On a Wednesday in April 2021, Parallels released version 16.5 of its Mac virtualization software, becoming the first to run natively on Apple's new Silicon chips. The moment marks a quiet seam in the larger story of Apple's move away from Intel: the software that smooths most applications across the transition stumbles on virtual machines, and Parallels stepped into that gap. Yet the promise carries an unresolved condition, because the Windows that would run within it still depends on a company that does not license it to individuals.
Parallels Desktop 16.5 Brings Native Windows 10 ARM Virtualization to Apple Silicon Macs
Windows in an app, on a chip that Boot Camp can't follow
Mark
So what actually changed on Wednesday?
Mimi
Parallels Desktop 16.5 now runs natively on M1 Macs, so Windows 10 ARM Insider Preview can run in a virtual machine on Apple Silicon.
Mark
Why did Parallels need to build something special? I thought Rosetta handled the transition.
Mimi
Per Nick Dobrovolskiy, Rosetta worked well for most apps, but virtual machines were the exception, so engineers built native virtualization support.
Luke
The headline numbers are 30 percent faster and 2.5 times less power. Whose numbers are those?
Mimi
Parallels'. The article reports them as the company's claims, with no independent testing cited.
Luke
And "up to" 30 percent matters. That's a ceiling, not an average.
Mark
What does a buyer have to sort out on their own?
Mimi
The Windows copy. Parallels doesn't provide Windows 10 ARM Insider Preview, and Microsoft doesn't license Windows on ARM to individuals.
Luke
So how an individual gets it legitimately isn't answered in the reporting. That's a real gap.
Mark
What about Boot Camp?
Mimi
Apple Silicon ended it, and whether it returns depends on Microsoft supporting Windows on ARM. Nothing in the piece says that's planned.
O Pulso
- Parallels 16.5 arrives as the first native virtualization for Apple M1 Macs, answering a stubborn gap in Apple's chip transition.
- Users hoping to run Windows 10 ARM Insider Preview face an immediate snag: no copy is supplied, and Microsoft does not license Windows on ARM to individuals.
- The company's claims of up to 30 percent faster performance and 2.5 times less power draw remain its own measurements, awaiting independent confirmation.
- Boot Camp's fate on Apple Silicon hangs in the balance, with the outcome resting largely on whether Microsoft decides to support Windows on ARM.
On a Wednesday in April 2021, Parallels released version 16.5 of its Mac virtualization software, becoming the first to run natively on Apple's new Silicon chips. The moment marks a quiet seam in the larger story of Apple's move away from Intel: the software that smooths most applications across the transition stumbles on virtual machines, and Parallels stepped into that gap. Yet the promise carries an unresolved condition, because the Windows that would run within it still depends on a company that does not license it to individuals.
On Wednesday, Parallels released version 16.5 of Parallels Desktop for Mac, the first edition of its virtualization software built to run natively on Macs with Apple Silicon. For owners of an M1 Mac, this means they can now run Windows 10 ARM Insider Preview and its applications inside a window on the desktop.
Parallels says the arrangement is considerably more efficient than the same setup on an Intel Mac, claiming up to 30 percent better speed and 2.5 times less power use. These figures come from the company itself. Nick Dobrovolskiy, a vice president at Parallels, explained that Apple's Rosetta translation has carried most Mac applications smoothly through the transition, but virtual machines were left behind, and his team set out to fill that gap.
There is a practical hurdle, however. Parallels does not provide Windows 10 ARM Insider Preview, so users must find a copy themselves, and Microsoft does not license Windows on ARM to individuals. ARM versions of Linux remain available as an alternative.
The update applies to Standard, Pro and Business editions, all of which support both M1 and Intel Macs. The approach also differs fundamentally from Boot Camp, which let a machine dual boot, whereas Parallels runs a virtual copy alongside macOS. Boot Camp's future on Apple Silicon now depends on Microsoft's choices, and the question of how individuals can legitimately obtain Windows on ARM remains open.
On Wednesday, Parallels released version 16.5 of Parallels Desktop for Mac, the first edition of the virtualization software to run natively on Macs powered by Apple Silicon. In practical terms, owners of a Mac with an Apple M1 processor can now run Windows 10 ARM Insider Preview, along with its applications, inside a window on their desktop.
Parallels attaches numbers to the claim. By the company's own measurements, a virtual Windows 10 on an Apple Silicon Mac runs up to 30 percent faster than the same setup on an Intel-based Mac, while drawing 2.5 times less power. Those are the company's figures, not independent test results.
Nick Dobrovolskiy, a vice president at Parallels, framed the release as a response to a gap in Apple's chip transition. He said the move to M1 has gone smoothly for most Mac applications because of Apple's Rosetta translation technology, but that virtual machines are the exception. Parallels engineers therefore built native virtualization support for the M1 Mac. In his words, that lets users have the best Windows-on-Mac experience available.
The release follows a period of public testing. A Technical Preview of Parallels Desktop 16 for M1 Macs had been available, alongside the Windows 10 on ARM Insider Preview, and Dobrovolskiy said the company received enthusiastic feedback about the performance of both.
There is a catch for anyone hoping to install it right away. An Apple Silicon Mac needs an ARM-based operating system, and Parallels does not supply a copy of Windows 10 ARM Insider Preview. Finding one is the user's responsibility. Microsoft, for its part, does not license Windows on ARM to individuals. ARM-based versions of Linux exist for those who want another option.
The update covers every edition of Parallels Desktop 16.5: Standard, Pro and Business. Each supports both M1 and Intel Macs. Subscriptions are sold on the Parallels website, and a new perpetual license for the Standard Edition costs $79.99. Subscriptions also include Parallels Access and Parallels Toolbox for Mac and Windows.
The approach differs from Apple's Boot Camp. Parallels creates a virtual copy of Windows, or another operating system, that behaves somewhat like an app on the Mac. Boot Camp instead let a computer dual boot into either macOS or Windows. Apple Silicon brought the end of Boot Camp, and whether it ever supports Windows on ARM is entirely up to Microsoft.
For now, the open questions sit with Microsoft: how individuals can legitimately obtain Windows on ARM, and whether Boot Camp has any future on Apple's new chips.
Citações Notáveis
Parallels engineers implemented native virtualization support for the Mac with M1 chip, enabling the best Windows-on-Mac experience available.— Nick Dobrovolskiy, Parallels VP
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