Parallels Desktop - 15.0 User's Guide
Parallels Desktop® 15 for
Mac
User's Guide
Parallels International GmbH
Vordergasse 59
8200 Schaffhausen
Switzerland
Tel: + 41 52 672 20 30
www.parallels.com
Copyright © 1999-2019 Parallels International GmbH. All rights reserved.
This product is protected by United States and international copyright laws. The product’s underlying technology,
patents, and trademarks are listed at http://www.parallels.com/about/legal/.
Microsoft, Windows, Windows Server, Windows Vista are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Apple, Mac, the Mac logo, OS X, macOS, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the US
and other countries.
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Contents
Welcome to Parallels Desktop .................................................................................. 9
What You Can Do ........................................................................................................... 9
Set Up Your Mac to Use Windows Applications ............................................................. 10
Other Operating Systems .............................................................................................. 10
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop ...................................................................... 11
What You Need............................................................................................................. 11
Install Parallels Desktop ................................................................................................. 12
Activate and Register Parallels Desktop ......................................................................... 12
Purchase Parallels Desktop ........................................................................................... 14
Upgrade Parallels Desktop ............................................................................................ 14
Install Software Updates ........................................................................................................ 15
Set the Language .......................................................................................................... 16
Install or Import Windows ....................................................................................... 18
Install Windows ............................................................................................................. 18
Import Your Data from a PC .......................................................................................... 19
Overview of Methods for Importing ........................................................................................ 20
Requirements for Importing Your Data .................................................................................. 20
Step 1: Install Parallels Transporter Agent on Your Windows PC ........................................... 20
Step 2: Import Your Data....................................................................................................... 21
Solving Problems................................................................................................................... 26
Use Boot Camp with Parallels Desktop .......................................................................... 28
Import from an Earlier Parallels Desktop or Other Virtualization Application ...................... 30
Download and Install Windows From Microsoft .............................................................. 30
Use Windows on Your Mac ..................................................................................... 31
Get Started ................................................................................................................... 31
Start Windows ....................................................................................................................... 31
Open a Windows Application ................................................................................................ 32
Install Windows Applications ................................................................................................. 35
Shut Down or Suspend Windows .......................................................................................... 35
Contents
Set How Windows Works with macOS .......................................................................... 39
Merge Windows and macOS ................................................................................................. 40
Set Windows to Appear in a Single Window .......................................................................... 42
Set Windows to Take Up the Whole Screen .......................................................................... 43
Set an Application to Open When You Insert a CD or DVD.................................................... 47
Share Items Between macOS and Windows ......................................................................... 47
Apply macOS Parental Controls to Windows ......................................................................... 63
Mouse, Trackpad, and Keyboard ................................................................................... 63
Set Your Mouse or Trackpad to Right-Click and Middle-Click ............................................... 64
Use Keyboard Shortcuts ....................................................................................................... 65
Customize Keyboard Shortcuts ............................................................................................. 66
Create New Keyboard Shortcuts ........................................................................................... 69
See and Change Windows Input Language In macOS .......................................................... 70
Mouse & Keyboard Settings .................................................................................................. 71
Connect External Devices .............................................................................................. 73
Adjust Devices Settings ......................................................................................................... 75
Connect Bluetooth Devices ........................................................................................... 77
Print from Windows ....................................................................................................... 78
Share a Printer Connected to Your Mac ................................................................................ 78
Set Up a Printer Using Bonjour .............................................................................................. 80
Set Up a Network Printer ....................................................................................................... 82
Set Up a USB Printer ............................................................................................................. 85
Create a PDF File .................................................................................................................. 85
Use the Built-in iSight Camera or Another Webcam........................................................ 86
Show a Presentation on an External Monitor or Projector ............................................... 86
Protect Your Data ......................................................................................................... 88
Isolate Windows from Mac .................................................................................................... 88
Work in Windows Without Saving Changes ........................................................................... 88
Set Password Requirements ................................................................................................. 89
Encrypt Windows to Protect It from Unauthorized Use .......................................................... 89
Connect to the Internet or a Network ............................................................................. 90
Share Network Access Between macOS and Windows ........................................................ 90
Apply Separate Network Settings to Windows ...................................................................... 91
Use Host-Only Network Settings ........................................................................................... 93
Use Wi-Fi with Windows ........................................................................................................ 93
Connect Windows to a VLAN ................................................................................................ 94
Optimize Performance ................................................................................................... 94
