Parallels has been known for years making virtual machine software that allows Mac users to run a Windows instance on their Macs. As enterprises have opened up their support for Apple Mac users in addition to typical Windows systems, Macs have proliferated in common work environments. However inevitably, there’s “some app” that only runs on a Windows system where Mac users need the ability to run both a Mac and a Windows operating system, which has driven the ongoing demand for a solution like Parallels Desktop. I’ve had an opportunity to work with the latest release of Parallels Desktop 12, and have found Parallels enhanced the latest edition with functionality that is making my cross-platform usage easier and better. I’ve been a Mac user for many years, and like with most Mac users, there are occasions when I have core business apps that require me to run Internet Explorer for a browser, or run Visual Studio for app development work, or even run Microsoft Project and Visio that just aren’t available on a Mac. And while Apple provides BootCamp where I can switch between booting from a Mac to booting as a Windows system, that means I have to constantly reboot my system to switch between operating platforms.

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So I’ve been a happy user of Parallels for years where I can run Windows and Mac applications side by side at the same time. A few of the big things in this latest release is the seamless integration between my Mac and Windows.

Unlike in the past where there was “some” integration between the Mac and Windows through the “Coherence mode” that allowed me to put Windows application icons on my Mac desktop, and allowed me to launch both Windows and Mac applications and toggle between them, there was still some quirky things that Coherence mode didn’t behave exactly as needed, or that desktop icons between Macs and Windows were merged together on both desktops polluting my workspace. With this latest release of Parallels Desktop, I now have the ability of “hiding desktop files” between platforms to tidy up my workspace, I can also very simply turn off my Mac sleep and screensaver functions without constantly having to change my System Preference settings. I can have Windows ready in the background to immediately gain access to Windows applications without having to boot the Windows VM or bring the VM out of a suspend mode. And way better support for the Retina screen on my laptop along with enhanced graphics capabilities for instances running in Windows on my Mac screen. ALL things that seem pretty simple, but now actually make my integrated desktop between Mac and Windows a lot cleaner. Also included in Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac is a program called Parallels Toolbox for Mac.

I initially glossed over the functionality because a lot of what is in the Toolbox are things I already have plug-ins and utilities for and allows users to do screenshots, record videos, download and save YouTube videos, time/date/stopwatch functionality, ZIP/RAR unpacker, and the like. As much as I initially thought to myself “I already have tools for all of these things, I don’t need these Toolbox tools”, what I found was I was actually able to get rid of EIGHT (8) different tools! So I didn’t get new functionality, what I did get was the removal of a lot of apps and clutter on my system that these tools provide. Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac can be purchased for $79.99, or those already using Parallels 10 or 11 can upgrade for $49.99, so very similar to the purchase and upgrade options of the past. Parallels now also has a subscription price where a user can purchase Parallels at $99.99/yr, or upgrade Parallels 10 or 11 at $49.99/yr that not only upgrades the Parallels 10 or 11 license to Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac, but also provides the user a subscription to Parallels Access. I’ve been using Parallels Access for quite a while now. If you’re like me, not only do I have a Mac, but I also have an iPad and iPhone (or for that matter you can have an Android tablet and/or Android phone in addition to your Mac).

Parallels Access can be used to simply provide a remote control access of your Mac from your phone or tablet, but now there’s integrated functionality that allows me to support things like my Apple Pencil. Other functions include the ability to remotely run my Windows 10 image in tablet mode when I’m using my iPad even though when I’m on my Mac, I’m running in normal Window desktop mode.

Something that I use quite regularly that was in the last release of Parallels Access is the ability to move and copy files between my Mac and my tablet and phone. This has come in handy when I start a doc on my Mac, then realize I need a copy of it to review, put final edits on the doc, and send it even though I’m out of the office. With my iPhone in hand, I can launch Parallels Access, gain access to the files on my Mac system at the office, and pull down files, modify/edit the files, and then send them all right from my phone. So more than just a new version that runs faster, takes snapshots faster, and more efficient on battery life when running (which Parallels Desktop 12 for Mac does by the way), but some really nice functionality that has improved my experience as a Mac/Windows/Parallels user!

