To delete a virtual machine: Open the desired virtual machine. Choose Remove from the File menu. The Delete Virtual Machine Assistant window appears. If you do not want this window to appear the next time you start this wizard, select Always skip introduction. Click Continue. Select the Delete. Jun 24, 2008 I deleted a snapshot and while it was cleaning the deleted files, I accidentally clicked the'Cancel' button. Now I'm probably with a lot of trash files in my HD. Is there any way to know what files to delete so that I can finish the job manually? Running VMWare Workstation 6.0.4.
Teleprompter app for macbook pro. Parallels Desktop® for Mac has a delightful functionality called Snapshots, which helps you save your virtual machine’s state to ensure your work environment is backed up and protected. This functionality has been part of Parallels Desktop since version 3. It allows users to restore their VM environment to a previous state in case of issues.
Shut down your virtual machine and quit Parallels Desktop. Open your Applications folder and drag the Parallels Desktop icon into the Trash. Empty the Trash. Reboot your Mac. To remove a virtual machine (VM) please follow these steps: Launch Parallels Desktop.app, but do not start your virtual machine. Click on the Parallels icon on the Mac menu bar select Control Center. Right-click on your virtual machine and select Remove 'virtual machine name'. Select Keep files.
What’s new in the latest version is that we’ve listened to top customer concerns regarding Snapshots—and now it uses about 15% less space to save memory.
Managing Snapshots is easier and quicker, too! Instead of deleting each individual Snapshot and taking a minute (or two) per Snapshot, you can now delete multiple unneeded Snapshots to save precious time. You may want to use Snapshots if you use a virtual machine for work, development, or important projects. Snapshots are great because if something goes wrong, you can revert the changes back to any of your Snapshots and continue working with the guest OS. Msdn subscription office 365 login.
Removing a VM is most easily done from the Control Center window in Parallels Desktop. Just right-click on the entry for the VM you want to remove, and you’ll get a pop-up menu with the Remove command. (See Figure 1.). Figure 1Remove a VM with the menu command in the Control Center.
How to create a Snapshot with Parallels Desktop:
3. Click New, specify the Snapshot name and click OK to create an up-to-date Snapshots
How to automate the creation of snapshots:
The SmartGuard functionality allows you to automate Snapshots creation.
Note: SmartGuard is only available when the virtual machine is not running in Rollback Mode.
To access settings for automating Snapshots:
3. Click Backup.
To automate Snapshots, you’ll have to enable SmartGuard, click Details, and do one of the following:
To set up how often Snapshots are made:
Use the Take a Snapshot Every field. You can set from one to 48 hours.
If the time interval is less than 24 hours, SmartGuard will allow you to restore the latest hourly, daily, and weekly Snapshot. If the time interval is more than 24 hours, you will be able to restore the latest daily, weekly, and monthly Snapshot.
To limit how many snapshots are stored:
Use the Snapshots to Keep field to set the maximum number of Snapshots that can be stored on your Mac.
The maximum available value is 100 Snapshots. As soon as Snapshots Manager reaches the limit and needs to make a new one, it will delete the oldest Snapshot.
How to revert to a previously saved Snapshot:
How to delete a Snapshot:
When you delete an intermediate Snapshot, the information it contains is merged into the next Snapshot automatically.
Some additional information that might be helpful to Parallels Desktop users is how to back up your virtual machine with Time Machine. Time Machine is the built-in backup software from Apple that helps users easily save their data—and it works with Parallels Desktop.
If you’re an existing user, we hope we cleared up how easy it is to create a Snapshot within Parallels Desktop virtual machines. If you’re a new user looking to buy Parallels Desktop, but you’re concerned about saving your data, we hope we answered your questions.
Even if you are not a digital expert or a tech-savvy person, you would know that you cannot run a Microsoft Windows application on Mac devices. However, many professional, creativity, and development apps don’t have native versions for macOS. This requires many people to look for alternative ways to use them. Parallels Desktop for Mac helps you do just that!
Parallels Desktop is an application that allows you to use Windows and Linux operating systems and applications on Macintosh devices, alongside the Mac OS X. The application is developed using desktop virtualization – a software based on Intel VT-x technology that creates a comprehensive simulated environment by virtualization of both hardware and software of the device it is used on.
The first Parallels software was released in June 2006 with the name of Parallels Workstation but was later renamed as Parallels Desktop for Mac. This was due to the underwhelming response from the Mac community, with many saying that the name makes the software sound like a Windows product rather than Mac’s.
The best feature of Parallels for Mac is that the software is regularly updated. As of now, there are 14 versions of Parallels on Mac available, with Parallels Desktop 16.5 for Mac being the latest – released in 2021. Continue reading for a detailed Parallels review!
To help you gain an insight into what Parallels Desktop 16.5 for Mac has to offer, this section of Parallels review is going to discuss the most important features of the software.