Set How Much Memory is Allocated to Windows .................................................................. 94
Optimization Settings............................................................................................................. 95
Speed Up Games and Graphics Applications ........................................................................ 96
Pause Windows When No Applications Are Open ................................................................. 97
Optimize Virtual Machine for Games, Graphics, Productivity, or Development ....................... 97
Work with Windows in Travel Mode ....................................................................................... 98
Schedule Windows Maintenance ........................................................................................... 99
Use Windows on Your iPad, iPhone, or Android Device ................................................ 100
Save Time With Parallels Toolbox ................................................................................ 101
Save a Picture of the Screen ....................................................................................... 101
Set the Appearance of Virtual Machine Dock Icons ...................................................... 102
Allow Windows Updates While Your Mac is Sleeping ................................................... 102
Contents
Translate Words in Windows ....................................................................................... 103
Use the Touch Bar with Windows ................................................................................ 103
Advanced Topics ................................................................................................... 105
Work with Virtual Machines .......................................................................................... 105
Supported Guest Operating Systems .................................................................................. 105
About Virtual Machines ........................................................................................................ 108
Arrange Virtual Machines ..................................................................................................... 109
Make Virtual Machines Distinctive ........................................................................................ 109
Change the Virtual Machine Icon ......................................................................................... 110
Change the Virtual Machine Name ...................................................................................... 110
Clone a Virtual Machine ....................................................................................................... 110
Back Up a Virtual Machine .................................................................................................. 111
Browse Virtual Hard Disks in macOS ................................................................................... 113
Create and Use Virtual Machine Templates ......................................................................... 114
Save Snapshots of a Virtual Machine ................................................................................... 115
Change Virtual Machine Configuration at Runtime ............................................................... 118
Use Mouse Wheel Horizontal Scrolling ................................................................................ 120
Remove a Virtual Machine ................................................................................................... 120
Download Pre-configured Virtual Appliances ....................................................................... 121
Set the Guest OS Type and Version .................................................................................... 122
Contents
Set How Many Processors are Allocated to a Virtual Machine ............................................. 122
Check Your Virtual Machine CPU and Memory Usage ........................................................ 122
Get Acronis True Image ....................................................................................................... 123
Use AppleScript with the Guest OS ..................................................................................... 124
Quickly Free Up Disk Space ................................................................................................ 124
Archive and Unarchive Virtual Machines .............................................................................. 124
Use Other Operating Systems on Your Mac ................................................................. 125
Use Linux in Coherence Mode............................................................................................. 125
Customize the Keyboard for the Guest OS .......................................................................... 125
Use macOS as a Guest OS ................................................................................................. 127
Install or Update Parallels Tools ................................................................................... 129
Parallels Tools Overview ...................................................................................................... 129
Parallels Tools for Windows ................................................................................................. 131
Parallels Tools for Linux ....................................................................................................... 132
Parallels Tools for Mac ........................................................................................................ 136
For Software Developers ............................................................................................. 137
Optimize Remote Debugging ............................................................................................... 137
Generate a Core Dump ....................................................................................................... 138
Start a Debugging Session .................................................................................................. 139
Integration With Chef/Ohai................................................................................................... 139
Integration With Docker ....................................................................................................... 140
Use Virtual Machine Names as DNS Names ........................................................................ 140
Resolve Guest OS DNS Requests Using etc/hosts.............................................................. 140
Quickly Change the Screen Resolution ................................................................................ 141
Other Actions ...................................................................................................................... 141
Contents
Set File Type Associations ........................................................................................... 141
Picture in Picture Mode ............................................................................................... 142
Hide and Show Parallels Desktop ................................................................................ 144
Remove Parallels Desktop ........................................................................................... 145
Advanced Preferences ................................................................................................ 146
Shared Networking Settings ........................................................................................ 147
Host-Only Networking Settings .................................................................................... 150
Create a Custom Host-Only Network ........................................................................... 152
Parallels Desktop Preferences and Virtual Machine Settings ............................. 153
Parallels Desktop Preferences ..................................................................................... 154
General Preferences ............................................................................................................ 154
Shortcuts Preferences ......................................................................................................... 156
Devices Preferences ............................................................................................................ 164
Security Preferences ........................................................................................................... 166
Network Preferences ........................................................................................................... 167
