Microsoft Will Support Windows 11 on Newer Macs Through Parallels

Microsoft has been around for years and has evolved from one operating system to the next. I personally have used Microsoft from the Windows 7 version and have had the opportunity to see the system evolve and incorporate new things into bettering it. Microsoft Windows is a widely used computer operating system that was developed by Microsoft Corporation. We see it entering the operating system scene as early as 1985 and has since been developing and changing to what we see as the most recent version, which is Windows 11.

It’s designed to run on laptops,  personal computers,  tablets, and other devices through its graphical user interface, making it easy for users to interact with their devices. It’s also known to have one of the most friendly user designs with broad compatibility in hardware and software. It also includes extensive customization options and allows features such as file management, security, multitasking, and device connectivity easily. 

Considering its popularity, it will only make sense that Microsoft would want to incorporate some of these amazing features into the Mac system.  In the past, Microsoft had approved running Windows 11 on Macs that were ARM-based.  We see a change as the company recently allows using Parallels desktop 18 to run these ARM versions on M1- and M2-based Macs with the Enterprise version of  Windows 11 Pro. 

Since 2021 ARM Macs could run Windows 11  in Parallels very well. All you needed was to use an insider preview of the OS during that time when Mac wasn’t yet supported by Microsoft. Microsoft's recent approach will clear any licensing problems that were likely to arise by letting Parallels desktop 18 download and install Windows 11 with very little effort.

As we all know commonly, there are always limitations, and this is what I picked up. If you have 32-bit ARM apps you can't run them because 32-bit software is being depreciated by Microsoft for all Windows ARM builds. These devices won’t be able to work unless they have the Windows 11 ARM drivers. You can't use anything that relies on Android apps,  Windows Sandbox, and the Linux subsystem. 

According to The Verge, the changes in Microsoft's licensing aren’t clear.  It has licensed ARM versions to vendors up to now. Parallels have indicated that you could either buy through your employer's common purchasing process or as an individual Windows 11 pro license. 

Most Intel-based Macs that run on Apple's boot camp have great native Windows support, and these new transformations are likely not to satisfy these users. The compatibility and performance won't be similar to that of a PC built for Windows on ARM. Apparently, a must-run Windows productivity app might just be the solution. 

Advertisement