Windows 11 is finally getting official support on Macs with M1 and M2 chips

Fulfill Windows 11 on Macs with M1 and M2 chips it will be much easier – and with official support – thanks to Parallels Desktop 18. Alludo, the firm behind the well-known virtualization software for macOS, has partnered with Microsoft to authorize the latest Redmond OS to run on computers running Apple Silicon.

Starting today, Microsoft is including Parallels Desktop 18 as a “authorized solution” to run Windows 11 in virtual environments on Macs with M1 and M2. In particular, those from Redmond now officially support the use of ARM versions of Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Enterprise on Apple computers.

The best thing about this alliance is that getting a license for Windows 11 to use in Apple Silicon will no longer be a nightmare. With Parallels Desktop 18, users will be able to download, install and configure the operating system with one click. This represents a monumental evolution from how the process had to be approached before.

Windows 11 is finally getting official support from Apple Silicon

The first records of Windows 11 running on M1 Macs appeared in July 2021, shortly after the OS was announced. By that time, you could see how users could perform Insider Preview Microsoft software on Parallels Desktop 16.5 without any major issues.

At that time, the main drawback was not the experimental nature of such support, but how to license Windows 11 for ARM. In the meantime, Redmonds they were supplied only to OEMs; that is, computer manufacturers that entered the market with Windows pre-installed.

Parallels Desktop 18 avoids that headache with a new partnership with Microsoft. Although there are still some questions about licenses, since details remain scarce. “Licensing a copy of Windows 11 running on a Mac is very easy. The same volume licensing system that applies to volume licenses, such as Key Management Services (KMS), can be used to provide Pro or Enterprise licenses for a virtualized operating system.

A few limitations to be aware of

Parallels Desktop 18 is recognized as a licensed solution to run Windows 11 on Macs with M1 and M2, which is great news. However, the official compatibility of the Microsoft operating system with the virtualization environment has several important limitations.

In particular, those features that not supported on Windows 11 via Alludo software:

• Launch Android apps through Amazon Appstore;
• Windows Subsystem for Linux;
• Windows Sandbox isolation environment;
• DirectX 12.

Add to that, Windows 11 for ARM itself is severely limited compared to its x64 counterpart. This means that, for example, you won’t be able to run games or other applications that depend on OpenGL 3.3 or higher. Something that of course also carries over to your virtualization with Parallels Desktop 18.

But that’s not all, because the situation drivers. This is because Windows 11, will only recognize hardware that was specifically designed for ARM-based computers.

It’s becoming clear that running Windows 11 on Apple Silicon is far from a complete experience. However, the new alliance between Microsoft and Alludo is presented as a step in the right direction and a very useful option for those who are still lament the lack of Boot Camp on the most modern computers on the block.