I've found the upgrade to be a valuable update. For more information, see.

SINGAPORE-(Marketwired - Aug 23, 2017) - Parallels ® , a global leader in cross-platform solutions and creator of the No. 1-selling software for running Windows ® applications on a Mac ®, today launched Parallels Desktop ® 13 for Mac , which provides macOS High Sierra readiness and support for upcoming Windows 10 features.

Bringing together the best of both worlds, Parallels Desktop 13 makes it simple for MacBook Pro users to add Windows applications to the Touch Bar, and use Touch Bar within Windows applications. It is also the first solution to bring the upcoming Windows 10 People Bar feature to the Mac - including integration with the Mac Dock and Spotlight. The new version also features up-to 100 percent performance improvements for completing certain tasks. 'This year, for the first time ever, we are bringing the two hottest features from Mac and Windows into one place via Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac,' said Jack Zubarev, Parallels president. 'This new release delivers our best-ever Windows on Mac performance, plus innovative and useful new features and tools to help users get more done quickly and efficiently.' With a single mouse click, the Parallels Installation Assistant will automatically install Windows 10 into a virtual machine (VM), which can be purchased at a later date without losing data or installed applications, making getting started in Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac simpler than ever.

It also enables users to purchase and automatically install Windows 10 from Microsoft, add an existing copy of Windows, and simply move their PC to their Mac. From the beginning, users can choose to make Windows look like a PC (Full Screen) or make Windows invisible (Coherence mode), while launching Windows apps from the Mac Dock, Launch Pad or Windows Start Menu, enabling users to tailor the experience to their liking.

Best of Both Worlds Parallels Desktop 13 provides Mac Touch Bar integration for Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as browsers including Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera. Additionally, when you are using the Windows Start Menu or Desktop, Parallels Desktop 13 features Taskbar pinned elements, along with Cortana, Task View and settings in the Touch Bar.

Thousands of other Windows applications that run in Parallels Desktop can quickly be customised with popular Touch Bar actions, if the default set of functional keys is not enough. Not only can Parallels Desktop enhance existing Mac features, but it also can build on Windows tools as well. Parallels Desktop 13 integrates People Bar (from Windows 10 Insider Preview build 16232), a forthcoming Windows 10 feature that lets users pin contacts to the Taskbar. Although Windows limits People Bar contacts to three, the Mac Dock doesn't limit favorite contacts and enables their photos to be larger for easy viewing. More Productivity Tools New Parallels Desktop 13 innovations include Picture-in-Picture (PiP) View, a feature which creates windows of other active VMs, which are always visible on top, even when a Mac app is in Full Screen mode. Now, it is easy to monitor and work in multiple operating systems (OS) and their applications simultaneously on one screen, or watch a video while switching between macOS Spaces and applications. PiP View joins popular Parallels Desktop customisation settings such as Coherence (Windows is invisible while using Windows apps on a Mac), Full Screen mode, and Window mode (Windows in a window in macOS).

New Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition features coming this Fall include the customer-inspired Single Application mode, which lets IT admins deliver, lock and secure an invisible Windows VM with selected applications to a user's Mac Dock - making it easy for them to discover and use the Windows apps just like Mac apps. The latest version of Parallel Desktop provides a number of visual and display improvements for improved transitions and better scaling resolution. Owners of hi-res Retina displays will enjoy greatly improved sharpness of text and graphics in scaled mode.

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More than 30 Single-click Utilities for Windows and Mac: New and popular utilities include:. Clean Drive - easily free up disk space.

Presentation Mode - Prevent embarrassing notifications, desktop reveals of personal files, and screen saver lockout delays during the presentation - in just one click. (Mac only). Download Video - In just one click, download video from YouTube, Facebook and other websites so you can enjoy watching it anytime. Find Duplicates - Search any drive or folder to quickly find identical files (even with different names), and free up disc space. Record Screen - Capture video of your entire screen, a window or select area - which can include audio from your computer microphone - in one click. Significant performance improvements include:.

Up to 100 percent performance improvement for External Thunderbolt SSD drives (near native performance). Up to 50 percent faster Snapshot creation for VMs with a large amount of memory.