Sometimes, Mac users need to run Windows software. Maybe there’s a program you need for work that doesn’t offer a Mac version, or maybe you occasionally need to test websites in Internet Explorer. Whatever you need Windows for, Parallels is the best tool for the job.
Why Use Parallels Instead of Boot Camp or VirtualBox?
RELATED:How to Install Windows on a Mac With Boot Camp
There is indeed a helper application that you really do need to install if you’re running Parallels Desktop on your Intel Mac system, called, ingeniously enough, Parallels Tools. Sometimes, Mac users need to run Windows software. Maybe there’s a program you need for work that doesn’t offer a Mac version, or maybe you occasionally need to test websites in Internet Explorer. Whatever you need Windows for, Parallels is the best tool for the job. I was trying to install and configure a new virtual machine for Kubuntu 18.04 LTS on my Mac, using Parallels Desktop v13. The installation went on well. My new Kubuntu VM was ready for configuration.
Sure, you could set up your Mac to run Windows with Boot Camp, but that means restarting your computer every time you need to use Windows. Parallels runs Windows within macOS, using what’s called a Virtual Machine. This allows you to quickly switch between the Mac and Windows desktops. You can even combine the two desktops, if you want, and run Windows software right on your Mac desktop from your Mac’s dock.
Virtual machines are complicated, but Parallels makes it reasonably simple to set one up and use it. There are other virtual machine options available to Mac users, including the open source VirtualBox, but Parallels is different in that it’s designed exclusively with Mac users in mind. Parallels costs more (since VirtualBox is free and Parallels is not), but there are hundreds of little design touches that help make running Windows within macOS as painless as possible, and that make setting everything up quick and easy. it’s well worth the cost.
How Much Does Parallels Cost?
Browsing the Parallels website, it can be a little tricky to find out what the product actually costs. So here’s a quick breakdown:
- Purchasing the latest home version of Parallels Desktop costs $80 as of this writing. This lets you run Parallels on a single Mac.
- Upgrading from one version of Parallels to another generally costs $50, and will probably be necessary every couple of years if you keep installing the latest versions of macOS.
- A $70 annual subscription gives you access to all updates “for free,” according to the Parallels website.
RELATED:How to Make Linux and macOS Virtual Machines for Free with Parallels Lite
If you just want to try out Parallels and see if it works for you, you can: there’s a 14 day trial of the software, which you can access without providing a credit card number. There’s also Parallels Desktop Lite, which is free on the Mac App Store and lets you create both Linux and macOS virtual machines. Parallels Desktop Lite can only run Windows virtual machines if you pay for a subscription, however.
One more note: purchasing Parallels does not give you a Windows license, or a Windows product key. If you have a Windows installation CD or USB key handy with a valid license you can use that, otherwise you will need to purchase Windows 10 from Microsoft to create a Windows 10 virtual machine.
RELATED:You Don’t Need a Product Key to Install and Use Windows 10
We’ll point out that you don’t technically need a product key to install and use Windows 10—Microsoft basically gave up enforcing their license requirements with Windows 10, and you can download Windows 10 right from Microsoft at no cost (you’ll probably want it in the form of an ISO file). Legally speaking, however, you still need a product key to use Windows, even in a virtual machine.
How to Install Windows in Parallels
Got everything you need? Good. The new virtual machine wizard, which launches the first time you open Parallels, makes the process simple.
Parallels For Mac Install Tools
Assuming you already have a Windows CD or ISO, click the “Install Windows or another OS from a DVD or image file” button.
The ISO or DVD should be found automatically; otherwise, click the “Locate Manually” button. Then click “Continue.”
You’ll be asked whether you want an Express installation, which automates the installation process so that you don’t need to enter the product key or click “Next” during the installation process.
Choose this option if you want, otherwise plan on babysitting the installation a little bit.
Next you’ll be asked what you plan on using this virtual machine for: work-related software or gaming.
If you select Games only, the virtual machine will be set to use a lot more resources, so only click that if you intend to do serious gaming in the virtual machine (which is probably not a great idea). Also make sure your Mac even has enough resources to dedicate—if you spread your computer’s resources too thin, your virtual machine will be very slow. You can change these settings later, but I recommend going with “Productivity” in almost all cases.
Finally, you’ll be asked for a few details: what the machine should be named, where it should be located, and whether you want a shortcut to the machine on your desktop.
