Parallels now supports running Windows 10 inside OS X

By Derek Kessler
last updated

Parallels today released an update for their OS X virtualization software that will allow Mac users to download, install, and run the Windows 10 Technical Preview as a virtual machine. Yes, Windows 10 on OS X (ten) through Parallels 10. It's a mouthful, and technically experimental support right now. But it's also another avenue for people to try out Microsoft's latest and greatest OS (itself in a not-quite-finished state) without having to resort to crazy things like partitioning.

The update to Parallels brings it to version 10.1.4, and is a free update for existing Parallels 10 users. If you have an installation of Parallels 8 or 9 it's a $49.99 upgrade, while new customers will have to fork over a hefty $79.99 for the privilege of running a virtual Windows 10 machine on their physical OS X machine. That said, it does give the Mac user much more flexibility in their choice of OS — they can concurrently run OS X and with Windows 10 (as well as older versions of Windows, Ubuntu, and more) in a window.

If you want to check it out, the update for Parallels is available now, or you can download it for a free two-week trial from the Parallels website (opens in new tab).

Source: Parallels

Derek Kessler
Derek Kessler

Derek Kessler is Special Projects Manager for Mobile Nations. He's been writing about tech since 2009, has far more phones than is considered humane, still carries a torch for Palm, and got a Tesla because it was the biggest gadget he could find. You can follow him on Twitter at @derekakessler.