Advanced Preferences ........................................................................................................ 172
Parallels Toolbox ................................................................................................................. 173
Parallels Access .................................................................................................................. 174
Virtual Machine Settings .............................................................................................. 175
General Settings .................................................................................................................. 175
Options ............................................................................................................................... 177
Hardware Settings ............................................................................................................... 198
Security Settings ................................................................................................................. 224
Backup Settings .................................................................................................................. 226
Adding and Removing Devices .................................................................................... 228
Support for Virtual and Real Disks ....................................................................................... 230
Initialize a Newly Added Disk ............................................................................................... 231
Connect Physical Disk to Virtual Machine as Internal ........................................................... 233
Contents
Tips and Troubleshooting ..................................................................................... 236
Install Parallels Tools for Seamless Operation Between Windows and macOS .............. 236
Find Settings ............................................................................................................... 237
Restore Virtual Machine Default Settings ...................................................................... 237
Memory Usage Problems ............................................................................................ 238
Windows Seems Slow ................................................................................................. 238
Pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del .................................................................................................. 239
My Password Isn't Working ......................................................................................... 239
Boot Windows Securely .............................................................................................. 240
My Virtual Machine Doesn't Boot ................................................................................. 240
I'm Having Problems Connecting to the Internet ........................................................... 240
I'm Having Problems with Antivirus Software ................................................................ 241
The F8 Key Isn't Working Correctly .............................................................................. 241
A Password is Required to Open the Virtual Machine Configuration .............................. 241
Windows or Windows Applications Ask for Reactivation ............................................... 241
Manage Virtual Machines via Command Line Interface ................................................. 243
Change Password in Windows via Command Line Interface ......................................... 243
Checking the Build Number ......................................................................................... 243
Send Technical Data to Parallels .................................................................................. 244
More Resources .................................................................................................... 245
Visit the Parallels Desktop Twitter and Facebook Pages ............................................... 245
Glossary ................................................................................................................. 246
Index ...................................................................................................................... 250
C HAPTER 1
Welcome to Parallels Desktop
You no longer have to choose between the Mac and the PC. Parallels Desktop lets you use
Windows side-by-side with macOS on your Mac.
Use this guide to quickly set up and start using Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac.
In This Chapter
What You Can Do .................................................................................................. 9
Set Up Your Mac to Use Windows Applications ...................................................... 10
Other Operating Systems ....................................................................................... 10
What You Can Do
With Parallels Desktop, you can:
Welcome to Parallels Desktop
• Open Windows applications side-by-side with your macOS applications, without having to
restart
• Copy and paste text and drag and drop files between Mac and Windows applications
• Run Windows games and other 3D applications
• Transfer all your data from a PC and use it on your Mac
• Easily share files, devices, and other resources between Windows and the Mac
• Install different operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, macOS, free virtual appliances and
use them together
• And much more
Set Up Your Mac to Use Windows Applications
After just a few steps, you can begin using Windows applications on your Mac. Setting up your
Mac to run Windows applications involves the following steps:
Step 1: Install Parallels Desktop on your Mac (p. 11).
Step 2: Install Windows in a virtual machine (p. 18).
Step 3: Install your Windows applications in Windows (p. 35).
You only need to follow these steps once. Then you can open and use your Windows applications
on your Mac anytime you like, just as you do with your Mac applications.
Other Operating Systems
Important: This guide is focused on using Parallels Desktop with Windows.
Using Parallels Desktop for Mac you can run several other kinds of operating systems (p. 105) on
your Mac, such as several flavors of Linux and Unix, macOS Server, Windows 10 and earlier
versions of Windows, and more.
Finding Information On Running Other Operating Systems
You can find much more information and details on using Parallels Desktop to run other operating
systems on your Mac by checking the resources listed in More Resources (p. 245).
Additionally, though not explicitly stated, many of the instructions presented in this guide also apply
to supported operating systems other than Windows. And some important instructions relating to
other operating systems are in the Advanced Topics (p. 105) section.
10
C HAPTER 2
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
Follow the instructions in this chapter to install or upgrade Parallels Desktop.
Note: You can either purchase a boxed version of Parallels Desktop or purchase and download it from
the Parallels website.
In This Chapter
What You Need ...................................................................................................... 11
Install Parallels Desktop .......................................................................................... 12
Activate and Register Parallels Desktop ................................................................... 12
Purchase Parallels Desktop ..................................................................................... 14
Upgrade Parallels Desktop ...................................................................................... 14
Set the Language ................................................................................................... 16
What You Need
To install and set up Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac, you need:
• A Mac computer with:
• Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Core i9, Intel Core M or Xeon processor.
• At least 4GB of RAM (8GB recommended).
• At least 500 MB of space available on the boot volume (the volume that has macOS) for
Parallels Desktop installation.
• Enough free disk space for each virtual machine and its applications (for example, at least
16 GB for each installation of Windows 10).
• macOS 10.15 Catalina, macOS 10.14 Mojave, macOS 10.13 High Sierra, macOS 10.12.6
Sierra.
To identify your computer's processor, memory, and macOS version, choose Apple menu
> About This Mac.
• Internet connection required for product activation, select features, and online updates.
