How reliable is Parallels for daily work on a M1 Mac? Considering getting rid of my Windows laptop for work

[Random.User]

Hi there,

I currently have a Macbook Pro 13 (2018) for my private use, and a Windows laptop that I use for work, because my employer requires me to have a computer with:

1 - Windows Professional or Enterprise (support of Bitlocker and joining Workplace MDM)
2- Support for TPM 1.2+

For now I've been using a Lenovo laptop that I had around home. It is quite decent and a pleasure to use, but I hate having two laptops, traveling with two laptops, keeping two laptop batteries charged, etc.

Now, I'm planning to switch my current Macbook (which is not very fast when virtualizing Windows), for a M1X pro as soon as they come out (rumored for some time in October, we will see if that's true).

I was thinking that, since Windows 11 can emulate x86 and x64 apps quite decently, there will be an ARM Pro version of it, and TPM is spoofed by Parallels, everything is lining up for me to work on Windows 11 under Parallels, and finally get rid of my second laptop.

My question is, how realistic is this plan? How risky is it? Can it happen that Microsoft launches an update that breaks my virtual machine? Has it ever happened that something released by Microsoft completely broke Parallels temporarily? I cannot afford not working on a random and unexpected day from time to time.

Regarding the software I would use, I work mostly in the cloud, I don't use very specialized software. So basically Chrome/Edge/Firefox, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Microsoft Office, Notepad++, and not much more. Nothing crazy. There's only one app developed by my company that I guess I would need to test for compatibility myself.

Please let me know what you think or if you've had a similar experience.

Thanks and regards

 

[bobcomer]

Hi there,

I currently have a Macbook Pro 13 (2018) for my private use, and a Windows laptop that I use for work, because my employer requires me to have a computer with:

1 - Windows Professional or Enterprise (support of Bitlocker and joining Workplace MDM)
2- Support for TPM 1.2+

For now I've been using a Lenovo laptop that I had around home. It is quite decent and a pleasure to use, but I hate having two laptops, traveling with two laptops, keeping two laptop batteries charged, etc.

Now, I'm planning to switch my current Macbook (which is not very fast when virtualizing Windows), for a M1X pro as soon as they come out (rumored for some time in October, we will see if that's true).

I was thinking that, since Windows 11 can emulate x86 and x64 apps quite decently, there will be an ARM Pro version of it, and TPM is spoofed by Parallels, everything is lining up for me to work on Windows 11 under Parallels, and finally get rid of my second laptop.

My question is, how realistic is this plan? How risky is it? Can it happen that Microsoft launches an update that breaks my virtual machine? Has it ever happened that something released by Microsoft completely broke Parallels temporarily? I cannot afford not working on a random and unexpected day from time to time.

Regarding the software I would use, I work mostly in the cloud, I don't use very specialized software. So basically Chrome/Edge/Firefox, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Microsoft Office, Notepad++, and not much more. Nothing crazy. There's only one app developed by my company that I guess I would need to test for compatibility myself.

Please let me know what you think or if you've had a similar experience.

Thanks and regards

It's fairly compatible, though there may be some things that don't work. Your workload sounds okay, except maybe that corporate app, and yes, you'll have to test it, and it depends on if you have more oddball configurations in house whether you'd get any support from IT.

There's a risk with licensing it. Basically you can't right now. All that is available is an insiders preview, and that means lots of updates and possibly buggy updates.

There also could be a problem if where you work gets a software audit, because technically you'd be violating the Windows on Arm EULA. (It's only licensed to OEMs to be included with hardware, there is no user based license available.) I'm an IT Manager and I wouldn't dare run it for production work. Only testing, and very little of that.

I Hope Microsoft eventually sells individual licenses for WoA, but I'm not holding my breath.

First task before any decision is made is to talk to your IT Manager. He knows your environment and he'd be the one who dealt with any kind of audit. He also could possibly set up a PC for you to remote in to for your work rather than relying on Windows on Arm. (That's what I'd do.)

 

[michalm]

To be frank, I think your assumptions are correct and it should all work. i'd definitely get one and test your hypothesis...

I can see two potential challenges:
- Your employer is using MDM, he may very well need ARM config in the MDM itself, as it is not all compatible across the board and your computer may be flagged in the MDM console because of compliance
- Microsoft will probably cut the support for Windows in parallels, that will cut updates and again will get you flagged in MDM for compliance

My suggestion (doing this personally) is to leverage what you can on your mac (Office & stuff) and RDP & cloud VM with Windows as that thing with the non-mac apps. Again, this only works if the majority of your time would be spent on the mac itself, as desktop remoting is annoying in general.

