Run x86 (Intel) VMs on Apple M-series/M1 (ARM)

I'm actually trying to keep some 10.6 software alive...

 

UTM, an open source product, can emulate x64 on Apple Silicon.
It's very very disappointing that an expensive product like Parallels cannot do the same.

 

I agree with what @Gabriel Oliveira said. In my case, I have been working with the same x86 VM over the years and now if I change to the new M1 mac I am not able to use them.

 

Will for now only use Parallels for Win 11 Arm version and stop my yearly upgrades on Parallels until they bring out a version that allows emulation of x64 cpu.
Going with UTM as of now for all my other needs and maybe UTM will replace my Parallels setup in the future.

 

When we change Mac with chipset Intel by Mac M1, it's nbot possible to use with the new Mac VM running with Mac Intel. When it will be possible to transfer VM on new Mac M1.
On mac M1, for VM, we don't have the possibility to access in VM setup configurations as we have on Mac Intel. When this will be possible for network configuration for example.

 

Hi,
Can't seem to find a clear answer to this question:
For multiple reasons like KNX programming (ETS) and Simatic PLC programming I'm a longtime user of Parallels.
I just run a Windows 10 (intel based) version with the required software inside a virtual machine to do my thing.

With the new Apple M1 and later cpu's, is this still an option? In other words, can Parallels emulate / simulate a 64-bit intel cpu (and can it run my older virtual Windows 10 machines on Apple ARM architecture?)

Thanks for clarifying and helping out!

 

Hi MichaelH63,
Thanks for helping out!
I will look into Windows 11 then and see what's possible there. Thanks!

 

It seems to be possible to use Parallels virtual disks in VirtualBox VMs and with the developer beta release of VirtualBox 7 for Apple Silicon you can probably reuse your Parallels VMs. VirtualBox on Apple Silicon emulates x86/x64 hardware and does not use a hypervisor the way that Parallels does: which means you can run Parallels and VirtualBox together on Apple Silicon with no hardware conflicts.

Parallels Desktop with aarch64 guests is the best solution in many desktop use cases, but VirtualBox can add flexibility, for example; I need to keep Windows XP around and I have been able to transfer my intel Mac's Parallels disk image to a new VirtualBox so that I have modern Windows (aarch64) in Parallels Desktop, and legacy windows (x86) in VirtualBox on the same Apple Silicon Mac. The two VM products together gives you a lot of flexibility and opens endless possibilities.

 

parallels MUST ALLOW install intel based macos or windows...
with new version of parallels we are not free anymore install intel based macos or windows... also why new version can not convert old parallel VM that we were using on intel based mac comps?
i just install macos 13 then shocking reality; there are no settings even...
parallels used gives freedom to users now you guys seems slave of apple and kill parallels existing concept... shame on you

 

I need to work on windows xp, it took almost four years to pay my subscription, but I have not been able to start windows xp at all. That is why I have to walk with two computers now .

 

we need a way to emulate x86 OS on M1 and M2 chip with Parallel

 

Emulation of a different architecture would be very slow.

 

+1 I would like Parallels Desktop Business Edition to support x86 emulation for M3 Max processors.