• One of the following:
• Windows installation media.
Note: If you don't have Windows, Parallels Desktop can help you download and install Windows 10.
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
• An Internet connection to download and install freely available operating systems such as
Ubuntu, Fedora or other Linux systems supported by Parallels Desktop.
• A macOS recovery partition that can be used to create a virtual machine with the guest
version of macOS.
• A Windows computer to transfer to a virtual machine and use it on your Mac alongside
macOS.
• The Boot Camp partition with Windows to create a Boot Camp-based virtual machine.
For a list of operating systems that Parallels Desktop supports for use with your Mac, see
Supported Guest Operating Systems (p. 105) or go to
https://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/resources/#requirements.
Install Parallels Desktop
You can be up and running with Parallels Desktop in a few easy steps:
1 Make sure you have the latest version of macOS.
2 Do one of the following:
• If you downloaded Parallels Desktop from the Parallels website, double-click the disk image
file, most likely in your Downloads folder.
• If you purchased a boxed copy of Parallels Desktop with a USB thumb drive, connect the
drive to your Mac, open it and double-click the disk image file.
• If you purchased a boxed copy with a link to the installation file, open the link in your web
browser, download Parallels Desktop and double-click the disk image file.
• If you purchased a boxed copy with an installation disc, insert the disc.
Note: If your Mac doesn't have a DVD-ROM, you can use the download link, available in the retail box,
to download Parallels Desktop over the Internet.
3 Double-click the Install icon and follow the onscreen instructions to install Parallels Desktop.
Activate and Register Parallels Desktop
After the installation, activate and register Parallels Desktop. Do the following:
12
1 Sign in to your Parallels account:
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
Parallels account allows you to:
• store your product activation keys - you will never forget or lose them;
• prevent anyone but you from using your license keys;
• manage your subscriptions to Parallels products;
• contact the Parallels Support and track your support requests;
• download the latest versions of Parallels products and accompanying documentation;
• get info about the latest updates to your products and beta versions of new products;
• work with remote computers via a web browser (as a Parallels Desktop user, you will get
Parallels Access for free);
• manage Parallels Desktop licenses on the Macs belonging to your company (if you use
Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition).
To sign in, do one of the following:
• If you have an account, select I have a password, enter your email and password and click
Sign In.
• If you don't have a Parallels account, select I am a new user, enter an email address that
will be used to create the account, your name, password and click Create Account.
2 In the next step, enter your Product Activation Key to activate Parallels Desktop.
13
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
Note: If you purchased Parallels Desktop from the Parallels Online Store, a key was sent to the email
address you provided. If you bought a boxed copy, you can find your key printed on the installation disc
sleeve.
If you already have a license available and associated with your account, just select the license
and click Activate.
If You Don't Have A Product Activation Key
If you don't have a key already, you can get a free trial Product Activation Key so you can try out
Parallels Desktop for a limited time, click Try Free for 14 days. Or to purchase a key that lets you
use Parallels Desktop permanently, click Buy.
Purchase Parallels Desktop
If you're using a trial version of Parallels Desktop 15, you can easily purchase the full version right
from the application interface. To do so:
1 Click Buy in the About Parallels Desktop window or when you see the promo.
2 Choose one of the following:
• Upgrade: Select this option to upgrade your current version of Parallels Desktop. Please
keep in mind that you will need the activation key for your previous version. If the Upgrade
option is selected by default, Parallels Desktop has already automatically detected the key
for the previous version. If not, please make sure you have it.
• Buy Full Version: Select this option to purchase Parallels Desktop if you have never used it
before.
3 Follow the onscreen instructions.You may need to scroll down to see all the information.
Upgrade Parallels Desktop
If you already have some version of Parallels Desktop, follow these steps to upgrade to Parallels
Desktop 15.
1 If you haven't already done so, purchase and download a "Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac
Upgrade," available from the Parallels Online Store at https://www.parallels.com.
A Product Activation Key is sent to the email address you provide.
2 If Parallels Desktop is open, quit Parallels Desktop.
3 Follow the instructions to install Parallels Desktop 15. See Install Parallels Desktop.
During installation, the previous version of Parallels Desktop is automatically removed from your
computer.
4 Open Parallels Desktop and enter your upgrade Product Activation Key.
14
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
If you were using a trial version of Parallels Desktop or you purchased a previous version but
haven't installed it on your computer, you will also be prompted to enter a full or upgrade key
for that version.
Troubleshooting
If you have any problems upgrading Parallels Desktop, you can find troubleshooting information at
https://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/support/.
Install Software Updates
Periodically, Parallels provides free software updates to improve Parallels Desktop.
