Run Windows on a Mac using Parallels Desktop 15

Compared to before, we now have many options to run Windows programs on macOS like Boot Cam, but this program is overkill when only needing to run a few applications.

Parallels Desktop not only allows you to run Windows programs in one environment, but also combine them with your Mac as if they belonged there.

So who needs Parallels 15?

Parallels is for anyone who needs to run Windows applications on a Mac, from beginners to power users. For beginners, the software will guide you on how to install Windows on Mac. Parallels even automatically installs Windows for you, so you don't have to deal with download issues yourself.

Advanced users will appreciate the level of customization this software offers. You can customize the exact amount of system resources for Windows on Mac. This helps you keep a check on battery usage and powering hardware-intensive apps.

Parallels Desktop's main competitor is VMWare Fusion. Although this software offers many powerful functions, Parallels is more flexible in a number of ways.

Parallels Desktop feature

Parallels for Mac focuses heavily on making Windows apps blend seamlessly with the underlying macOS system. This means you can use copy and paste between macOS and Windows as well as drag and drop support. If you use an app like 1Password on Mac and need to paste a password in Windows, you can easily do so.

Coherence mode

Parallels Desktop can do much more with Coherence mode. In this mode, you will not get a completely standard virtual desktop. Instead, Windows runs it in the background while only the application running through Parallels is displayed. This is useful if only running some major applications that work on Windows.

If you need to keep an app open, you can leave it in the Dock like other macOS apps. When launching Windows applications, Parallels quietly runs the virtual machine in the background.

Full screen mode

On the other hand, if you want the full Windows computing experience, Parallels will satisfy your wishes. The software offers a basic, full-screen mode that allows you to run Windows on Mac just like installing Windows through Boot Camp.

Supports external hard drives

Parallels supports attaching external hard drives. This is useful because macOS does not support writing to NTFS drives by default, and even the existing options can be problematic to use. Running the full version of Windows 10 allows you to access files on these drives without worry.

All you need to do to access these drives is boot Windows 10 through Parallels, then open File Explorer. From here you can work with files as usual. You can also move macOS files to and from the drive, using Parallels as a middleman.

What's new in Parallels 15?

Parallels 15 is optimized for macOS 10.15 Catalina. You do not need to install Catalina to use Parallels, Parallels Desktop can be run on older versions of macOS like 10.12 Sierra.

Parallels Desktop 15 adds support for DirectX 11, as well as DirectX 9 and 10, through Apple Metal. This means you can run software like Autodesk 3ds Max 2020 or games like Fallout 4, while taking advantage of your Mac's hardware. To do this, you'll need to be running macOS 10.14 Mojave or later.

Those aren't all the macOS exclusive features. Parallels Desktop 15 allows users to use their iPad as a second display with the Sidecar feature. It even supports using Apple Pencil on iPad to utilize Windows pen and touch functionality.

Finally, Parallels Desktop 15 has improved performance in various areas. The Parallels website claims Microsoft Office apps can start up to 80% faster. That's not all, 3D graphics also receive improvements and can run 15% faster than previous versions of Parallels Desktop software.

Parallels Desktop vs. Parallels Desktop Pro

Parallels Desktop has two different prices, first the standard Parallels Desktop costs 79.99 USD, the second option is Parallels Desktop Pro Edition which is more expensive with 20 USBs for 99.99 USD. The price difference is not much, but do you really need Pro Edition?

The answer is probably no, unless you are a developer. The majority of the additional features in the Pro version are aimed at developers creating Windows applications on Macs. It includes the Visual Studio plugin as well as easy installation of the Windows 10 development environment.

Other features include the Parallels Vagrant plugin and the ability to manage Docker virtual machines. If you're just a normal Mac user, you can just use the standard Parallels Desktop.

Not all features in Pro Edition are aimed at developers. Pro Edition adds Force Touch trackpad support to virtual Windows environments, which may be handy for some people. It also enables Cortana support. These features aren't needed by everyone, but they aren't just for developers either.

The software has a 14-day trial so you can try the app before you buy.