You can also configure the settings before installation—don’t worry, you can tweak any of those later if you’d rather not dive in right now. Click “Continue.”
The Windows installer will run. If you selected the Express installation, you won’t need to do anything: just watch as Windows installs. If not, you’ll have to click “Next” a bunch of times and enter your product key, as is normal for installing Windows.
The installation process can take a while, if mechanical hard drives or a DVD is involved. If everything is running off an SSD, however, you’ll be up and running in a few minutes.
Eventually you’ll see the Windows desktop! We’re almost done.
How to Seamlessly Integrate Your Virtual Machine Into macOS
That’s all well and good, and you can start using Windows now—but if you really want to get the best of what Parallels has to offer, you have a few more steps ahead of you.
At the top-right of your virtual machine you’ll see a caution sign. This is letting you know that Parallels Tools needs to be installed. Installing this lets you move your mouse between macOS and Windows in one swift motion, and also makes it possible to access your Mac files from within Windows. To get started, click that caution sign, then click “Install Parallels Tools.”
Doing this will mount a virtual CD in the Windows virtual machine. You’ll be asked what you want to do by Windows; select “Install Parallels Tools.”
The installer will take a few minutes, and eventually will require you to restart Windows. Do that and you’ll be up and running: your virtual machine will be integrated with macOS.
Once Parallels Tools is installed, Windows integrates very cleanly with macOS. There are all kinds of examples of this:
- Moving your mouse to your Windows virtual machine is seamless.
- Anything you copy to your Windows clipboard can be pasted in Mac apps, and vice-versa.
- The Documents, Downloads, and Desktop folders in Windows are symbolically linked to the same folders in macOS. Change a file in one place and it changes in the other.
- If you have Dropbox or iCloud running in macOS, those folders are available in Windows Explorer.
- If you have OneDrive set up in Windows, that is available to you in macOS.
- Individual Windows programs are shown in your Mac’s dock.
We could go on: the extent of the integrations is staggering. If any of them bother you for any reason, you can change them by shutting the virtual machine down, then clicking the Settings button for it.
Head to the “Sharing” tab to disable the folder sharing.
And head to the “Applications” tab to stop Windows applications from showing up in your Mac dock.
There are all kinds of other settings we could explore, but this article is only a starting point. Dive in and experiment.
More Than Just Windows
Parallels isn’t just for running Windows, either: you can use it to set up Linux, ChromeOS, and even macOS virtual machines.
We outlined how to create Linux and macOS Virtual machines in Parallels Desktop Lite, and the process is identical for the full version of Parallels Desktop, so check out that article if you’re interested.
RELATED:How to Free Up Disk Space in Parallels
If you intend to create a lot of virtual machines, you should also read about freeing up disk space in Parallels, because these machines will eat up a lot of hard drive space.
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Parallels Toolbox 3 has been released for macOS today. For those unfamiliar, Parallels Toolbox is a set of tools designed to simplify various tasks in macOS. Today’s update brings new features including the ability to uninstall apps and more.
For instance, Parallels Toolbox 3 includes a new Uninstall Apps feature that makes it easy to quickly remove applications from your Mac. In addition to Uninstall Apps, there’s support for quickly downloading playlists from sites like YouTube, revealing and concealing certain files, and more:
New Tools in Parallels Toolbox 3.0 for Mac include:
- Uninstall Apps: Easily remove applications and their files with a single click for faster removals.
- World Time: See local times in various locations around the world to save time when working with colleagues globally.
- Hidden Files: Reveals and conceals files normally hidden in MacOS to reduce desktop clutter and increase productivity.
New Enhanced Versions of Existing Parallels Toolbox for Mac Tools:
Parallels For Mac Activation Key
- Annotate Screenshots – Available only for macOS Mojave users, they can now use the Take Screenshot tool to add helpful markups including text, arrows, circles and more for quicker use in emails or presentations
- Support for playlist download from video hosting websites: Quickly download playlists from Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, and many more
- Safari Extension for Download Video: Users can now enjoy a download video extension on their Safari browsers for quicker access downloading online videos to their desktops (compatible with 10.14 and Safari 12)
- Dark Mode: Support for the setting in macOS Mojave
- Customizable “Save As”: Each individual tool now allows new files to be saved in customizable locations, rather than the same default destination, for streamlined efficiency
- Resize Image: .HEIF now joins JPEG, TIFF and PNG as supported formats
- Record Audio: Users can now save audio recordings in a MP3 file format, with the built-in microphone in a single click. You can also record from an external microphone or the computer if it’s selected as the input source in System Preferences › Sound.
