How many macOS guests does Parallels Desktop allow to run

Discussion in 'macOS Virtual Machine' started by SergeyP6, Feb 25, 2022.

  1. SergeyP6

    SergeyP6 Bit poster

    Messages:
    1
    Hello.
    I have an a2348 model mac mini (which is an 8-cores M1, 16GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, with macOS Monterey 12.2.1), and I'm picking virtualization software that will allow running several MacOS guests on the Mac mini (I'm going to test a developing software on different MacOS versions).
    Has the Parallels Desktop 17 a limit of simultaneously running MacOS guests? How many MacOS guests will I be able to run on my Mac mini if to use the Parallels Desktop 17? Please advise.
     
  2. MatthewR20

    MatthewR20 Most valuable person

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    Best Answer
    The Apple Software License Agreement limits the number of concurrently running macOS VMs to 2.
     
  3. Mustafa3

    Mustafa3 Bit poster

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    Hey, I'm looking for creating as many guest VMs as I can on an M1 Mac mini as well. Did you figure out how many one can?
     
  4. After Hours

    After Hours Member

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    28
    I've just learned any Mac running Apple silicon can only run OS12, nothing earlier is supported. While this is a small disappointment, it's a huge embarrassment to me as I've been touting Parallels to clients and colleagues for many years. Being able to have development environments from OS 10.6 to OS12, Windows 95 to Windows 11, and Ubuntu on one machine has been lovely. I recommended a client use Parallels after they bought a M1 Mac replacement, but need to run 10.11 in emulation for some abandonware they use at work. Imagine my surprise when they sent me the error messages attempting to create a VM for their old software. A quick email to customer support resulted in a quick and informative reply. Parallels is an outstanding product, but they need to be VERY transparent regarding their product usefulness during this Apple transition of hardware. Seems a bit more painful than the PowerPC->Intel transition years back. The website presently seems to gloss over this limitation with its absence of forthrightness on the topic prior or during purchase. How many guest OS VMs can you have? As many as you want, as long as it's Mac OS12, Windows 10, 11 and some linux flavors. Nothing prior, apparently.
     
  5. DebasmitaM

    DebasmitaM Forum Maven

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    Hello, please reach us back for any further queries.
     
  6. Nazeemabanu@P

    Nazeemabanu@P Moderator

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    Yes, it is possible to create multiple VM's with Parallels Desktop for Mac. Kindly help us with the version and edition of Parallels Desktop for Mac for further assistance. Thanks
     
  7. MatthewR20

    MatthewR20 Most valuable person

    Messages:
    166
    Best Answer
    The Apple Software License Agreement limits the number of concurrently running macOS VMs to 2.
     
  8. Aries@PF

    Aries@PF Hunter

    Messages:
    139
    Weird how they do that with the M series and yet I can run as many as I have hardware for on Intel.
     
  9. MatthewR20

    MatthewR20 Most valuable person

    Messages:
    166
    On Apple Silicon Macs Parallels is using the official Virtualization framework created by Apple which enforces the limit set in the macOS license agreement. On Intel Macs Parallels does not use the Apple Virtualization framework so the limit is not enforced even though this legal limit has been in every version of macOS for the past 10 years.
     
  10. OleK3

    OleK3

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    1
    To clarify: I can run up to two macOS VMs concurrently. But how many installations can I have as long as I only have two of them running at a time? More than two?
     
  11. Adeboye Adeotan

    Adeboye Adeotan Staff Member

    Messages:
    341
    Yes you may.
     

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