macOS 15 Sequoia: nested virtualization for M3+ Macs

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/virtualization/vzgenericplatformconfiguration/4360553-isnestedvirtualizationsupported?changes=latest_minor

Hopefully, this means that also Windows 11 ARM guests on Apple silicon (M3+) - besides Linux and macOS ones - will be able to take advantage of nested virtualization (see also WSL 2, etc.), as is currently possible on Intel Macs. This would be a very cool feature, for Parallels Desktop 20...

 

I'd be happier when they removed the 2 VM hard-limit on macOS VMs.
Any progress there at all?

 

Now that Parallels Desktop 20 released, can someone please confirm, if they support nested virtualization? I only have 2 M2 machines (with PD Pro licenses) and cannot test this.

 

No, I'm using M3 MacBook Air with macOS 15.1 beta and Parallels 20 installed, my Windows 22H2 vm just complains about the processor doesn't support virtualization.

 

The two VM limit per device in macOS is utterly insufferable.

 

Probably, the Apple virtualization framework doesn't yet support Windows guests, especially for the new nested virtualization feature available - but maybe only for macOS and/or Linux guests? - in macOS 15 Sequoia...? Hopefully, there will be some progress, in the future...

 

... BTW, here's one of the first Parallels Desktop 20 quick reviews:

https://www.howtogeek.com/parallels-desktop-20-release-virtual-machine/

... where it also says: "However, there's still no sign of nested virtualization support for Apple Silicon Macs, so you still can't run WSL in a virtual machine or other similar uses cases."

Let's hope that this essential nested virtualization support will eventually be added also to Windows 11 ARM VMs...

 

This is a limitation of the macOS license agreement and not of Parallels. If you think that this should be changed you can submit feedback to Apple here: https://www.apple.com/feedback/macos/

 

Shucks. I came to this thread hoping that nested virtualization support in MacOS 15 would mean I could run WSL2 in my Windows ARM guest..

 

Yeah, I'm awaiting for just the same thing!
@parallels20, any chance to see that happening in a near future release of our beloved software?
And for the 2VMs limit, there's a guy who took the time to investigate it.
Conclusion: you can get rid of it by.... booting off of a debug kernel with modified parameters, ouch!
cf https://khronokernel.com/macos/2023/08/08/AS-VM.html
P.S.: I've filled the macOS feedback form (https://www.apple.com/feedback/macos/)

 

BTW, it looks like nested virtualization is now supported with M3+ also for the Hypervisor framework:

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/updates/hypervisor

 

... So it will probably be implemented also in Parallels and Fusion, sooner or later.

 

What 2 VM limit? I have been running up to five VMs at the same time. You need to be more specific.