The first commercial virtualization software for Macs with Apple Silicon has been released: Parallels offers interested users a technical preview of Parallels Desktop 16 for the test and thus enables the use of virtual machines on the new ARM Macs. This also makes it possible to run Windows 10 in a virtual machine – but only in the ARM version that Microsoft has Insider program for download.

Several restrictions, some of them permanent Parallels new virtualization engine has several limitations, as the manufacturer announced to beta testers. Some are to be eliminated in the course of further development, but others are due to “fundamental technical restrictions with regard to the Intel x 86 platform”. These should include the fact that Parallels on Macs with Apple Silicon is unable to run x 86 – based operating systems in a virtual machine – for virtualization is a for the ARM architecture designed operating system as image (VHDX or ISO) required. ARM 32 apps don’t work either, Parallels notes.

At the moment it is also not possible to pause and resume virtual machines later; users have to shut them down each time. This should be one of the restrictions that will be resolved later. Interested users can refer to the “Parallels Desktop 16 for M1 Mac Technical Preview” on the manufacturer’s website.

Windows 10 for ARM as virtual machine As testers report, Windows for ARM can already be used as a virtual machine, Parallels also supports DirectX 11. Thanks to x 64 emulation, the ARM version of Windows now allows the use of programs that were developed for PCs with Intel processors – that’s how things run also the development environment Visual Studio.

According to Apple, it is also conceivable that Windows will come natively on ARM Macs: The hardware is capable of this, an Apple manager recently explained and at the same time referred to the software Group – appropriate support for Macs with “Apple Silicon” is “really in Microsoft’s hands”. With Boot Camp, Apple has long been offering its own drivers to run Windows on Intel Macs.

(lbe)