The following are the key factors that help Parallels Desktop set apart from other virtualization software:
The latest version of Parallels Mac is compatible with several web operating systems, including Windows 7, 8.1, 10, DirectX, Linux, Google Chrome, and even Unix in Mac OS.
Parallels Desktop 16.5 is also optimized for macOS BigSur – Apple’s latest desktop operating system for Macintosh computers. Overall, the latest version of Parallels is fully compatible with BigSur 11 and above.
Unlike most other virtualization software that expects the users to already have a Windows (or Linux) disk image or installer image, the Parallels Desktop for Mac gives you the option to either use an existing virtual machine or create a new one.
Those who choose to create a new Parallels virtual machine are provided three options to do it:
What is a Virtual Machine? A virtual machine can simply be defined as a software or virtual computer, with all the characteristics and features of an actual (physical) computer system. The purpose of a virtual machine is to enable the users to run an additional operating system on a desktop computer in an app window. |
The most significant updates in Parallels Desktop 16.5 for Mac are the adoption of Apple’s Metal application programming interface (API) and support for Windows DirectX 11. This means that programmers can now enjoy low-level and low-overhead access to GPU hardware for apps on several different operating systems.
This feature update is particularly beneficial for CAD users and PC gamers. The earlier versions of Parallels Desktop didn’t support all CAD and PC gaming applications. However, the latest version allows users to run CAD apps and PC games on Mac.
The latest version of Parallels Desktop for Mac also offers enhanced performance for Windows DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 applications.
With Parallels Desktop’s latest version, you can run previously incompatible 3D graphics software, like Autodesk 3ds Max and Lumion, and games, like Madden NFL 19 and Age of Empires, on your Mac as smoothly as do on Windows PC. This is one of the most widely appreciated features of the software in most Parallels for Mac reviews shared by users on various platforms.
While Parallels is essentially used to run Windows applications on Macintosh computers, it also allows the use of several macOS features in the virtual machine to enhance user experience. Parallels Desktop 16 comes with the support for Sidecar and Apple Pencil features. This means you can now use your iPad as the second screen as well as use Apple Pencil when working with Windows apps through Parallels.
The Windows apps that are compatible with these features include Microsoft SketchPad, Corel Painter, and CorelDRAW.
Parallels’ latest version doesn’t require you to remove Boot Camp from your Mac; it is compatible and works well with it. The Parallels software now also allows you to send data from Boot Camp to Parallels desktop.
All you need to do to use Parallels desktop on your device with Boot Camp is to shift your virtual machine from Boot Camp to Parallels.
Parallels Desktop for Mac offers three screen options to enable users to work comfortably. These include:
The process of file transfer from your Mac device to the guest operating system is incredibly simple. You can import your documents to the Parallels virtual machine by using copy and paste or drag and drop feature – it’s as simple as that!
As the name suggests, the swipe gesture allows you to switch between Windows and macOS with a simple swipe, without the need to reboot your computer. It’s just like how you switch between different tabs on web browsers.
To make sure that users can easily access their favorite apps and features while working on a virtual machine, Parallels has come up as a unique and highly convenient feature. It allows you to launch apps, files, or folders in Windows from the dock on your Mac desktop. This is another feature that stood out while we were doing our Parallels review.
Parallels Desktop 16.5 comes with Office 365 integration, which means you can access and work on Word, Excel, or PowerPoint documents on the virtual Windows OS just like you do on a regular Windows system. In addition to this, the new Parallels Desktop also allows you to open Office documents in Safari in their native Office application.
Users can send emails with Windows email app from their Mac device. To make the process even easier, the Parallels software for Mac has added the feature in the Share menu in Mac Finder.
To use this feature, choose the file that you want to send via email using the Finder. Right-click on the file and select share. You will get a list of options to share the file – look at the bottom of the drop-down menu and click on ‘Send with Windows Email App’.
This feature is particularly great for inter-office transfer of data, as most companies use Microsoft Outlook for internal emails.
With the latest version of Parallels, you can connect several devices to your computer through USB, USB-C, FireWire, and Thunderbolt. The software is also compatible with a range of Bluetooth devices, such as your Xbox One controller, Logitech Craft keyboard, stylus pen and printer, and IRISPen. Parallels even supports some IoT devices, like smart bands and smart home appliances.
All the devices that you connect to your computer system through Parallels will be displayed (and can be accessed and controlled) on both the operating systems that you are using.
Parallels on Mac allows the users to use the same cloud storage space for both Mac and Windows operating systems. This feature is extremely useful and makes it a lot easier to find and access stored documents; you won’t have to search through multiple storage spaces to find the required file.
Another valuable feature of Parallels Desktop for Mac is that it also keeps your virtual machine safe along with your Mac device. The software uses encryption to keep your data on the virtual operating system protected from potential hackers.