Parallels Toolbox 3 is available to download via the Parallels website for $20 per year. Exclusive for 9to5Mac readers, we’ve got a handful of promo codes to give away. We’ve pasted them below, and be sure to redeem them via this link quickly.
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Watch demo videos of select new Parallels Toolbox 3 features below:
Parallels Toolbox 3 for Windows and Mac Both Add New Time-Saving Tools to Simplify PC and Mac User Life
New tools provide a faster way to clean up PC and Mac desktops, reclaim disk space, batch resize images, download videos, record audio, hide desktop, and much more
Bellevue, WA – November 6, 2018 – Parallels® (www.parallels.com/about), a global leader in cross- platform solutions and creator of industry-leading software for running Windows® applications on a Mac®, today launched Parallels Toolbox 3 for Windows and Mac (www.parallels.com/toolbox) with even more single-click easy-to-use tools that simplify tedious everyday computing chores down to just a click or two. In addition, now users can quickly search for tools in the Toolbox window on their PC or Mac, as well as customize which tools and folders are featured in their Parallels Toolbox.
“We’ve been getting very positive feedback from both PC and Mac users of Parallels Toolbox who consider it their “go-to” solution to quickly complete dozens of everyday computing tasks with a single click,” said Jack Zubarev, Parallels president. “Today’s customer-inspired new and enhanced tools added to Parallels Toolbox 3 make it an even more useful one-stop time-saving resource.”
New Tools in Parallels Toolbox 3.0 for Windows include:
- Find Duplicates – Search any drive or folder to quickly find identical files (even with different names) and free up disk space. Demo video: https://youtu.be/ptnGrbmPYqs.
- Resize Images – batch convert images to your desired file size and format. Simply drag the source images to the tool’s window, select the desired output format (.HEIF, JPEG, TIFF or PNG) as well as dimensions/size and output location, and then click. Demo video: https://youtu.be/61NajoBm_2c.
- Sleep Timer – Select a time period to send your PC to sleep or shut it down and click. Demo video: https://youtu.be/AvGKMEjc6wI.
New Tools in Parallels Toolbox 3.0 for Mac include:
- Uninstall Apps: Easily remove applications and their files with a single click for faster removals. Demo video: https://youtu.be/hOFoLcHQvEo.
- World Time: See local times in various locations around the world to save time when working with colleagues globally. Demo video: https://youtu.be/BjA6arTafwE.
- Hidden Files: Reveals and conceals files normally hidden in MacOS to reduce desktop clutter and increase productivity. Demo video: https://youtu.be/L_7V_dS2lmc.
New Enhanced Versions of Existing Parallels Toolbox for Mac Tools:
- Annotate Screenshots – Available only for macOS Mojave users, they can now use the Take Screenshot tool to add helpful markups including text, arrows, circles and more for quicker use in emails or presentations
- Support for playlist download from video hosting websites: Quickly download playlists from Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, and many more
- Safari Extension for Download Video: Users can now enjoy a download video extension on their Safari browsers for quicker access downloading online videos to their desktops (compatible with 10.14 and Safari 12)
- Dark Mode: Support for the setting in macOS Mojave
- Customizable “Save As”: Each individual tool now allows new files to be saved in customizable locations, rather than the same default destination, for streamlined efficiency
- Resize Image: .HEIF now joins JPEG, TIFF and PNG as supported formats
- Record Audio: Users can now save audio recordings in a MP3 file format, with the built-in microphone in a single click. You can also record from an external microphone or the computer if it’s selected as the input source in System Preferences › Sound. Demo video: (https://youtu.be/nsMWbWj_BXE).
New Enhanced Versions of Existing Parallels Toolbox for Windows Tools:
- Download Video – One of the most popular tools now supports 4K video files. Users can simply drag and drop or copy and paste a video URL to the tool to instantly start its download. Pre-select your desired resolution (max, up to 4K, 1080p, 720p or 360p) and download destination, such as desktop or folder. Add the Safari extension to make video downloading even easier. Demo video: “How to Download YouTube Video to My PC” (https://youtu.be/rU2lPV5bv8Y).