 

[Random.User]

Thanks for your replies! I understand now that the main issue with my plan is to get a legal copy of W11 ARM. I knew MS doesn't sell W10 ARM licenses, but I was convinced that was going to change with W11. I thought I had read it somewhere, but I think I either dreamed it or misinterpreted some tech page article, because there's no indication they will. I need to drop my plan entirely, I won't work on an unlicensed machine, for the reasons you two mentioned.

 

[Wolff Weber]

Hi there,

I currently have a Macbook Pro 13 (2018) for my private use, and a Windows laptop that I use for work, because my employer requires me to have a computer with:

1 - Windows Professional or Enterprise (support of Bitlocker and joining Workplace MDM)
2- Support for TPM 1.2+

For now I've been using a Lenovo laptop that I had around home. It is quite decent and a pleasure to use, but I hate having two laptops, traveling with two laptops, keeping two laptop batteries charged, etc.

Now, I'm planning to switch my current Macbook (which is not very fast when virtualizing Windows), for a M1X pro as soon as they come out (rumored for some time in October, we will see if that's true).

I was thinking that, since Windows 11 can emulate x86 and x64 apps quite decently, there will be an ARM Pro version of it, and TPM is spoofed by Parallels, everything is lining up for me to work on Windows 11 under Parallels, and finally get rid of my second laptop.

My question is, how realistic is this plan? How risky is it? Can it happen that Microsoft launches an update that breaks my virtual machine? Has it ever happened that something released by Microsoft completely broke Parallels temporarily? I cannot afford not working on a random and unexpected day from time to time.

Regarding the software I would use, I work mostly in the cloud, I don't use very specialized software. So basically Chrome/Edge/Firefox, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Microsoft Office, Notepad++, and not much more. Nothing crazy. There's only one app developed by my company that I guess I would need to test for compatibility myself.

Please let me know what you think or if you've had a similar experience.

Thanks and regards

It seems that most of Your software is available as native MacOS, so the question is whether You even need Parallels for Your workflow. I had dropped Windows some 7 years ago and have had no need for Windows-derived software except from MS Office, of which I use Mac version.
The real challenge is to integrate Your Mac with Your environment at work - You should ask Your IT manager, since technically it should be possible, but legally… not necessarily, depending on Your corporate rules. Although this applies to Parallels as well.

 

[haralds]

It's odd. I have activated mine with my Windows developer key. I am running with TP enabled. The Preview settings were reset to normal during a recent Windows 11 update. After that, it acted like a completely normal activated Windows.
I have since gone back on the beta channel, but right now it is not complaining or warning about anything.
This might change in the future.
I also should note it is working great for me.

 

[5425642]

don’t know what you do but for me it works flawless with windows 11 arm.
I’m using visual studio and some other software that only exist on windows.

 

[satcomer]

Yea the apps you need to be used on Arm Windows is limited! So check out the arm apps for Windows Arm!

 

[zehcnassurfero]

To be frank, I think your assumptions are correct and it should all work. i'd definitely get one and test your hypothesis...

I can see two potential challenges:
- Your employer is using MDM, he may very well need ARM config in the MDM itself, as it is not all compatible across the board and your computer may be flagged in the MDM console because of compliance
- Microsoft will probably cut the support for Windows in parallels, that will cut updates and again will get you flagged in MDM for compliance

My suggestion (doing this personally) is to leverage what you can on your mac (Office & stuff) and RDP & cloud VM with Windows as that thing with the non-mac apps. Again, this only works if the majority of your time would be spent on the mac itself, as desktop remoting is annoying in general.

Why did you say that Microsoft it’s going to cut the support for windows in parallels? What does it mean?

 

[michalm]

As of now, Microsoft's licensing does not allow you to run Windows on an M1 Mac. The fact it works, you can activate it and Parallels are actively developing it sadly does not change the fact.

What I'm simply afraid of is that MS will start enforcing this...

 

[Erasmus]

As of now, Microsoft's licensing does not allow you to run Windows on an M1 Mac. The fact it works, you can activate it and Parallels are actively developing it sadly does not change the fact.

What I'm simply afraid of is that MS will start enforcing this...

I highly doubt Microsoft would. It's in their best interest for as many people/computers as possible to be using Windows.

I don't believe that Microsoft would restrict their OS from running on Macs on purpose in order to sell more of their own laptops. For the same reason they wouldn't restrict x86.

Instead, I would expect Microsoft to keep doing what they are doing at worst; allow it to happen, but refuse to take any responsibility for it either. At best, they might get around to licensing it once Windows 11 is actually released. I wouldn't be surprised if they even helped Apple a bit to create BootCamp V2. Still in their best interests IMO.

 

[Fishrrman]

I wouldn't toss that windows laptop until I was satisfied that the Mac was going to be a "suitable substitute" -- give it 3 months or so, at least.

