Parallels Desktop for Mac
Run Windows apps without rebooting.
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Parallels Desktop overview
Parallels Desktop allows you to run Windows and Mac applications side by side. Choose your view to make Windows invisible while still using its applications, or keep the familiar Windows background and controls on your Mac.
Works with Boot Camp®
- Reuse your existing Boot Camp installation. Converting a virtual machine from Boot Camp is now much easier and more intuitive than ever.
Not just for Windows
- Run a wide array of operating systems including OS X, Windows 10, 8.1 & 7, Linux, and Google ChromeTM. You can run just about anything on your Mac!
One-click tuning
- Select productivity, games, design, or development, and Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac will optimize your virtual machine settings and performance for you.
Robust Performance
- Parallels Desktop Pro Edition gives your virtual machines more processing power. Up to 64 GB vRAM and 16 vCPUs per virtual machine lets you run even the most demanding applications with ease.
Business Class Software
- Keep IT in control of end user licenses and Windows virtual machines with a Unified Volume License Key, centralized license management, and advanced security features available in Parallels Desktop Business Edition.
Compare Parallels Desktop Pro and Business Edition you can here.
What’s new in version 20.4.0
- Improves the network implementation for macOS virtual machines running on Apple silicon Macs, resolving multiple issues with VPN clients.
- Fixes the implementation of “host-only” network configuration on macOS virtual machines. In this mode, the macOS virtual machine can only connect to the host Mac and its other virtual machines but is invisible from the outside.
- Fixes the issue that affected various Parallels Tools for Mac functionality (including drag-and-drop, copy-and-paste, network sharing, and more) on macOS virtual machines on Intel Macs running macOS Sequoia 15.4 and newer.
- Fixes the virtual network adapter configuration issue, which affected network connectivity and virtual machine cloning in macOS virtual machines on Intel Macs.
- Fixes the issue that affected the speed of switching between snapshots of macOS virtual machines.
Full list of changes available here
Parallels Desktop for Mac
$99.99
In English
Version 20.4.0
What users say about Parallels Desktop
Value: 1.0
Since version 16 and MacOS Big Sur, Parallels Desktop no longer works properly. To be precise, network and Internet connections are no longer possible.
Customer support: 1.0
The worst point of all. Paralles' customer service doesn't seem to care about customer complaints. The Internet and the official support forums are full of the aforementioned errors and complaints, but the customer service offers no solutions to the problem. Even worse, they don't respond at all in the meantime.
Other user ratings:
Ease of use | 5.0
Features | 4.0
Reliability | 1.0
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(752 Reviews of Parallels Desktop)
Comments
User Ratings
Jun 30 2025
Version: 20.4.0
I've been a Parallels user since version 3, and VMWare Fusion user just as long. Fusion is dead, Broadcom killed that product. Very happy w Parallel running Apple Silicon. Three different versions of LInux (Fedora, Ubuntu and Debian), plus MacOS guests, and when I have too, Windows 11, all of them ARM versions. Latest Parallels 20.4 will even install Windows x64 in emulation mode on Apple Silicon macs. Sure, it's slower, but possible if you have the need and with Tahoe being the last macOS to support the few remaining Intel macs. Periodially several times a year, Parallels will have a sale on one year license. Also, if you buy a drive or enclosure from OWC, there is usually an addon offer to buy Parallels for $19.95, downloadable registration key. Just wait to register the key with Parallels till you're ready. Even at the 'regular' price, Parallels is worth it, but at $19.95, can not beat the value. I have a Tahoe beta 2 guest running on Sequoia host, you just need to have xcode 26 beta installed, OR actually it's just one small piece of Xcode needed, "Device Support for macOS 26 beta 2" in the downloads section of Apple Developer forum. https://developer.apple.com/services-account/download?path=/Developer_Tools/Device_Support_for_macOS_15_beta/08259686A_MobileDevice_DeviceSupport_LuckMobileDeviceSeed1950A4.dmg
Jun 27 2025
Version: 20.4.0
Note that what is downloaded from the dev site is a generic installer. It does not contain any current version of Parallels. The current version is downloaded by the installer when it is run.
Jun 26 2025
Version: 20.3.0
v20.4.0 is out. Release notes are here: https://kb.parallels.com/en/130212
Apr 8 2025
Version: 20.2.2
The MU download link returns you to exactly here. Use this link for the trial version installer: https://www.parallels.com/directdownload/pd/
Feb 28 2025
Version: 20.2.2
The folks at Parallels should be ashamed of how long it took them to release this security update! It was discovered and reported to them months ago and the failed to patch this (zero-day) critical security flaw in a timely manner. It wasn't until the flaw discoverer publicly published (with proof of concept) the flaw last week, did they do something about it months later. They left their customers exposed ..........!! Keep this in mind if you're considering this product.
