Parallels 17 Update Provides Windows 11 Support For M1 Chip-Powered Mac Devices

Parallels has just received a major update that brings a series of new features to Windows 11 running on M1 chip-powered Mac and Intel-based devices.

Users can now enjoy Windows 11 on their Mac devices as the version 17 update of Parallels provides support to the latest Microsoft operating system. It also adds support for macOS Monterey virtual machines.

Apple already dropped M1 machines support for Windows running on Boot Camp. Yet, the company collaborated with the Cupertino-based tech giant and developed the prototype of a macOS Monterey virtual machine that runs on a Mac powered by an Apple M1 chip.

"In collaboration with Apple, we're thrilled to have created the world's first prototype of a macOS Monterey virtual machine running on a Mac with Apple M1 chip," Nick Dobrovolskiy, senior vice president of engineering and support at Parallels, said as per Cult of Mac.

Parallels -- a company known for its virtualization software, released its latest update that allows users to run Windows and other operating systems on their Mac devices. This will keep Windows virtual machines up and running.

Aside from the added support for Windows 11 and Mac OS Monterey machines, the Parallels 17 major update enhances the gaming experience on Windows 11 as well.

The update boosts the DirectX speed by up to 28% and makes the OpenGL up to six times faster. This is good news for those who use Parallels to play Windows games on their Mac devices.

M1 Macs also initialize faster with Parallels 17. With it, Windows startup becomes 33% faster while Windows and Linux resume times get a 38% speed boost.

Moreover, Parallels 17 improves Windows 10 and Windows 11 security features. The major update provides BitLocker and Secure Boot support on Microsoft operating systems through its new virtual trusted platform module chip.

With Parallels 17, Windows also recognizes the battery status of a Mac device. This automatically enables the device's battery saving mode and alerts the user of the need to recharge it.

The Parallels Desktop 17 standard version is available for $79.99 per year. The perpetual license is currently priced at $99.99 a year while the upgrade from the perpetual license of previous versions costs $49.99, according to The Verge.