Parallels Desktop 18 Makes it Easier to Run Windows 11 on Macs: Here Are All the New Features

Parallels Desktop has just released its version 18, and it brings a whole host of improvements for Apple Silicon Macs. Parallels Desktop 18 is a huge update that not only streamlines Windows installation on M series Macs, but also brings performance improvements, support for the latest macOS Ventura operating system, and better support for apps and games, among a multitude of other enhancements.

Everything new in Parallels Desktop 18

Parallels Desktop 18 is looking like a promising update that will please its user base. However, we have yet not run the app through its paces to substantiate the company’s claim. Below, we have mentioned all the features and improvements of Parallels Desktop 18, as claimed by the company. If you want to find out the real-world performance, please wait for our in-depth review.

Also, the features you get will depend on which version of Parallels Desktop you are getting. We have structured the article into different sections so you know what features you can expect depending on the version of Parallels Desktop 18 you are buying.

Parallels Desktop 18 Standard Edition features

Support for the latest Windows and Mac operating systems

Parallels Desktop brings support for the latest Windows 11 and macOS Ventura (when it’s released to the public) operating systems. It also supports the new macOS Ventura features such as Stage Manager. That means Windows apps will work seamlessly with Stage Manager.

Support for ProMotion display

The Windows installation via Parallels Desktop 18 will be able to take advantage of the ProMotion display and adopt display refresh rate changes automatically if you change it in macOS settings.

Optimized for the latest Apple Silicon Macs

The latest update has been tuned to work on Apple Silicon Macs, resulting in a faster Windows experience. According to their press release,

On Mac Studio with Apple M1 Ultra chip, assign more RAM and CPU cores to Windows and get up to 96% faster Windows 11 on your Mac.

Improve game controller connectivity

One of the best features coming with this update is the improvement in game controller activity. Now, any controller that you have connected to your Mac will work with the games you are running on the virtual Windows machine.

Improved compatibility of Intel applications on M series

According to the press release, Parallels Desktop 18 delivers better compatibility with Intel (x86) applications when running in Windows 11 on ARM, specifically in saving and reading files to Mac disk.

Most Intel-based apps will run on Apple Silicon Macs thanks to Windows 11’s built-in emulation.

Parallels Desktop 18 Pro Edition features

With the Pro Edition of Parallels Desktop 18, apart from the features, you get in Standard Edition, you also get several other enhancements. Here’s what you get:

• Control a macOS virtual machine by using Parallels command line interface (CLI)
• Network Conditioner
• Isolate VM for security and testing
• Remote profiling with Visual Studio
• Use netboot with Linux ARM VMs

Parallels Desktop 18 Business Edition features

Adding all the features of Standard and Pro Editions, the Business Edition brings SSO/SAML/SCIM support for licensing and deployment of Windows 11 VMs, improved guides for preparing VM for deployment, and more. It will certainly make the life of IT professionals easier.

Parallels Desktop 18: pricing and final thoughts

With the new update comes a new pricing structure. You can check out the pricing in the table attached below.

Overall, the version 18 update seems like a huge update for consumers and businesses alike. Regular users will enjoy faster performance and better app support while businesses will certainly like all the improvements coming to licensing and deployment of windows VM.