By default, Parallels Desktop is configured to automatically check for and download available
software updates once a week. When an update is available, Parallels Desktop prompts you to
install it. Simply follow the onscreen instructions.
Adjust Software Update Settings
1 Do one of the following:
• Click the Parallels icon
in the menu bar and choose Preferences. Then click General.
15
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
• Right-click the Parallels Desktop icon in the Dock and choose Preferences. Then click
General.
•
2 Do one of the following:
• To adjust the frequency that Parallels checks for software updates, choose Never, Once a
Day, Once a Week, or Once a Month from the Check for Updates menu.
• To choose whether you want Parallels Desktop to download updates automatically, select
or deselect Download updates automatically.
If you choose not to download updates automatically, Parallels Desktop notifies you when
an update is available and asks whether you want to download it.
Check for an Update Manually
• Follow the instructions in step 1 above and then click Check Now. You can also choose
Check for Updates from the Parallels Desktop application menu.
Note: To check for updates and download them, your Mac must be connected to the Internet.
Set the Language
You can set which language the Parallels Desktop interface uses by doing the following:
16
Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
1 Quit Parallels Desktop.
2 Choose Apple menu > System Preferences > Language & Region.
3 Drag the language you want to the top of the list. If you don't see the language you want to use
in the list, click the Add button
4 Open Parallels Desktop.
If the primary language you chose is supported by Parallels Desktop, the menus and interface
text appear in that language. If the primary language you selected isn't supported, menus
appear in the first language listed that Parallels Desktop supports.
.
17
C HAPTER 3
Install or Import Windows
There are a few ways to get Windows up and running on your Mac:
• Install Windows (p. 18)
• Import your data from a Windows PC (p. 19)
• Use Windows that you already have installed from a Boot Camp partition (p. 28)
• Import Windows from a previous version of Parallels Desktop or other virtualization software (p.
30)
In This Chapter
Install Windows ....................................................................................................... 18
Import Your Data from a PC .................................................................................... 19
Use Boot Camp with Parallels Desktop.................................................................... 28
Import from an Earlier Parallels Desktop or Other Virtualization Application ............... 30
Download and Install Windows From Microsoft ........................................................ 30
Install Windows
If you have a Windows installation source (a DVD disc, an image file, or a USB storage) and a valid
Windows product key, you can install Windows on your Mac and use it with Parallels Desktop.
To install Windows:
1 Open Parallels Desktop (in the Applications folder) and choose File > New.
2 If you have a Windows installation disc, insert it into the DVD drive. If you have a USB storage
with Windows, connect the storage to the Mac.
3 Click Install Windows or another OS from a DVD or image file.
4 Parallels Desktop scans for and lists installable operating systems. If you see the version of
Windows you want to install, select it, click Continue and go to step 6.
5 If the Windows installation source didn't show up automatically in Step 4, click Choose
Manually to browse for it manually. You can browse from the following sources:
• DVD: If you have a Windows DVD, insert it into the DVD drive. Once Windows is detected,
click Continue. If your Mac doesn't have a DVD drive, you can use an Apple SuperDrive,
another Mac's DVD drive via Remote Disc, or make an image from the disc.
Install or Import Windows
• Image File: If you have a Windows image file, click Image File and drag the image to the
Parallels Wizard window. Once Windows is detected, click Continue.
• USB Drive: If you have a bootable USB installer with Windows, click USB Drive and
connect the drive to the Mac. Once Windows is detected, click Continue.
Note: Parallels Desktop may fail to detect some operating systems (for example, the latest Linux
distributions). If this happens but you're sure that the operating system can be installed, click Continue,
specify the OS type manually (if it's not listed, choose Other), and follow the onscreen instructions.
6 Choose what for you're going to primarily use Windows. Its settings will be tuned to best fit
your needs.
7 Choose where you want to store Windows from the Location menu.
By default, Parallels Desktop stores Windows in the /Users/<username>/Parallels
folder.
8 If you want to pre-set things like how much memory Windows uses or whether it starts
automatically when you open Parallels Desktop, select Customize settings before
installation. You can also adjust these settings after the operating system is installed.
9 Click Continue.
The assistant installs Windows.
Once Windows is installed, you can start it up by opening a Windows application (p. 32) or by
clicking the power button in Control Center.
Important: The first time you start Windows, Parallels Tools are installed to allow seamless operation
between Windows and macOS. Once Parallels Tools are installed, you're prompted to restart Windows.
When you install Windows, Parallels Desktop creates an administrator account with a blank
password. Once the installation is complete, it is recommended that you change this password.
