Parallels Desktop 20.4
Parallels has issued version 20.4 of its Parallels Desktop for Mac virtualization software with improvements, bug fixes, and deprecation announcements for the next major version. The release improves the network implementation for macOS virtual machines running on Apple silicon Macs, corrects implementation of “host-only” network configuration on macOS virtual machines, introduces support for creating and running Windows 10 22H2 and Windows Server 2019 virtual machines in x86 emulation mode on Apple silicon Macs, fixes a bug that produced black screens when waking a Windows 11 virtual machine from sleep mode on Intel-based Macs, and resolves an issue that affected various Parallels Tools for Mac functionality in macOS virtual machines on Intel Macs running macOS 15.4 Sequoia and later.
Parallels announces that the next major version of Parallels Desktop will no longer support macOS 12 Monterey; manual setting of CPU, disk I/O, network quotas, and extended memory limits; or synchronization of virtual machine color tags between the Parallels Desktop Control Center and macOS Finder. ($99.99/$129.99 for Standard Edition, $119.99 annual subscription for Pro Edition, $149.99 annual subscription for Business Edition, upgrades available, free updates for subscribers, release notes, macOS 10.14.6+)
I have a 2024 M4 iMac running Sequoia 15.5. I just bought and then cancelled my purchase of Parallels Pro because the iMac’s architecture and Parallels can only run apps specific to the M1-4 chip platform; no others will install. Many of my essential graphics apps couldn’t be installed.
Does “next major version” mean 20.5 or 21.0?
I use VMware Fusion instead of Parallels, but I think you should be able to use Parallels to run most Intel-based Windows apps, if that’s what you’re saying. In VMware Fusion on my M1 MacBook Air, I’m running Windows 11 for Arm so I can run HyTek Meet Manager, which is old, Intel-based Windows software. It runs in emulation, and although it’s not speedy, it works acceptably.
It’s really unclear from the release notes. I’d assume 21.0, but I have nothing to back that up.
Version 20.4.0 (55980). Now gone from my iMac.