Now there is an official way to run Windows 11 on Macs with ARM silicon. The latest version of Parallels Desktop, certified by Microsoft, can do just that. This solution was developed by the Parallels team and Alludo.
“Why would you want to do that?” you might ask, and if so, you’re lucky that you don’t need software that only works on Windows. Some professional applications don’t have a macOS version, but are essential for certain jobs.
Previous versions only supported Windows 10, but Parallels was previously able to run Windows. The latest version supports Windows 11, opening up new possibilities.
Parallels Desktop version 18 supports Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise on all current Apple M-powered Macs. Of course, you’ll need a valid Windows license, but this can be handled enterprise-wide using Key Management Services.
An interesting caveat here. Windows Subsystem for Android, aka Android emulation of Windows 11, works. This means you can download Android apps from the Amazon App Store and run them on your Mac.
The Windows Subsystem for Linux works just as well, so you can test versions of your apps for all major OSes under the sun, turning your Mac into a true cross-platform development machine.
For those that are not supported, DirectX 12 is included in that list. Also, you can’t run 32-bit ARM apps for Windows (although Microsoft wants to deprecate these apps). Here’s a detailed explanation of what works and what doesn’t.
Running the new Parallels Desktop requires 600 MB to install apps. You’ll also need Windows 11 installed (and licensed) and, of course, the apps to run. Parallels virtual machines should have near-native performance.
Source 1 | Source 2 | Via
