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Maybe theres a program you need for work that doesnt offer a Mac version, or maybe you occasionally need to test websites in Internet Explorer.

Whatever you need Windows for, Parallels is the best tool for the job.

Parallels runs Windows within macOS, using whats called a Virtual Machine.

This allows you to quickly switch between the Mac and Windows desktops.

You can even combine the two desktops, if you want, and run Windows software right on your Mac desktop from your Macs dock.

There are other virtual machine options available to Mac users, including the open source VirtualBox, but Parallels is different in that its designed exclusively with Mac users in mind.

Parallels Best Buy Free And Parallels

Parallels costs more (since VirtualBox is free and Parallels is not), but there are hundreds of little design touches that help make running Windows within macOS as painless as possible, and that make setting everything up quick and easy.

Theres also Parallels Desktop Lite, which is free on the Mac App Store and lets you create both Linux and macOS virtual machines.

Parallels Desktop Lite can only run Windows virtual machines if you pay for a subscription, however.

Parallels Best Buy Windows 10 From Microsoft

If you have a Windows installation CD or USB key handy with a valid license you can use that, otherwise you will need to purchase Windows 10 from Microsoft to create a Windows 10 virtual machine.

Legally speaking, however, you still need a product key to use Windows, even in a virtual machine.

Also make sure your Mac even has enough resources to dedicateif you spread your computers resources too thin, your virtual machine will be very slow.

You can change these settings later, but I recommend going with Productivity in almost all cases.

If you selected the Express installation, you wont need to do anything: just watch as Windows installs.

If not, youll have to click Next a bunch of times and enter your product key, as is normal for installing Windows.

If everything is running off an SSD, however, youll be up and running in a few minutes.

To get started, click that caution sign, then click Install Parallels Tools.

Youll be asked what you want to do by Windows; select Install Parallels Tools.

Do that and youll be up and running: your virtual machine will be integrated with macOS.

If any of them bother you for any reason, you can change them by shutting the virtual machine down, then clicking the Settings button for it.

He also runs the Hillsboro Signal, a volunteer-driven local news outlet he founded.

Parallels For Mac Best Buy