Photo credit: arstechnica.com
New Parallels Update Enables x86 OS on Apple Silicon Macs
Mac users have long relied on virtualization software like Parallels and VMware Fusion to run Windows and Linux alongside macOS. However, the experience on Apple Silicon Macs has been constrained, as these devices primarily support Arm-based versions of those operating systems. While both Windows and Linux offer functionalities for x86-to-Arm application translation that attempt to ensure software compatibility, many applications still operate best on traditional Intel or AMD processors with the x86 instruction set.
Parallels recently addressed this limitation with an announcement regarding a significant update. The release of Parallels Desktop Pro 20.2.0 introduces an “early technology preview” of a proprietary emulation engine that allows users to run x86 operating systems.
The technology preview currently supports specific 64-bit versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11, as well as Windows Server editions 2019 and 2022. In addition, several UEFI-compatible Linux distributions have undergone testing, including Ubuntu 22.04.5, Kubuntu 24.04.1, Lubuntu 24.04.1, and Debian versions 12.4 through 12.8. While Fedora can be installed, users may encounter stability issues. It’s important to note that 32-bit operating systems and older Windows versions, such as Windows 7 and 8, are not supported under this new framework.
Users looking to run existing virtual machines for Windows 11 and supported Linux distributions can access them through this technology preview, although the creation of new virtual machines remains unavailable for those operating systems. This feature is particularly beneficial for users transitioning from Intel-based Macs who want to retain their virtual environments. For creating new virtual machines, the only officially endorsed options remain Windows Server 2022 and Windows 10 21H2, although workarounds exist for Windows 10 22H2 and Windows Server 2019.
It’s worth noting that launching new instances of Windows 11 or various Linux distributions is not possible, as the technology preview does not include support for SSE4.2, a set of CPU instructions that became standard in Intel and AMD hardware in the early 2010s. Consequently, the latest Windows 11 24H2 versions cannot be utilized within these virtual machines, as this update necessitates those CPU capabilities to function properly.
Source
arstechnica.com