126 Comments
  • Mac windows
  • WinMac
  • Microsoft OS X. Apple Windows 10.
  • Mic OSX. Apples 10
  • Winner.
  • Nintendo Dreamcast. Sega Gamecube.
  • Playstation One. Xbox 4.
  • Legend of Mario. Super Zelda bros
  • Mario the Hedgehog, Super Sonic Bros.
  • PlayStation one actually sounds really good! Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • it was a thing in the 90's... I believe that was the name of the portable playstation (the first one) ; Playstation One
  • PS 1? seriously?
  • Lmfao
    PSX = Fat gray model
    PSOne = Slim white model (Portable)
  • Bro, your comment is the comment of the year
  • Haha xD
  • WinMac10X
  • icrOS
  • Microsoft Watch. Apple Band.
  • Apple already has a product that bends tho
  • Apple on window(s)
  • iCentral. WindowsMore.
  • Lol
  • loL
  • The Amazing Mutant Spider-Turtles?
  • No..... No.
  • Macindows
  • MicroApple
  • Macrosoft
  • This is the best
  • If macro is opposite of micro, wouldn't it be Macrohard?
  • In that case words should be reversed as well...Hardmacro ;)
  • Best one, I was trying to think of a Macintosh one... Good job
  • Or you could just use VMware?
  • Or VirtualBox even :S
    VMware and VirtualBox are industry standards...
  • Virtualbox sucks
  • iWindows
  • Yak..! >.
  • Running Windows on a Mac? Why? Isn't OSX the most amazing thing ever? What do you mean "no"?! Seriously...I've yet to meet a Mac user that doesn't have Windows installed and running instead of OSX.
  • You either don't know a lot of Mac users or everyone you know works in a field with Windows only software, which also means you don't know a lot of Mac users
  • Nobody knows a lot of mac users.
  • Lol
  • LOL
  • Lol
  • When I was in college, almost everyone had a MacBook (this was between 2 and 6 years ago). However, most of them had windows installed either in boot camp or through parallels. I think most users are drawn by the shiny exterior and the status (at least student users) of the mac
  • Not me. But most
  • A lot of schools have departments with software that will run only on Windows. That doesn't change the fact that certain people prefer the build quality and support of Apple machines and would rather buy them than Windows machines. The fact that you could virtualise Windows for whatever else you wanted to do is actually a plus for the Apple users, not a detriment.
  • I don't get the appeal of Mac OS, other than the paucity of malware. Every time I've played with it, it seemed so unintutive. I was not a fan of the UI. What's the appeal? Why are so many college kids buying these overpriced things? Just for the build quality and name cachet? I would never spend more money on a pretty box that was most empty inside instead of a a cheaper box filled wtih gems.
  • Because of choice that's why. Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • I use it simply because my school teaches music production in Logic Pro, which Apple bought and is only available for mac.
  • I actually think Mac OS looks excellent, but I don't own a single Apple device except an ancient iPod Touch. I still prefer to use Windows for everything I do. Plus the fact that my first computing experience was with Windows kinda gave me a soft spot for the platform. In the end it's more a "To each his own" thing. These days functionality is basically identical on both systems so unless there's something you need one for it boils down to preference. That said PC makers haven't been able to get the kind of battery-life and customer support Apple is famous for, so it's easy to see why people with money that value convenience go for them.
  • There are far less MacBooks than Windows based laptops. 90% of repairs at my family business involve replacing dead MacBook HDDs and Batteries. Additionally, every person I know personally that has owned a MacBook has needed to service their system for either the HDD, battery, or both. Apple has great support because they put **** components to guarantee the ****ing need for their service. Epic scheming Apple!
  • Perhaps to create apps for Apple's ecosystem?... Or a media major?.... Engineers at my school had no choice in the matter. Windows or transfer to a different school lol I run OSX on my HP Envy just because I can. Well, that and I'm trying my hand at iOS and OSX apps.
  • "The fact that you could virtualise Windows for whatever else you wanted to do is actually a plus for the Apple users, not a detriment"... No, it just means Mac users pay for the Windows Licence too in order to make a Mac worht using!
  • Or the great trackpad, amazing battery life, etc...
  • I don't get the praise for the trackpad on Macs--all track pads suck. Who cares if the Mac track pad sucks a little bit less? It still sucks. Mice are much, much better, and if you don't have a mouse, then touch or pen support is much more accurate than a clumsy trackpad. As for battery life, sure, at the expense of a touch screen. That's a deal-breaker. No thanks.
  • Macs don't have nubs, long live ThinkPad/Latitude!
  • Right. Can use a real OS and still look like a yabo.
  • Please take my +1 vote.
  • At least Mac users feel the pain of WP users.
  • What pain? Please explain.
  • What if you are a developer? Even if you love OS X, if you need to develop to WP you will need Windows. The same for gaming.
  • i have mac and Linux, only Windows on my phone :)
  • Um no one is saying Mac is the best. Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • Quiet, Traitor.... Lol. So, are you coming back to WP when the ultimate high end device comes out later this year?
  • So you'd be running Windows 10 on OS X(ten) 10.10...
  • 10.10. This is gr10, m10
  • How about... Running W10 on OS10 using P10... :3
  • Tenception
  • Honestly, I'd love to own a MacBook, even to run Windows, the hardware is good. Only thing missing is a touchscreen. Windows is pretty fun to use with touch.
  • Hardware is the same as in mid to high end windows machines. Nothing special to see here.
    I used a mac book for four years. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't use windows more than the mac OS. Not because I needed windows software, by rather that there were no better options on apple os.
  • Windows 10 on a tablet is simply a hot mess.  It took away what made it the best tablet OS out there, and made it work desktop mode-first, with a sad excuse for a start screen replacement.  So in response to your touch screen comment, you won't want a touch screen with windows 10 anyway. 
  • You are correct on some things. Remember that the windows 10 install is a beta (technical preview). I installed it on my surface pro 3 and had all kinds of problems accomplishing even the most rudimentary of tasks. But I have to chalk I up to it being beta software.
