Microsoft is officially supporting Windows 11 on Apple Silicon Mac computers, via the Parallels virtualisation software.
In a support document today spied by The Verge, Microsoft says Parallels Desktop is now an “authorised solution” that will enable Mac users with M1 and M2 computers to run the Arm versions of Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Enterprise.
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Parallels enables users to make a switch from macOS to the virtual environment, effectively turning a Mac into a PC for the purposes of running Windows. Effectively, Windows 11 runs in a remote window on the Mac desktop without having to reboot the machine. That means you can run the two operating systems together and transfer content between the two.
While it has been allowed before, this is the first time Microsoft is actively supporting Parallels efforts to give Mac M1 and M2 users more options with their hardware. Microsoft’s authorisation means Windows 11 can be downloaded in a single click from Parallels.
Considering Apple hasn’t made Boot Camp available on Apple Silicon machines, Parallels is the best solution users are likely to get, albeit with some performance trade offs.
Some advertised features for Parallels Desktop include enabling users to play Windows games, share Mac folders with Windows, and the ability to drag and drop content between macOS and Windows
“At Alludo, we believe that all employees should have the freedom and flexibility to choose where, when, and how they do their best work. Therefore, the vision for our Parallels portfolio has been to allow users to access their applications on any device, anywhere,” said Prashant Ketkar, Chief Technology and Product Officer at Alludo, the company behind Parallels in a press release.
“In line with our vision, we are excited to see that, in collaboration with Microsoft, Arm versions of Windows can run in a virtualized environment on Parallels Desktop on the latest Mac systems running Apple’s powerful M-series chips.”
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