Can M1 macs run Windows apps with Parallels?

Almost all software or applications I need are not compatible with Mac. The M1 Macbook has no ability to run Windows apps. Is it ever going to be possible to run windows on M1 macs?


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Posted on May 17, 2021 9:01 AM

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15 replies

May 17, 2021 10:22 AM in response to KiltedTim

There is an ARM based version of Windows that is in beta. The current version of Parallels is Apple Silicon native. So at this point it is possible to run "Windows" on a M1 mac. I wouldn't recommend that at the moment. We don't know how long Microsoft will keep updating the beta and even if they will release it commercially. One of the reasons I purchased a 2020 iMac intel was because it was probably going to be the last 27" iMac released with the intel chip and I need to be able to run Windows software.


I hope this helps.


Paul

May 17, 2021 9:33 AM in response to Lisinfilm

As fellow users, we have no insight into Microsoft, Apple, or Virtual Machine vendor product planning. Ever could be a long while…


For those Windows applications that you are dependent on, do those product vendors make a Mac version of the product that would relieve its need for Windows? Is there a different product available for Mac that provides the same or superset features and liberates you from Windows dependency?

May 17, 2021 9:51 AM in response to Lisinfilm

Lisinfilm wrote:

Almost all software or applications I need are not compatible with Mac. The M1 Macbook has no ability to run Windows apps. Is it ever going to be possible to run windows on M1 macs?

Maybe... eventually.


Until then, either an M1 based Mac is not the right choice for you, or you'll want to invest in a Windows based PC for the mission critical applications you have that won't run on a Mac.


There may be alternatives to the applications you're using. If you could enlighten us, we might be able to point some out.

May 17, 2021 12:03 PM in response to Lisinfilm

There is no guarantee that Microsoft is going to make a version of Windows that will run on the M1 available to the public at all. And even if they do, the applications you are running now will NOT run on that version of Windows. They are written for an intel processor. They will not magically be compatible with Windows running on a completely different platform.

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Can M1 macs run Windows apps with Parallels?

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