it no longer runs, because I ain’t buying no extra version that does not contain extra breaking changes

   • @Wander Watterson I don’t remember what them limiting cores or graphics but I might be wrong. I’ve got VMware now anyway but do like the simplicity of parallels.

   • @Wander Watterson hi with parallels is it possible to run a free version of windows without buying the pro option?thank you

4. You’re better off with UTM, which is free. It offers similar features in addition to emulation of other system types, such as x86 PC and PowerPC Mac, so you can even run older OSes on your modern Mac.

   • @9to5Mac This whole video comes off as something sponsored by Parallels, honestly. If you want to discuss installing Windows on an M1 Mac, why not cover all available options? True, UTM does not offer all of the same features, but it works all the same, and more importantly it is free.

   • Before I’d advice the average consumer to consider UTM over Parallels I’d first bring VMware Fusion Player to their attention. Currently also free, but easier to set up than UTM and with some support for graphic acceleration.
     This is covered in the last part of the video.

   • @Eric Wood I don’t believe it’s a sponsored video, but even if it was, it’s a solid and fairly balanced one. It even mentions Fusion as an alternative.

   • can UTM run adobe photoshop, illustrator, etc..?

   • @Jason Lee Modern versions in virtualization? No clue.

5. Good video Jeff

   On the subject of activating a Windows 11 license in a Parallels Desktop VM it might point you to buy a Windows 11 Pro license over a Windows 11 HOME license BUT SOME of us DO RECOMMEND a Windows PRO license when activating Windows 11

   I PERSONALLY RECOMMEND buying a Windows 11 PRO license because Windows 11 PRO has BETTER SECURITY features like the Encrypting File System BitLocker as well as PC management via Local Security Policy and Local Group Policy

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   • Is it possible to Run Windows 11 Pro 64 bit on M2 mini using Parallels?

6. looking forward to the VMware version of the video!

   • VMWare is currently not supported on Macs running with Apple Silicon (M1, M2)

7. 1:30 Ironically, less virtual CPUs actually leads to better performance with Parallels Desktop. Check out Parallels’ own comments on the matter.

8. JEFF! You’re back with 9to5mac? Nice man!

   • JEFF!

9. I’ve found apple gaming wiki to not be fully accurate, I suppose if I had time to contribute myself I could help fix it, but I know there are games that run native or through rosetta and are listed as N/A on there. There’s also games I was wondering about that aren’t even listed like Sea of Thieves and The Forrest.

   • My bad, wasn’t paying attention, both games are listed as I didn’t see the next page buttons. The Forest is listed as playing perfect, and Sea of Thieves is listed as playable.

10. I hope they find a way to install windows natively on the m1 and m2 so in the future if and when apple doesnt support the old devices it would still be of good use, more so those machines arent cheap at all.

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11. I was changing my brand new Mac book air to a brand new laptop pc. I really need windows on it, and this arm version have a lot on bugs. And also the price for pd is insane. That’s such a shame apple cannot come up with some fix like it was before. Boot-camp was working properly when I was having an older Mac with intel.

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    • What about Virtualbox? It was not possible rinning Windows 11 64 bit on it?

12. Hi Jeff, I’m returning to use MacOS after many many years and bought a Macbook Air M1, but I still need to run a few Windows programs. It would be of great value if you make a video about VMWare Fusion 13 on a M1 or M2 mac.

    • Hi Joao, I have one on the docket!

    • Do you want to run Windows 11?

13. Parallels is a very costly option. Apple should resurrect bootcamp

14. thanks for this great Video!!! Actually I use Parallels for over 1 1/2 year now with my M1 without any problem! Works perfect!!! One question though. If I would upgrade my Mac and buy an M2 Mac would the Parallels transferred over automatically or do I need to install it again?

    • can you run photoshop, illustrator etc.. on the VM no problem?

    • @Jason Lee I haven’t tried those apps to be honest, but everything else works smoothly

    • @ΝΙΚΟΣ ΜΑΡΓΑΡΙΤΗΣ did you find out if you can use the parallels for m2 that you bought when you had m1?

    • @Jason Lee yes you can use it with the M2 chip. I spoke with the support team of parallels

15. Hi! great video, im having problem in the windows setup, as it said im missing a media driver [“a media driver your computer needs is missing. This could be a DVD, USB or hard disk driver. If you have a CD, DVD or flash drive on it, please insert it now”], what can I do? thanks in advance for the help

    • Same issue here

16. Is it possible to install win 11 an external drive which attached to an m1 Mac mini?

17. I have been using parallels for doing windows programming since 2012 and I love it. I can do all of my Xcode stuff on the Mac and all my windows stuff as well. As a consultant having all my platforms on one machine is a great cost savings.

    • Let me ask. Is it possible to run older Mac System? I mean e.g. Yosemite? How fast working Windows 11? Is it possible to perform complicated numerical tasks? I mean 64 bit applications.