Originally published at https://kuponaut.com/blog/how-to-run-windows-apps-on-an-apple-silicon-mac/ — current prices and plan details are kept up to date there.
Parallels Desktop runs a Windows virtual machine alongside macOS, so a Mac user can work with a Windows application without making a separate Windows computer the default workspace. This guide focuses on an Apple silicon Mac and a specific application you need for work or study, rather than promising that every Windows program will run. The installation steps follow Parallels' official documentation.
Step 1: identify the application and the right Windows version
Start with the application you actually need, not the discount. Write down its name, version, licence details and any connected equipment. Parallels' Apple silicon installation guide specifies an Arm version of Windows; it is not a route for installing an arbitrary Intel Windows image. Check the application's own requirements before committing to a subscription, especially if it depends on specialist drivers or peripherals.
Define a small acceptance check using a copy of a real document. For example, opening a spreadsheet is not enough if your work also requires an add-in, a printer or an export function. List those actions beforehand. Keep an untouched copy of the original file outside the experiment, and avoid moving your entire working environment until the essential task is complete.
Step 2: install Windows through the documented assistant
Install Parallels Desktop from its official site. For a first virtual machine, the documented assistant presents Install Windows. If you already have a virtual machine, use the Parallels menu-bar icon, open Control Center, choose +, then Get Windows 11 from Microsoft. Continue leads to Install Windows. Follow the download and installation prompts rather than selecting an unrelated image found elsewhere.
Allow the installation to finish before adjusting advanced settings. Keep the Mac connected to reliable power and a stable network, and read the agreements displayed during setup. Record which Microsoft account you use so that ownership and recovery are clear later. These preparation suggestions are not a claim about installation duration, required bandwidth or the amount of storage your particular workload will need.
Step 3: activate Windows and install the actual application
Parallels' activation article treats Windows activation as a separate step after installation. A Parallels subscription is not a Windows product key. Resolve the Windows licence through Microsoft's activation process and use the application's official installer inside the Windows environment. Do not assume an existing application licence automatically covers an additional installation; check its terms before activating another copy.
Keep the first run simple. Open the application in the normal Windows desktop and complete the essential operation you listed earlier. Confirm that the correct account is signed in and that output files can be found afterwards. If an installer reports an unsupported system or a missing driver, stop and ask the software vendor about Arm compatibility rather than repeatedly changing settings or buying another edition on speculation.
Step 4: complete a real task and decide how to work daily
Use a duplicate document to check the entire path: open it, make a harmless change, save a new copy and open that copy again. Then inspect the result from the place where you normally work. Its purpose is to expose practical problems before you rely on the setup for a deadline.
Parallels describes Coherence as a way to integrate Windows applications with the Mac desktop on its comparison overview page. Treat that presentation option as a convenience after compatibility is settled. Decide where finished files will live, how you will name them and which environment will keep the authoritative copy. A visually integrated desktop should not leave you unsure which application or operating system created a file.
Tips and common mistakes
Separate three questions when troubleshooting: did Windows install, did the application install, and did the required task succeed? A successful Windows installation answers only the first. Save the exact error message and the operation that caused it. That is more useful to support than a general description that the virtual machine feels wrong.
Avoid making several changes at once. If you change application version, sharing settings and virtual-machine configuration together, you lose the ability to identify what helped. Keep backups independent of the virtual machine and do not treat a temporary evaluation environment as the only home for important documents. If an employer controls the device or software licence, confirm its rules before using work files in a new environment.
Compatibility and edition limits that matter
The scope here is Windows on Apple silicon, not a universal compatibility guarantee for games, anti-cheat systems, specialist hardware or legacy drivers. Parallels' comparison pages are vendor explanations, not independent performance evidence. Benchmark percentages and claims that a product is always faster are deliberately excluded. The relevant question is whether the application and its required accessories work for your job.
Use the recorded trial to assess the edition you intend to keep. Do not infer that every capability available in a Pro trial belongs to Standard. Likewise, a one-time licence and an annually renewed subscription are different purchases. Read their upgrade and renewal conditions on the final order, and keep the invoice with the product and edition clearly identified.
Prices and plan allowances (read 14 October 2026)
Pricing record updated 15 October 2026, with prices read on Parallels' buy page on 14 October 2026 (prices shown in EUR for our region; your currency may differ). New 1-year subscription: Standard €99.99, Pro €119.99, Business €149.99 a year — on 14 October 2026 Parallels' own page showed them at €54.99, €65.99 and €97.49 (45%/45%/35% off). Standard is also sold as a one-time licence at €189.99. Students and educators: Standard €49.99, Pro €59.99 for the first year (50% off). Pro Edition upgrade for existing users: €44.99 a year. 14-day free trial of Pro and a 30-day money-back guarantee on direct purchases.
Regional currency, taxes and promotion eligibility must be checked on the order.
Parallels or VMware Fusion?
VMware Fusion is another virtualisation option identified on Parallels' own comparison page. Parallels' comparison pages promote its Windows integration on the Mac, such as Coherence view mode; those are the seller's positioning claims, not a neutral verdict.
A fair decision can be narrow: if this is for a required work application, compatibility, file handling and support matter more than a general benchmark. If you only need a service with an adequate browser version, try that workflow before adding a second operating system. There is no benefit in maintaining a virtual machine for a task already covered by your existing tools.
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