Note: You can also install Windows from a disk image file (p. 230) of an installation disc. Simply choose
the disk image file in step 4 above. Parallels Desktop supports ISO, DMG, CUE, and CCD disk images.
Import Your Data from a PC
You can import all your data from a Windows PC to Parallels Desktop on your Mac. Then you can
continue to work with all your Windows applications, files, and data, side-by-side with macOS.
19
Install or Import Windows
Overview of Methods for Importing
You can import your data using one of the following:
• Network (p. 21): If both the Windows PC and your Mac are connected to a network, you can
import your data over the network.
• External storage device (p. 24): You can transfer the data from a Windows PC to an external
storage device, such as an external hard drive. Then, you can connect the device to your Mac
and import your data into Parallels Desktop.
Requirements for Importing Your Data
To import your data to your Mac, you need a Windows computer with:
• Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP with
Service Pack 2 or later.
Note: You can also use a computer running Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit only), Windows Server
2008, or Windows 2000 Professional (32-bit only).
• An Intel or AMD (700 MHz or higher) x86 or x64 processor
• At least 256 MB of RAM
• At least 70 MB of hard disk space for installing Parallels Transporter Agent
• One of the following:
• An Ethernet port for transferring your data over network
• An external storage device, such as a USB hard disk
Note: Parallels Desktop does not support migrating Windows dynamic volumes. These are volumes
which size is not fixed as in basic volumes. They are migrated as data disks only. You can later add them
(p. 228) to an already existing virtual machine.
Step 1: Install Parallels Transporter Agent on Your Windows PC
To import your data you must first install the Parallels Transporter Agent software on the Windows
PC.
To install Parallels Transporter Agent:
1 Do one of the following:
• If you purchased a physical copy of Parallels Desktop, insert the Parallels Desktop
installation DVD into your Windows PC. If the installation doesn't start automatically, locate
and double-click the Parallels Transporter Agent.exe file on the disc.
20
Install or Import Windows
• Download Parallels Transporter Agent for Windows from the Parallels website at
http://www.parallels.com/download/desktop/ and double-click the installation file.
If your computer is connected to the Internet, Parallels Transporter Agent checks for available
updates. If an update is available, click Download and Install New Version.
2 Follow the onscreen instructions to install Parallels Transporter Agent.
Step 2: Import Your Data
Follow one of the methods below to import your data from your PC to your Mac.
Over a Network
Important: After importing your data, you may need to reactivate some of your Windows applications
using the activation keys you received when you purchased the applications.
To import your data from a PC over a network:
1 Turn on your Mac and your Windows PC and log in.
2 Make sure that Windows Firewall (p. 27) is turned off. You can turn it on again after the import is
finished.
21
Install or Import Windows
3 On the Windows PC, open Parallels Transporter Agent by clicking the Start menu and choosing
All Applications > Parallels > Parallels Transporter Agent.
In Parallels Transporter Agent, select Network and click Continue.
4 On your Mac, open Parallels Desktop and choose File > New.
5 Select Transfer Windows from a PC and click Continue.
6 Select Network and click Continue.
7 Find the passcode displayed in Parallels Wizard on your Mac and enter it in Parallels
Transporter Agent on your Windows PC.
22
Install or Import Windows
If the remote PC and Mac are not connected to the same network, you can transfer the remote
PC using its name or IP address. To do so, click Connect using IP address, select the
Windows PC name from the list or type the IP address, and click Continue.
8 If you have chosen to use the computer name or IP address, provide the Windows
administrator credentials. Parallels Desktop connects to Parallels Transporter Agent and starts
collecting information about the source computer.
9 If you want to log in to Windows automatically whenever you start up Windows, select Enable
Automatic Logon. When ready, click Continue.
10 Choose what you want to transfer;
• System only: this option allows you to transfer the operating system and applications only.
• System and documents: this option allows you to transfer the operating system,
applications, and user's files like pictures, documents, downloads, music, videos, etc.
11 If you choose System only in step 10, you will have to use Apple Migration Assistant to transfer
the user's files.
23
Install or Import Windows
12 Choose where you want to install your data.
When ready, click Continue.
13 In the next step there's a warning about Windows activation that might be required when you
start using it. To proceed, read this message, select I want to continue and click Continue.
14 Once the transfer is complete, click Done.
15 Start Windows (p. 31).
16 When Windows boots up, choose Actions > Install Parallels Tools and follow the onscreen
instructions.
Note: To be able to install Parallels Tools, you must be logged in to Windows as an administrator.
Using an External Storage Device
Important: After importing your data, you may need to reactivate some of your Windows applications
using the activation keys you received when you purchased the applications.
