Can I Run Windows 10 Parallels For Mac

If you want to run Windows 10 on a Mac there are really only two options worth considering: a native install using Boot Camp or virtualization through Parallels. With Fusion, you can run Windows from a Boot Camp partition, install from a Windows disc, migrate from an existing PC or even install macOS as a virtual machine from the recovery partition. Fusion provides a simple yet customizable way to install multiple operating systems on your Mac.

You've got questions, and because I've been running Windows 10 on my Macs since the earliest builds were made available, I've got answers for you.

Does Windows 10 run on a Mac?

Yes. I've installed the release build on a number of systems and on the whole it's been a smooth and buttery experience.

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What Macs will support Windows 10?

It's hard to pull up a definitive list, but I'd say based on my experience that any Mac sold in the last five years should be fine. See below for how to run the compatibility checker if you're in any doubt (note that your Mac will need to already be running Windows 7/8.1 to do this).

Does Windows 10 run in Boot Camp?

Windows 10 is not officially supported by Boot Camp, but everything seems to work just fine. In fact, it's probably one of the best systems that I've run Windows 10 on, and I'm not alone in thinking that.

Fire up the Boot Camp Assistant to get things going.

Any Boot Camp tips?

By default Boot Camp suggests you give Windows 16GB of disk space, but I recommend upping that to 25GB to give your installation room to breathe.

Does Windows 10 run in Parallels Desktop?

Yes, but you need to have Parallels Desktop 10. Other than that's it's been a flawless experience for me.

Does Windows 10 run in VirtualBox?

Yes. And it's pretty easy to set up.

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Does it run in VMware Fusion?

Yes, but you need to be running VMware Fusion 7.

Any virtual machines tips?

Give Windows 10 at least 2GB of RAM, but if you're a high-roller and have a Mac with 8GB or 16GB of RAM then I suggest giving Windows 10 at least 4GB. That's basically the only thing that I've noticed make any difference with how smooth the OS runs.

I've got Windows 7/8/8.1 running in Boot Camp/Parallels Desktop/VirtualBox/VMware Fusion. Am I entitled to the upgrade to Windows 10?

Yes. In fact, if you're fully patched, you should have already seen the 'Get Windows 10' icon in your system tray.

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Help! I'm not seeing the 'Get Windows 10' icon in my system tray. What do I do?

Check to see if you have updates that need downloading and installing. That usually fixes things.

All the updates are installed but still no 'Get Windows 10' icon. What else can I try?

Try this. (This is not Mac-specific and will work for anyone who's having this problem.)

I filled in the 'Get Windows 10' thing but haven't yet got Windows 10. Anything I can do to jump the queue?

I've tested this process and it seems to work. (This is not Mac-specific and will work for anyone who's having this problem.)

Can I check for compatibility issues before upgrading a virtual machine or Boot Camp?

Yes. Details here. (This is not Mac-specific and will work for anyone who's having this problem.)

Where can I download the Windows 10 .ISO files?

From here. Bear in mind however that new installations will require a product key. (This is not Mac-specific and will work for anyone who's having this problem.)

Do I need to back up my data before upgrading?

Only if you care about your data. I've done a lot of installs and reinstalls and not lost any data, but I also make sure I have a backup just in case things go wrong.

Any tips to make Windows 10 even better on a Mac?

Yes. Install Trackpad++. This is a third-party Windows driver for Apple's Multitouch and new Force Touch trackpads found on MacBooks. Not only does it support 2, 3, and 4 finger OS X gestures, but it also supports Windows 8/10 gestures, and has the ability to detect and ignore accidental touches of the trackpad.

See also:

Virtual Machines

We recommend using a virtual machine program, ideally Parallels or VMWare Fusion, to run Windows applications on a Mac without rebooting. For maximum performance, which is particularly necessary for gaming, we recommend dual-booting Windows with Boot Camp instead.

A virtual machine is one of the best ways to run Windows desktop software. They allow you to install Windows and other operating systems in a window on your Mac desktop. Windows will think it’s running on a real computer, but it’s actually running inside a piece of software on your Mac.

You don’t have to use your Windows program in the virtual machine window, either—many virtual machine programs allow you to break Windows programs out of your virtual machine window so they can appear on your Mac desktop. However, they’re still running inside the virtual machine in the background.

You’ll need a Windows license to install Windows in a virtual machine. If you already have a product key, you can download Windows installation media for free and install it in a virtual machine program.

