Parallels 16 for M1 Macs Gets Technical Preview 2 Update With New Features - MacRumors
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Parallels 16 for M1 Macs Gets Technical Preview 2 Update With New Features

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Back in December, Parallels released a Parallels Desktop 16 for M1 Macs Technical Preview Program, which is designed to allow Parallels to run Windows on ‌M1‌ Macs.

mac mini macbook pro macbook air m1
Parallels today released a second Technical Preview, introducing new features and various improvements to the software for a better usage experience. The update adds support for suspending and resuming a virtual machine, improves stability, and more, with the full feature list below.

New features
- Added support for suspending and resuming a virtual machine.
- Support for installing Parallels Tools in the following Linux distributives: Ubuntu 20.04 or later, Debian 10.7 or later, and Fedora Workstation 33-1.2 or later.
- Compatible Linux installation images are now automatically detected in the Installation Assistant.

Improvements
- Improved overall stability.
- Resolved the issue with ARM-based Linux ISO images being recognized as Intel-based ones.
- Resolved the issue with missing sound when a virtual machine is created from a VHDX image.
- Resolved the issue with not being able to select an ISO image as an installation source when VHDX is specified in the drop-down menu.

Known issues
- During the Parallels Tools update, the virtual machine's screen may freeze for several minutes, please simply wait.

The Parallels software can run Windows using Microsoft's Arm-based version that's available through the Windows Insider program, but there's no publicly available version of Arm Windows that can be purchased.

There are also several limitations to the software. It is not possible to install or start an Intel x86 based operating system in a virtual machine, and ARM32 applications do not work.

Current release versions of Parallels are not able to run on ‌M1‌ Macs, so ‌M1‌ Mac owners who want to use the software will need to participate in the Technical Preview program.

Tag: Parallels

Top Rated Comments

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Maconplasma
67 months ago

Parallels (Apple Silicone) = VirtualPC

What was old is new again?
Silicon and Silicone are two entirely different things. 😁
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
mdw1
67 months ago

worthless. APPLE gated community only on APPLE silicon

Thats why I'm sticking with Intel.

So your Video encodes 2 minutes faster on ARM.

BIG DEAL. Backwards compatibility and choices RULE.
Every damn laptop I have had before this M1 has been so hot while holding it on my stomach but this one doesn't get hot at all, NEVER go back to Intel.....
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiVolt Avatar
HiVolt
67 months ago
I'm curious if Parallels could somehow negotiate with Microsoft themselves to be an OEM, and sell Windows ARM themselves and install automatically thru the interface, without having to get it externally.

Otherwise I think if that doesn't happen (or MS doesnt allow purchase of ARM separately), Parallels as a company is probably dead in a few years, once the old Intel Macs begin to be outdated.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
mikeyy00
67 months ago
People like to **** on the M1.. but I'm frankly impressed that a Beta version of Parallels running an insider preview of Windows can play x86 games faster than my 2017 Macbook Pro running Windows via Bootcamp.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
L
LavenderCaptain
67 months ago
Ahhhh, Connectix Virtual PC... The good old days, where my expensive PowerMac was soundly whooped by any budget PC...

... I think I still have the manuals and CDs somewhere, I should sell them on eBay :)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Yebubbleman Avatar
Yebubbleman
67 months ago
I wonder if Parallels has made any changes specific to Windows 10 for ARM64. My guess is not, seeing as it's not an officially supported guest OS for Apple Silicon just yet.



Parallels (Apple Silicon) = VirtualPC

What was old is new again?
No. VirtualPC, as far as the Mac is concerned, ran virtual machines that EMULATED x86 on PowerPC. In that case, there was an actual architecture emulation happening.

The Apple Silicon version of Parallels, like the Intel version of Parallels, isn't emulating. It's using the same architecture as the host OS.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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