To import your data from a PC using an external storage device:
1 Connect an external storage device to your Windows PC.
24
Install or Import Windows
2 On the Windows PC, open Parallels Transporter Agent by clicking the Start menu and choosing
All Applications > Parallels > Parallels Transporter Agent.
3 Select External storage and click Continue. Parallels Transporter Agent collects information
about the Windows PC.
4 If you want to log in to Windows automatically whenever you start up Windows, select Enable
Automatic Logon and specify the Administrator's password. When ready, click Continue.
5 Choose what you want to transfer;
• System only: this option allows you to transfer the operating system and applications only.
• System and documents: this option allows you to transfer the operating system,
applications, and user's files like pictures, documents, downloads, music, videos, etc.
6 If you choose System only in step 5, you will have to use Apple Migration Assistant to transfer
the user's files.
7 Choose where you want to store your data. You can also click Customize and select which
Windows volumes to migrate.
When ready, click Continue.
8 In the next step there's a warning about Windows activation that might be required when you
start using it. To proceed, read this message, select I want to continue and click Continue.
9 Once the migration is complete, click Done to quit Parallels Transporter Agent.
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Install or Import Windows
10 Disconnect the storage device from the Windows PC and connect it to your Mac.
11 On your Mac, open Parallels Desktop and choose File > New.
12 Select Transfer Windows from a PC and click Continue.
13 Select External storage and click Continue.
14 Parallels Desktop scans the connected storages for the newly created virtual machine. If
Parallels Desktop cannot find it, select the virtual machine manually. Then click Continue.
15 Choose where you want to install Windows and your data, and then click Continue.
16 Once the transfer is complete, click Done.
17 Start Windows (p. 31).
18 When Windows boots up, choose Actions > Install Parallels Tools and follow the onscreen
instructions.
Note: To be able to install Parallels Tools, you must be logged in to Windows as an administrator.
Solving Problems
Read this section if you have problems importing your data from a Windows PC.
General Tips
This section provides solutions to some errors that may occur during the import process.
Parallels Transporter Agent Doesn't Work Correctly
If you experience any problems while importing, make sure that the snapman.sys driver is
installed in C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\.
If the snapman.sys driver is not installed, follow these steps:
1 Uninstall Parallels Transporter Agent.
2 Restart your Windows PC.
3 Reinstall Parallels Transporter Agent.
4 Restart your Windows PC again.
5 Try to import Windows and your data again.
Import is Interrupted by an Error
If the import process is interrupted by an error, do the following:
1 From the Start menu, choose My Computer.
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Install or Import Windows
2 In the Hard Disk Drives pane, right-click the volume you want to import, and choose
Properties.
3 In the Properties pane, click the Tools tab, and in the Error Checking section, click the
Check Now button.
4 In the Check Disk window, select Automatically fix file system errors and Scan for and
attempt recovery of bad sectors, and then click Start.
5 Wait till the disk is scanned and errors are fixed.
Dynamic Volumes are not Imported
Only basic volumes can be imported. You can't import dynamic volumes using Parallels Desktop.
The only way to import the data stored on a dynamic disk is to copy the data to a basic disk on
your Mac and then import the basic disk.
If Your Mac Fails to Connect with Parallels Transporter Agent
Firewall applications may block connections between your Mac and Parallels Transporter Agent on
the Windows PC.
Firewall problems in macOS
If your Mac fails to connect with Parallels Transporter Agent on your Windows PC, the reason may
be that the built-in Mac firewall blocks the connection to Parallels Transporter Agent.
To enable connections between your Mac and Parallels Transporter Agent and prevent further
blocking, you can configure the firewall settings in macOS by doing the following:
1 From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences, and then click Security.
2 Click the Firewall tab.
3 Configure the necessary settings.
If you try to search for Parallels Transporter Agent by typing the Windows PC IP address manually,
you may receive a message saying that Parallels Transporter Agent is blocked. Click the Unblock
button.
Firewall problems in Windows
Microsoft Windows operating system has a built-in firewall that blocks connections to and from
other computers. When starting Parallels Transporter Agent for the fist time, you may see a
message saying that Windows Firewall has blocked some features of the application.
To enable the connection between your Mac and Parallels Transporter Agent, click Unblock.
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Install or Import Windows
To prevent this problem from happening again, add Parallels Desktop and/or Parallels Transporter
Agent to the firewall exceptions (the list of applications allowed to communicate through the
firewall):
1 From the Start menu, choose Control Panel > Network Connections.
2 In the Network Tasks pane, click Change Windows Firewall Settings.
3 Add Parallels Desktop and/or Transporter Agent to the firewall exceptions list.
If Parallels Doesn't Detect Windows Correctly
If Parallels Desktop detects the source operating system (Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista
computer) incorrectly, make sure that neither of your Windows applications are running in
compatibility mode - a special mode of Windows allowing you to run applications that are
incompatible with your version of Windows.