RELATED:How to Seamlessly Run Windows Programs on Your Mac with Parallels

Popular virtual machine programs for Mac include Parallels and VMware Fusion. Each of these is a paid program, so you’ll have to buy both a Windows license and a copy of your virtual machine program of choice. You can also use the completely free and open-source VirtualBox for Mac, but its 3D graphics support and Mac operating system integration aren’t as good. Parallels and VMWare Fusion both offer free trials, so you can try all these programs and decide which is best for you.

Note:We don’t often recommend paid software, but in the case of Parallels Desktop, it’s something we use at How-To Geek every single day for testing software and running Windows. The integration with macOS is amazingly well done, and the speed blows away VirtualBox. In the long run, the price is well worth it.

There’s one big downside to virtual machines: 3D graphics performance isn’t amazing, so this isn’t the best way to run Windows games on your Mac. Yes, it can work—especially with older games—but you won’t get the best performance, even in an ideal situation. Many games, especially newer ones, will be unplayable. That’s where the next option comes into play.

Boot Camp

RELATED:How to Install Windows on a Mac With Boot Camp

Apple’s Boot Camp allows you to install Windows alongside macOS on your Mac. Only one operating system can be running at a time, so you’ll have to restart your Mac to switch between macOS and Windows. If you’ve ever dual-booted Linux on your Windows PC, it’s just like that.

Installing Windows as a real operating system on your Mac is the best idea if you want to play Windows games or use demanding applications that need all the performance they can get. When you install Windows on your Mac, you’ll be able to use Windows and Windows applications with the maximum possible performance. Your Mac will perform as well as a Windows PC with the same specifications.

The downside here is that you can’t run macOS applications and Windows applications side-by-side at the same time. If you just want to run a Windows desktop application alongside your Mac applications, a virtual machine will probably be ideal. On the other hand, if you want to play the latest Windows games on your Mac, Boot Camp will be ideal.

As with virtual machines, you’ll need a Windows license to install Windows on your Mac.

Wine

RELATED:How to Run Windows Programs on a Mac With Wine

Wine originated on Linux. It’s a compatibility layer that allows Windows applications to run on other operating systems. Essentially, Wine is an attempt to rewrite the Windows code that applications depend on so they can run on other operating systems. This means that Wine is nowhere near perfect. It won’t run every Windows application, and will have bugs with many of them. The Wine AppDB can give you some idea of which applications are supported, although it focuses on Linux support.

Nevertheless, Wine is one way to try running Windows applications on a Mac. Because it doesn’t require you actually use Windows, you don’t need a Windows license to use Wine. It’s completely free. Just download Wine or WineBottler for macOS and see how well it works for your application.

Macbook Parallels Windows 10

CrossOver Mac

CodeWeavers’ CrossOver Mac is a paid application that will run Windows programs on Mac. It uses the open-source Wine code to accomplish this, but CrossOver provides a nice graphical interface and focuses on officially supporting popular programs. If an officially supported program doesn’t work, you can contact CodeWeavers and expect them to make it work for you. CodeWeavers contributes their improvements back to the open-source Wine project, so paying for CrossOver Mac also helps the Wine project itself.

CrossOver offers a free trial it you want to try it out first. You can also view a list of which programs run well on CrossOver before buying. While CrossOver focuses on compatibility, it’s still based on Wine, and won’t work with everything.

Most people will probably be happiest going for a virtual machine program and a Windows license. With CrossOver, you don’t need to run a Windows virtual machine—but, if you do run a Windows virtual machine, you’ll be able to run almost any Windows program with less risk of bugs. CrossOver does theoretically allow you to run Windows PC games on a Mac with better performance than you’d get in a virtual machine, but you’ll risk running into bugs and unsupported programs. Boot Camp may still be a better solution for that.

Remote Desktop

RELATED:How to Access Windows Remote Desktop Over the Internet

If you already have a Windows system, you could skip running Windows software on your Mac completely and use remote desktop software to access the Windows machine from your Mac’s desktop. Organizations with business software that runs on Windows can host Windows servers and make their applications available to Macs, Chromebooks, Linux PCs, iPads, Android tablet, and other devices. If you’re just a home user who also has a Windows PC, you could configure that Windows PC for remote access and connect to it whenever you need a Windows application. Bear in mind that this isn’t ideal for visually intensive applications like PC games.

If you’re a Chrome user, you can even use Chrome Remote Desktop to connect to a Windows PC running Chrome from your Mac running Chrome.

All these tricks obviously require more work than simply installing a Windows program on a Windows PC. If you have a Mac, you should focus on using Mac software when possible. Windows programs won’t be as integrated or work as well.

You may have to buy a Windows license for your Mac to get the best compatibility, whether you’re using a virtual machine or installing Windows in Boot Camp. Wine and CrossOver are nice ideas, but they aren’t perfect.

Image Credit: Roman Soto on Flickr

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