How do I disable the Secure Boot feature on Windows 11?

Discussion in 'Parallels Desktop on a Mac with Apple silicon' started by TimothyW12, May 9, 2026 at 4:41 PM.

  1. TimothyW12

    TimothyW12

    Messages:
    1
    Hello,

    Today I started my Parallels Application and this popped up. How do I resolve this issue?

    For what it's worth I have a MacBook Air M2 16 GB and 256GB Hard drive.
     

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    TimothyW12, May 9, 2026 at 4:41 PM
    #1
  2. ImraanN

    ImraanN Staff Member

    Messages:
    21
    Best Answer
    We observed that you encountered the error message "The Secure Boot Feature prevented the operating system from starting" when attempting to launch your virtual machine. This typically occurs when a recent Secure Boot certificate update hasn't yet been recognized by the virtual machine's older TPM (Trusted Platform Module) chip, a security component that verifies system integrity during startup.

    Important note about BitLocker: If your Windows virtual machine uses BitLocker encryption, please ensure you have your BitLocker recovery key readily available before proceeding. After applying either workaround below, Windows may prompt for this key during startup. To locate your recovery key, please see Find your BitLocker recovery key.

    Prerequisite: Before making any changes, we recommend creating a snapshot to preserve your current virtual machine state.

    Workaround: Remove and re-add the TPM chip
    1. Right-click the Parallels Desktop icon in your Mac dock and select "Control Center."
    2. Click the gear/cog icon next to your virtual machine.
    3. Select "Hardware."
    4. Click "TPM Chip" in the left sidebar.
    5. Click the "-" (minus) button at the bottom of the list to remove the TPM chip, then confirm by clicking "Remove."
    6. Start the virtual machine.
    7. Shut down the virtual machine completely.
    8. Return to "Hardware", click the "+" (plus) button, and select "TPM Chip" to re-add it.
    9. Close the configuration window and start the virtual machine again.

    For more information, visual guidance, and additional troubleshooting options, please see Fixing the error "The Secure Boot feature prevented the operating system from starting" when launching your Windows 11.
     
    ImraanN, May 15, 2026 at 1:56 PM
    #7
  3. PeterH11

    PeterH11 Junior Member

    Messages:
    12
    This happened to me too. After some searching I found that you can disable Secure Boot by going into the Configuration for the VM (when it's shutdown), going to the Hardware tab and Boot Order, then clicking on Advanced... and pasting this in:
    vm.efi.secureboot=0
    I'm not sure permanently disabling Secure Boot is the way to go, but it's the only way I could boot back into Windows 11 at all!
    I'm on Parallels Desktop 20.4.1, as I'm still running Monterey, so that may have something to do with it.
     
    PeterH11, May 12, 2026 at 5:42 AM
    #2
  4. ThomasB112

    ThomasB112 Bit poster

    Messages:
    1
    I'm having the same issue after an update. I tried deleting the vtpm and bitlocker. I'm able to get it to boot once, but then I have to do everything over again. Currently running off of a snapshot. Can @SupportI2 help with this?
     
    ThomasB112, May 12, 2026 at 5:58 AM
    #3
  5. Isoftmarts0

    Isoftmarts0 ERP Bit poster

    Messages:
    2
    Disabling Secure Boot on Windows 11 is usually done through the BIOS/UEFI settings, not directly from Windows. You need to restart your system, enter BIOS (usually by pressing F2, DEL, or ESC during startup), then go to the Boot or Security section and disable Secure Boot. After saving changes, your system will restart with the feature turned off.
    I followed this process during a system setup project, and it worked perfectly. While working on system configurations and enterprise solutions, I also collaborated with Isoftmarts, and their guidance made the process much smoother.
    If you're dealing with advanced configurations or system-level changes, I'd definitely recommend taking professional help--you can avoid errors and get better results.
     
    Isoftmarts0, May 13, 2026 at 3:29 AM
    #4
  6. IlkkaP

    IlkkaP Bit poster

    Messages:
    8
    This forum is about virtualized machines with Parallels. Your advice seems to be for physical machines.
     
    IlkkaP, May 13, 2026 at 5:34 AM
    #5
  7. Nupe

    Nupe Bit poster

    Messages:
    3
    Nupe, May 13, 2026 at 7:45 AM
    #6
  8. ImraanN

    ImraanN Staff Member

    Messages:
    21
    Best Answer
    We observed that you encountered the error message "The Secure Boot Feature prevented the operating system from starting" when attempting to launch your virtual machine. This typically occurs when a recent Secure Boot certificate update hasn't yet been recognized by the virtual machine's older TPM (Trusted Platform Module) chip, a security component that verifies system integrity during startup.

    Important note about BitLocker: If your Windows virtual machine uses BitLocker encryption, please ensure you have your BitLocker recovery key readily available before proceeding. After applying either workaround below, Windows may prompt for this key during startup. To locate your recovery key, please see Find your BitLocker recovery key.

    Prerequisite: Before making any changes, we recommend creating a snapshot to preserve your current virtual machine state.

    Workaround: Remove and re-add the TPM chip
    1. Right-click the Parallels Desktop icon in your Mac dock and select "Control Center."
    2. Click the gear/cog icon next to your virtual machine.
    3. Select "Hardware."
    4. Click "TPM Chip" in the left sidebar.
    5. Click the "-" (minus) button at the bottom of the list to remove the TPM chip, then confirm by clicking "Remove."
    6. Start the virtual machine.
    7. Shut down the virtual machine completely.
    8. Return to "Hardware", click the "+" (plus) button, and select "TPM Chip" to re-add it.
    9. Close the configuration window and start the virtual machine again.

    For more information, visual guidance, and additional troubleshooting options, please see Fixing the error "The Secure Boot feature prevented the operating system from starting" when launching your Windows 11.
     
    ImraanN, May 15, 2026 at 1:56 PM
    #7

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