VMWare Fusion availability for M1 Macs?

mundox Said:

"Is VMWare Fusion now available for M1 Macs?"

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Create Parallels VMs:

See the Home Page: Parallels Desktop 17 for Mac System Requirements - Parallels

Parallels works on M1 processors. So, you'd create new VMs, and then transfer forces over to them. So, if you were to purchase it, keep both off of a Mac that has less than 16GB or RAM. Elsewise, your Mac would stall from both VMWare Fusion and Parallels being run.

Installing:

1. Purchase: the software
2. Download: the installer
3. Backup: your Mac***
4. Install: the software
5. Restart: the Mac
6. Use: the Software

***Important:

Back Up your Mac First: Be certain you create a backup of your Mac prior to performing this. That way, you will have something to restore your Mac from, should anything go wrong with the update. For the Backup, use an external hard drive of at least 1.5 times the current storage for safe storage, or use iCloud.

Until there's a resolution between MS and Fusion you might try one of these free, open-source alternatives on your Mac: LibreOffice and SoftMaker FreeOffice 2018. They both can open MS Office files, edit and save them to MS Office formats or their own format.

mundox wrote:

OK. Thanks. I thought I would get a faster reply here from other users who use Fusion and have an M1 Mac. In any event, the official version of Fusion for M1 Macs is not yet available, but they have a fully working version called Tech Preview. I installed it yesterday, it supports Linux, but not yet Windows as they haven't resolved some licensing issues.

There is no production version of Windows that runs on a M1 Mac. This is a Microsoft decision.

mundox wrote:

That is correct as apparently they, VMWare and Microsoft, haven't resolved licensing issues regarding ARM computers.

Microsoft licenses Windows to end users and OEM. Microsoft has an ARM version of Windows running on their popular Surface computers. Microsoft has not released a production version of Windows ARM to the public.

mundox Said:

"Is VMWare Fusion now available for M1 Macs?: OK. I'll wait until Microsoft and VMWare sort out their licensing agreement regarding ARM. My primary need was to install Linux, I only need Windows to run the business version of tax software that I use once a year."

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Use a PC in the mean time. Don't have one? Look for one on Craigslist or at your local Goodwill store (make sure its compatible)

You can download the Tech Preview here (https://customerconnect.vmware.com/downloads/get-download?downloadGroup=FUS-PUBTP-2021H1), I haven't had much luck with it using windows or the other servers I've tried to virtualize but maybe you will. If you just need windows I highly recommend Parallels.

On an M1 Mac, only Linux virtual machines can be used in the VMWare Fusion Tech Preview. VMWare has zero support for any ARM64 version of Windows due to Microsoft licensing of ARM Windows. Parallels is allowing this as they believe that if the end user wants to violate the Windows ARM64 EULA, it's on them and not their responsibility.

Currently, there are only a limited number of exclusive OEM licenses that Microsoft has granted and and using Windows ARM64 on anything else could easily be rendered unusable anytime they feel like it. The ARM64 Developers Preview version of Windows is meant for development on and for those limited number of exclusive OEM licenses.

Bottomline, at this point in time at least, if you need to run Windows, buy an Intel Mac that you can install Windows via Bootcamp or buy a PC.

VMWare Fusion lets you run windows 11, I set mine up yesterday. This worked for me https://www.gerjon.com/vmware/vmware-fusion-on-apple-silicion-m1/. I don't know about the licence situation for everyone, it shows a watermark on the background about being a preview. You will need a windows PC to download the OS too because you need to convert the file type and the software for that is specific to windows.

Ahgti Said:

"You will need a windows PC to download the OS too because you need to convert the file type and the software for that is specific to windows."

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Not necessarily.

Upgrade Earlier MS Windows: If you had a version of MS Windows that came with a DVD installer, then you could install it as a Virtual Machine. Then, upgrade from there to Windows 11. I've done so.

I also installed a new Parallels Pro license (same $99 price as the Fusion upgrade) on my 16GB M1 Pro MacBook Pro and it came with Windows 11. Both work great and I am able to run CAD (BricsCAD BIM) without issue. After a couple days, Windows 11 complained that it wasn't activated so I clicked the MS $$ button and 2 min + $140 later the licensing issue was resolved. $240 total and I am running Windows (intel) fine on my ARM Mac.

Warren Jones Said:

"[...]After a couple days, Windows 11 complained that it wasn't activated so I clicked the MS $$ button and 2 min + $140 later the licensing issue was resolved.[...]"

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Likely, it became a corrupt Install.

So, next time this occurs, contact Microsoft, requesting a new license. They are the developer of the product. Request the 64-bit installer. Start Here:  Microsoft Contact Us Virtual Agent - Microsoft Support. Perform a chat session with Microsoft using a computer, as it would be more user-friendly doing so

I've been using VMWare's "tech preview" version for the M1's for months now and it's been rock solid. But I've only been running Linux VMs inside it. So fast! Have to use ARM distributions of course.

It's the pro version and they're not even charging people for it. Really cool of them. Will definitely be buying when they release the full-on version.

Yes there is. Microsoft released an arm64 VDH version of Windows 10 and 11 and it works on VMWare Fusion Tech Preview. You only need to do some patches to the bootloader in order to fix ethernet inside the VM but it works.

Just because Microsoft didn't released a commercial version of Windows, doesn't mean that beta or alpha versions do not work. Their only main reason is that there aren't available so many arm64 devices with proper hardware for an arm64 version to fully disclose to the public, and so they don't put such effort on releasing it, only for development purposes like Insider Previews, which you can only get this VDH.