You can install Windows on a Mac for free with Parallels for 14 days by using the free trial as you only need to purchase a Windows activation key nowadays if you want to customize it. It can also be used to run 32 bit apps and games on a Mac too since macOS only supports 64-bit applications. Parallels is even the only solution officially authorized by Microsoft to run Windows on a Mac. Its also the easiest way to run Windows on Apple Silicon Macs and was the first virtual machine to support Windows ARM on Apple Silicon Macs. These include a convenient macOS and Windows blended view in Coherence mode or separated in window view mode. We found that Parallels is the best software to do this for its ease of installation, speed, and the number of ways it conveniently allows you to switch between macOS and Windows. Are There Any Risks Installing Windows on Mac?įor most Mac users, using a virtual machine is the easiest and most convenient way to run Windows on a Mac in 2024.īy far the best virtual machine for Mac we’ve used is Parallels which automatically downloads and installs Windows 11 on a Mac making it easy enough even for beginners to use.Ī virtual machine (also known as a virtual environment or virtualization software) allows you to run Windows “virtually” within macOS.