January 19, 2024 – Microsoft has officially announced today that users can now run Windows 11 on the latest Apple Mac devices equipped with M3 chips through virtual machine software Parallels Desktop versions 18 and 19.
According to Microsoft, Parallels Desktop 18 and 19 can now create virtual machines to run Windows 11 for Arm on Mac computers powered by Apple’s newest M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips.
It is understood that Parallels is the first virtual machine software officially authorized by Microsoft to run Windows systems on Apple Mac devices, allowing simultaneous simulation of multiple operating systems and software such as Windows, Linux, and Android on Mac.
Moreover, the latest version of Parallels Desktop 19 (PD19) also provides seamless support for the newest macOS Sonoma, Ventura, as well as Windows 11/Win10, CentOS, Ubuntu, and more.
PD19 also supports OpenGL 4.1 and DirectX 11, significantly enhancing speed and 3D gaming graphics performance. However, due to certain limitations of Windows 11 for Arm, it may not be able to run hardware, games, and applications that rely on DirectX 12.
Additionally, on Mac devices with M1, M2, and M3 series chips, users cannot install and use 32-bit Arm applications from the App Store. This announcement marks a significant milestone in the compatibility of Windows and Mac systems, providing users with more flexibility and options when it comes to running multiple operating systems on their devices.
