It’s the only official way to run Windows on a Mac
Key Takeaways
- Parallels Desktop for Mac 19 is being released, offering various improvements.
- Touch ID can now be used to sign in to Windows 11 VMs, and there are performance improvements with OpenGL 4.1.
- The software enables printing with better functionality, supports local trackpad gestures, and allows for resolution adjustment on Mac VMs when resizing the window. It also adds support for new Linux distributions and has Rosetta support for Arm-based Ubuntu VMs.
Alludo is releasing Parallels Desktop for Mac 19 today, adding more improvements to an already well-respected product. Indeed, right out of the gate, Parallels is the only recognized way to run Windows 11 on Arm on a laptop without a Qualcomm processor. It’s a virtualization solution, of course, as Apple doesn’t offer Boot Camp anymore.
Firstly, you’ll finally be able to use Touch ID to sign in to your Windows 11 VMs. It’s not full Windows Hello support, so it won’t be available system-wide, but you’ll be able to use it for certain things. Alludo is also promising some big performance improvements, thanks to OpenGL 4.1, which allows for things like ArcGIS CityEngine 2023, Vectorworks Vision 2023, VariCAD, Deswik.CAD, and more.
Printing probably isn’t something that you think about a lot, but macOS Sonoma was about to give you a problem you didn’t even know you had. It’s going to disable PostScript, which means that Parallels 19 has to enable Internet Printing Protocol. Not only will printing continue to work, but it’ll work better, letting you see what options your printer actually has.
Parallels Desktop 19 doesn’t just come with improvements for Windows users though. There are more ways to install a macOS Sonoma VM too, with the software being able to detect local images. It supports local trackpad gestures too. And here’s a new one: the resolution on your Mac VMs can finally adjust if you resize the window.
For those using Linux VMs, Parallels Desktop 19 adds support for the newest Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, and CentOS distributions, but moreover, it comes with Rosetta support. You’ll actually be able to run Arm-based Ubuntu VMs that will be able to run x86_64 emulation through Apple’s translation layer.
“For over 17 years, Parallels Desktop for Mac has been an essential tool for millions of users worldwide, enabling them to run Windows applications and carry out testing and development with Windows, Linux, and macOS virtual machines,” said Aleksandr Sursiakov, Sr. Director of Product Management for Parallels Desktop at Alludo. “With the latest release, our talented engineering team has once again delivered impressive improvements for all user groups, based on their valuable feedback. Our aim is to ensure that users experience peace of mind when using our software, knowing that it incorporates the latest technologies and reflects the highest industry standards—demonstrating our genuine care for Parallels users.”
As for pricing, Parallels Desktop comes in at $99.99 per year, or $129.99 for a perpetual license. You can upgrade from a previous perpetual license for $69.99, or upgrade from a previous version to Parallels Desktop Pro for $69.99 per year.
Parallels Desktop
Parallels Desktop is the software to use if you want to run virtual machines on your Mac. That means you can run Windows, Linux, and other macOS instances in one place.