    I can see it being good for touch interface, just needs some more polish before it is to be seen.
    I have since uninstalled the preview and went back to Windows 8.1 as I needed my primary computer to function properly for day to day use.
  • Other than being a bit of a battery hog and needing a touch friendly browser, the 10 preview runs great on my SP3. 
  • The Start Menu/Screen for tablet mode isn't that bad once you get used to it. I hope that they optimize it a bit more for touch and then it will be fine. I just worry that they won't enhance it very much more if RTM is planned for June   A touch friendly browser is what is really needed badly. 
  • Good people of Ulock, remeber, it is a beta, a preview, it was announced as such, will have bugs, some features announced not in there yet. when final version shows up with loads of bugs, then bash it real good and I'll lead the chant. Aslo, it has been announced that continoum is not there yet (that is the awesome feature that recognize tablet, touch, desktop mode and auto adjust accordingly to give you best experience
  • One word hackintosh
  • Why?! For the looks of it?!
  • I think mac Book is the Best looking Laptop but the Hardware is not so special and i dont like the os
  • Best looking up to the point that all slim build of other OEM simply following their design principal. Whenever I see slim notebook, I always see some resemblance with MBA.
  • The ultra book concept was created by Intel. They created the guidelines and requirements and first worked with Apple to create the MBA. Now other companies have followed the same guidelines and created their own ultra book. This is why you don't see Apple suing over the ultra book design, only the hinge design since that was created by Apple.
  • Windows is so beast.
  • Windows 10. OS X (10). Parallels version 10.
    Omg 3 tens.. HL3 CONFIRMED!!!!!
  • Shenmue 3 confirmes
  • move this post to iMore
  • Why?? It's also about Windows...
  • Yea it's about being able to run windows 10 on a mac now.
  • I don't see how is this new option? Windows 10 were an option in parallels for at least two months now.
  • the new name is WinApple; such as you can now purchase a WinApple PC
  • Or the New, "We Are Family" Mac!
  • The fresh modern look of Windows 10 really makes OSX look dated with its quaint static icons!
  • Windows Itunes player :d
  • Macwin 10
  • so it's official, Windows 10 preview on OSX before Windows Phone LOL
  • You can install Windows 10 on a mac since the the TP launch.
  • of course you can, it's a PC, I'm taking about Windows 10 inside OSX
  • Gr8 logic.. -_-'
  • I love how its never the opposite
  • If you spend the time and money to set it up right, you too can build a hackintosh that can dual boot windows and mac. Albeit, a desktop. http://www.tonymacx86.com/
  • It ran fine in Parallels long before this announcement. You just told Parallels that it was 8.1 and changed the drive type. 
  • ⤴ had this installed since release, ran perfectly in parallels thinking it was Windows 8.1.
  • I've never liked parallels. Mac users shouldn't get access to windows on their macs. It only makes macs look more desirable to consumers.
  • Just like the iPhone and iPad, it is the fruit on the back that makes it desirable. Running windows is something they do on the down low because they have to.
  • I use Windows and Mac both and have not one time had something I needed to do that I could not do on the Mac side other than run Visual Studio. And what I cant do in Windows that I have to do on a Mac comes down to XCode. So you are wrong. Both systems are excellent. 
  • You can't play Project Spark on a Mac.
  • Does it matter. Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • I wouldn't have said it if it didn't matter. I'm not a nihilist.
  • But I can play it on my Xbox one. I mean come on, you know us Mac guys take all of this crap too seriously. ;-)
  • Charging people to upgrade to a Windows 10 VM is ridiculous. Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • Or just use virtualbox...
  • LOL     
  • It would have been uncanny if this update was released on 10/10/10 (2010) along with MS releasing Windows 10 back then lol.
  • Yeah, I'll file this under "meh" Just kidding. I trashing it right now.
  • The cost of the virtualization software alone would seem prohibitive to someone actually wanting to do this, let alone the cost of purchasing a copy of windows 10 when it comes out.
  • Mac users don't mind spending a little more cash :-)
  • Go Hyper-V!! Included in 8.1 pro.
  • I wish the opposite was possible. I'd love to run Mac OSX on my PC on some occasions... At least, Mac users have the option to choose, a big advantage for Apple. People are less afraid to switch from Windows to Mac when they know they still can have Windows on an Apple hardware.
  • It is but its not worth the effort
  • Why on earth not..... My previous experience with Parallels desk top was extremely poor however...... Result for Macbook users I guess!!! Cortana on a Mac!!! I love it
  • Mac osx is extremely restricted... The only real benefit is the security.... Asides that the windows store is far better.
  • Actually I feel like it's the other way around. IMO, Windows is the more secure one out of the box. At least Microsoft bakes in a full fledged antivirus and has numerous behind the scenes security features that OS X has only lately caught up with. The biggest reason why Macs "seem" more secure is simply because their marketshare is so much smaller. If you're a hacker, would you rather target 90% of the world's computers, or 10%? And even then, most attacks on Windows are via exploits in 3rd party software like Java or Flash. In terms of restrictions, I don't find OS X to be any more restrictive than Windows is. In fact, I'd give OS X a slight edge in terms of flexibility due to the fact that you can drop into the terminal and control almost anything from there. Windows' command line is a joke compared to the Unix terminal and a lot of tweaking on Windows involves delving into the bowels of the registry.
  • 10 & X
  • See, Windows is so good, even Mac users want it!
  • I alredy installed Win 10 on my Macpro through Boot champ its woring fine
  • Finally! A use for OSX.
  • Even Linux and mac users still use Windows on some way but we don't use theirs:)
  • I use a mix of Virtual Box and BootCamp, both free :-) (on my MacBook Pro) Whilst there's no official support for Windows 10 on BootCamp, it seems to run ok for me. Also runs fine in Virtual Box.