- Record Audio: Users can now save audio recordings in a MP3 file format, with the built-in microphone in a single click. You can also record from an external microphone or the computer if it’s selected as the input source in System Preferences › Sound. Demo video: (https://youtu.be/nsMWbWj_BXE).
Popular productivity tools in Parallels Toolbox for Windows and Mac also include:
Streamlined Screen Video/Audio Recording, Downloading, and Conversion
Easily change tool default preference settings to simply record video with your desired audio source, or to capture screen shots in the format you need, in just one click.
- Convert Video: Drag almost any video onto the tool, such as your favorite movie or TV show, to convert it to MP4 so it can be played on tablets and phones. Demo video: “How to Convert Video to MP4 on My Mac” (http://bit.ly/ConvertVideosPR).
- Take Photo: Instantly take photos using the Mac or PC’s camera and the image file immediately appears at your pre-selected destination such as desktop or a folder.
- Capture Screen: Click anywhere to take a screenshot of the entire screen and automatically save the image in a variety of formats (PNG, JPEG, TIFF, and GIF) to your desktop or pre- selected folder.
Enhanced Presentations and Screen Sharing
Parallels For Mac Support
- Hide Desktop – instantly hide distracting files instead of moving each one manually: One click hides files, folders and icons on your desktop for clutter-free presentations. Demo video: How to Quickly Hide Icons and Files on My Mac Desktop (http://bit.ly/HideDesktopPR).
- Do Not Disturb – don’t waste time changing settings in each running application: One click disables notifications and Dock animations that could interrupt your work or presentation.
- Do Not Sleep – prevent disruptions and inconvenient logouts: Disables all system settings that cause the computer to sleep in just one click.
- Launch – opening multiple applications and files for a project is now fast and simple: With just one click, open several items at once—such as applications, documents, folders, links or other files. Simply drag the files to the tool’s window to create a sequence of items that automatically open the next time you click the tool’s icon.
Parallels For Mac Install Tools Vmware
Improved PC and Mac Productivity
- Archive: Easily create compressed and password-protected archives of your files from various locations, to save space or share them, by dragging files and folders to this tool window – no need to move or copy files to a single folder.
- Unarchive: Quickly unpack archives of various file compression formats—such as RAR, RPM, XAR, and Z—including those not supported by the built-in system utility. Double- clicking these files opens unarchive and starts unpacking, even password-protected archives.
Parallels Toolbox Business Edition
IT admins get total control with Parallels Toolbox Business Edition, which makes it simple to deliver time-saving and help-ticket-reducing tools to employees based on their individual needs:
- Manage licenses and subscriptions
o Unified volume license key: Quickly and easily deploy to all computers across the
organization with a single license key that activates multiple copies of Parallels Toolbox. o License Management Portal: Simple, user-friendly dashboard enables IT
administrators to view license key, expiration dates and track the number of individual licenses in use and available. o Split license key into sublicenses: Protect the master license key by creating
sublicenses with a limited number of individual licenses and custom expiration dates.
- Deploy and Customize
o Mass Deployment and Administration: Parallels Toolbox Business Edition is
quickly and easily deployed on computers across an organization with standard software development tools. o Customizable Tool Library: Quickly and easily customize and control the list of
tools available to staff based on individual needs.
Availability and Pricing
Free trials of both Parallels Toolbox 3.0 for Windows and Mac, are each available today as a stand- alone products at www.parallels.com/toolbox and can be purchased for $19.99 per year. Each annual license includes free updates of new and enhanced tools as they become available several times a year.
About Parallels
Parallels For Mac Install Tools On My Computer
Parallels is a global leader in cross-platform solutions which make it possible and simple for customers to use and access the applications and files they need on any device or operating system. We help customers take advantage of the best technology out there, whether it’s Windows, Mac, iOS, AndroidTM or the cloud. Parallels solves complex engineering and user experience problems by making it simple and cost-effective for businesses and individual customers to use applications wherever they may be—local, remote, in the private datacenter or in the cloud. Visit www.parallels.com/about for more information.
Stay connected with Parallels and our online communities: Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/parallelsinc, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/parallelsmac and visit our blog at http://blog.parallels.com.
Set Up Parallels On Mac
Parallels and the Parallels logo are registered trademarks of Parallels IP Holdings GmbH in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.