See Windows Help for more information.
Problems Using a Application After an Import
Applications that depend on specific hardware may not work in Parallels Desktop.
If you import from several source volumes, the disk drive letters are changed. Make sure that the
application paths are set correctly. See Windows Help for more information.
Use Boot Camp with Parallels Desktop
Boot Camp is a feature of macOS that lets you start up your Mac in Windows. If you have already
installed Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP on
your Mac using Boot Camp, you can set Parallels Desktop to work with Boot Camp using either of
these two options:
• Set Parallels Desktop to run Windows from the Boot Camp partition: Changes you make in
Windows applications either while working in macOS or when you start up your Mac in
Windows using Boot Camp will be reflected in both places.
Note: Parallels Desktop supports Boot Camp created using Boot Camp Assistant on the same disk
where macOS is installed.
Windows running from Boot Camp has the following limitations:
• It can't be paused
• It can't be saved as a snapshot (p. 115)
• It can't run in Rollback Mode (p. 88)
• It can't be compressed
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Install or Import Windows
• Import Windows and your data from Boot Camp into Parallels Desktop: Windows running
from Parallels Desktop doesn't have the above listed limitations. Boot Camp and Parallels
Desktop are separate. Changes you make in Windows applications while working in macOS are
not reflected when you start up your Mac in Windows using Boot Camp.
When you import Windows from Boot Camp, Parallels Desktop creates an expanding .hdd file
and copies all the contents from Boot Camp to it. During this operation, initial Windows on Boot
Camp doesn't get changed. All you need is just enough free disk space on the Mac's hard disk.
Set Parallels Desktop to run Windows from the Boot Camp Partition
1 Open Parallels Desktop (in the Applications folder) and choose File > New.
2 Click Boot Camp, and then follow the onscreen instructions.
Note: If you plan to start up in Windows using Boot Camp, it is recommended that you shut down
Windows in Parallels Desktop rather than suspending Windows.
Import Windows and Your Data from Boot Camp into Parallels Desktop
1 Set Parallels Desktop to use Boot Camp, as described in the steps above.
2 Right-click (Control-click) the Boot Camp version of Windows in Control Center and choose
Import Boot Camp.
Note: Windows must be shut down.
3 Click Import.
4 Locate where you want to store Windows and your data, and then click Choose.
Windows and all your data are imported from Boot Camp. You can still use the original Boot
Camp Windows installation, separately from Parallels Desktop.
Important: The first time you start Windows after setting Parallels Desktop to work with Boot Camp,
Parallels Tools are installed to allow seamless operation between Windows and macOS. Once Parallels
Tools are installed, you're prompted to restart Windows.
Save Disk Space with Parallels Desktop
You can save disk space on your Mac by importing Windows from Boot Camp into Parallels
Desktop and then deleting the Boot Camp partition. Here is how it works:
1 For example, you have a 40 GB Boot Camp partition and only 20 GB are taken by Windows
and its files. Other 20 GB are not used.
2 You choose to import Boot Camp. Parallels Desktop copies Windows and all its files from Boot
Camp into a new virtual machine. This virtual machine will occupy only20 GB of disk space.
3 Once the import is complete, delete the Boot Camp partition and save 20 GB of disk space.
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Install or Import Windows
Note: The hard disk of the resulting virtual machine is not limited to 20 GB. It is expanding which means
that you can continue installing applications, downloading movies, music, etc. The disk will grow in size
proportionally. For example, if you download a 5 GB movie to this virtual machine, it will occupy 25 GB of
disk space.
Import from an Earlier Parallels Desktop or Other Virtualization Application
With Parallels Desktop for Mac you can use Windows that you set up using earlier versions of
Parallels Desktop, as well as VMware Fusion, Microsoft Virtual PC, and VirtualBox:
1 Open Parallels Desktop (in the Applications folder) and choose File > Open.
2 Select the Windows data file you want to import, then click Open and follow the onscreen
instructions.
• Parallels Desktop data files end with .pvm.
• VMware files end with .vmx.
• Virtual PC files end with .vmc.
• VirtualBox files end with .xml or .vbox.
You can also simply drag a Parallels .pvm file to Control Center to add it to Parallels Desktop.
3 Start Windows (p. 31).
4 Choose Actions > Install Parallels Tools and follow the onscreen instructions.
Download and Install Windows From Microsoft
If you don't have Windows, you can download and install it from Microsoft. To do so, please follow
the onscreen instructions.
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