Parallels Desktop 16.5 comes with the Parallels Access feature, which allows users to access their Mac computer from any iOS or Android device or browser.
This feature is highly useful for professionals who are usually on the go. However, the remote access feature is only available with yearly subscription plans of Parallels Desktop.
Parallels offers more than 30 additional tools for simplifying tasks. These include downloading videos, taking screenshots, and cleaning your computer’s drive with just one click. However, just like the remote access feature, Parallels’ toolbox is also only available with yearly subscription plans.
One of the key improvements that Parallels, Inc. claim to offer with each new version of Parallels Desktop is the software’s performance. And after the release of 14 versions and our Parallels review of the latest one, it can be easily said that the company lives up to its claim. Parallels Desktop 16.5 also comes with significantly improved performance.
The new version of Parallels Desktop launches Microsoft Office apps significantly (up to 80%) quicker than its predecessors. However, that’s not its biggest performance boost. The real deal comes from the incorporation of Apple’s Metal API in Parallels Desktop 16.5. With this innovative step, Parallels, Inc. has truly outrun its virtualization competitors.
The incorporation of Metal API makes Parallels compatible with Windows graphic design applications and games that run on DirectX 11, along with DirectX 9 and 10 apps. The former versions of Parallels Desktop didn’t support DirectX 11 software. According to the company, the 3D graphics improvements in the latest version of Parallels Desktop results in 15% faster performance of CAD software and games.
The Metal API feature also allows users with less powerful models of Mac computers to use an external GPU for improving the graphic performance of a Windows virtual operating system.
On the Cinebench R15 rendering test, the Windows version of the software scored 85fps, whereas the native Mac version scored 145fps.
With all these powerful features, Parallels for Mac, as expected, consumes battery quite fast. However, the Parallels application comes with a Travel Mode option, allowing you to extend the battery life of your device when you do not have access to a power source.
Here’s an overview of the Mac system requirements of Parallels Desktop 16.5. It’s important to consider these requirements before purchasing or upgrading to Parallels Desktop’s latest version to make sure you can and use it without any hassle and take full advantage of its wonderful features.
You need to have at least 600 MB of space on the local hard drive for the Parallels Desktop installation. Furthermore, you also need to take into account the storage space required for the guest operating system; Windows 10 requires about 16GB of space. However, Parallels Desktop 16.5 comes with a unique and highly useful Disk Space Optimization feature that lets you save plenty of disk space.
Parallels Desktop 16.5 supports the following versions of Mac operating system:
Parallels Desktop 16.5 is also compatible with Mac apps and also lets you connect a range of Bluetooth devices with the virtual machine, using the Bluetooth feature of your Mac computer. Thankfully, the new version supports both the new Macs with M1 processor and the older models with Intel chips.
Parallels Desktop for Mac is a highly intuitive software, which makes the setup very simple and easy. As soon as you run the software, it automatically detects whether you have Windows already downloaded on your system or need to download it.
Along with simple, quick, and hassle-free setup, Parallels Desktop 16.5 also provides great user experience. Not only the software itself is easy to use, but it also makes managing two different computer operating systems together a breeze. It is safe to say that Parallels software for Mac has made virtualization easier than ever before!
Parallels, Inc. offers 24/7 customer support to their customers via telephone, email, and chat. Customers with subscription licenses continue to receive comprehensive support throughout their subscription period. On-time purchase plans of Parallels Desktop for Mac, on the other hand, only come with 30 days of chat and phone support. However, these customers continue to receive email support for 2 years from the purchase date.
Parallels, Inc. also offers a knowledge base for Parallels Desktop, to help potential buyers and users gain more knowledge about the software, find answers to their queries, and solutions to any problem they may be facing.
Parallels, Inc. allows its customers to download a full-featured trial version of Parallels Desktop 16.5 for Mac for free. The trial version is valid for 14 days.
For those looking to buy Parallels for Mac, the company offers two basic options:
New License – for new Parallels Desktop users. There are three editions of Parallels Desktop for Mac available for new users:
There are two editions of Parallels Desktop for Mac available for existing Parallels users:
Both these upgrade editions are available for one-time purchase as well as yearly subscription plans.
Note: All these pricing plans are for one computer.
Parallels, Inc. also offers 30-day money-back guarantee for products purchased from their website and retail outlets. However, to receive a full refund from retail stores, customers need to return the product as if it was new. This means its original box with the UPC bar code intact, all print materials in the box, and purchase receipt.
Overall, Parallels Desktop 16.5 is a great software for Mac users. It allows them to operate two different operating systems – Mac and a guest OS – at the same time without the need to reboot the computer. While it offers plenty of useful features, some are only available with yearly subscription plans. Also, centralized administration and management are only available in the Parallels desktop business edition. However, these are only minor limitations and do not really hamper the experience. So, if you regularly need to use another operating system, such as Windows, with your macOS, Parallels Desktop 16.5 will be a good purchase for you.