 

[KPOM]

Thanks for your replies! I understand now that the main issue with my plan is to get a legal copy of W11 ARM. I knew MS doesn't sell W10 ARM licenses, but I was convinced that was going to change with W11. I thought I had read it somewhere, but I think I either dreamed it or misinterpreted some tech page article, because there's no indication they will. I need to drop my plan entirely, I won't work on an unlicensed machine, for the reasons you two mentioned.

I think it is unlikely that Microsoft will sell Windows 11 ARM licenses.

 

[Lee_Bo]

Can it happen that Microsoft launches an update that breaks my virtual machine? Has it ever happened that something released by Microsoft completely broke Parallels temporarily? I cannot afford not working on a random and unexpected day from time to time.

I currently use a 2019 MBP that I had Parallels installed on with Win10. It was either a M$ or Parallels update that I was always dealing with. Plus programming a video controller was hit or miss with using a usb or network to usb-c adapter. So I went back to carrying two laptops. Hate the weight but workflow is so much better.

 

[ADGrant]

Thanks for your replies! I understand now that the main issue with my plan is to get a legal copy of W11 ARM. I knew MS doesn't sell W10 ARM licenses, but I was convinced that was going to change with W11. I thought I had read it somewhere, but I think I either dreamed it or misinterpreted some tech page article, because there's no indication they will. I need to drop my plan entirely, I won't work on an unlicensed machine, for the reasons you two mentioned.

You won't be able to get a legal copy of W11 ARM but you have another issue, the TPM requirement. Macs don't have a TPM. Then there is the internally developed app. If it doesn't work on Windows 11 ARM, you won't get any support from your employer.

 

[haralds]

You won't be able to get a legal copy of W11 ARM but you have another issue, the TPM requirement. Macs don't have a TPM. Then there is the internally developed app. If it doesn't work on Windows 11 ARM, you won't get any support from your employer.

Parallels ha a TPM module acceptable to Windows 11.

 

[MacGizmo]

As has always been the case, the cost of the software alone makes it cheaper to just buy the cheapest Windows laptop you can find and just use the two separate machines. After the cost, when you factor in the glacial speed, the lack of support and the headache involved, it almost makes no sense to go the "cost saving route" - because it really isn't one.

 

[TSE]

Even on Intel Macs in 2017 when I made the switch to PC, Parallels wasn't all that reliable for work. It was reliable enough for home use, but not commercial use.

If you really depend on your Mac to make money and need PC functionality, I would get a used PC for a couple hundred more dollars than a Parallels license costs and just use that for the few times you need to use Windows.

 

[LinkRS]

Howdy ,

You ask a multi-part question. The first question on how reliable is Parallels? Well, is fine and perfectly acceptable to use daily. I have no experience with the M1 variant, but have been using Parallels Desktop for Mac since version 3. If the OS you have chosen for your VM is a stable OS, you should be fine there as well, with the only potential SNAFU is performance. Most applications these days don't require tons of performance, and Office/Productivity-type apps should do just fine (Microsoft Office apps). As long as your host system has sufficient RAM and CPU cores to power it, you shouldn't have any issues using a Parallels VM for work. With that said, you have several other questions that have more impact than you may realize. If your employer allows you to "bring-your-own-device," then in theory they should be setup to provide support for that. It sounds like they do, but that they want to manage it (MDM), and that may not work in a VM. You should contact your local help desk and ask if they support the usage of a VM on their networks. If they do, it will probably have a different set of requirements than what you listed for a physical device. The last part of your question is in regards to Windows itself. Microsoft has said in public, that running Windows ARM edition on an M1 Mac is not a supported scenario. They did not say it will never be, and they didn't actually state that is currently unsupported, just that is not supported. You can interpret that as you will, but it means that your Windows VM will be running at risk most of the time. You could be one patch or reboot away from Windows not loading, or it may work for years with no issues. Your best bet is to talk to your IT department, and see if they have any options for Mac users. Most Office apps have native Apple versions, and web-counterparts. The only sticking point would be your custom application. However, there is a decent chance that Crossover-Mac can run it. It runs most productivity apps just fine, things like encryption and undocumented API calls could make it not work. Your IT department may surprise you. Good luck!

Rich S.

 

[ADGrant]

Even on Intel Macs in 2017 when I made the switch to PC, Parallels wasn't all that reliable for work. It was reliable enough for home use, but not commercial use.

If you really depend on your Mac to make money and need PC functionality, I would get a used PC for a couple hundred more dollars than a Parallels license costs and just use that for the few times you need to use Windows.

The OP already owns a Windows laptop.

 

[TSE]

The OP already owns a Windows laptop.

My honest apologies for reading just the title, although it may come in handy for others that aren't OP.

If that's the case, I would just go Mac and not look back. The M1 is incredible.