Only Insider Program version of Windows 11 on M1 Mac?

I installed Windows 11 on Parallels on an M1 Mac Mini.
I did not select an Insider Program version of Windows (although I did sign up for the program).
Instead, I just let Parallels install Windows 11 automatically.
So, what version of Windows am I running? Windows says that it is the Home Edition and says nothing about an Insider Program verson.
Somehow, I got the impression that ONLY the Insider Program version of Windows will run on an M1 Mac.
So, if I purchase a license of Windows 11 directly from Microsoft, how will that apply to the copy that I have installed?
I assume that a full Windows version will perform and have more features than the Insider version, but will the full version run on an M1 Mac?

 

You're running the Windows 11 Home Edition - ARM Insider Preview Edition. If you apply a license key for the Windows 11 Professional Edition, it will ask you to upgrade your features so you can take full advantage of the Windows 11 Professional feature set. If you purchase the Windows 11 Home Edition license then you'll have that feature set. Depending on where you buy your license the price of these two option may be very similar (e.g. $95 and $100).

 

Thanks for your reply.
So let me get this straight -
When I ran the Parallels installation program and did not select an Insider image, the installer automatically installed an Insider version of Windows Home Edition.
But when I run Windows and display system information, it tells me that it is a Windows Home Edition and nowhere does it say that it is an Insider version.
Shouldn't it tell me that it is an Insider version? It says:

Edition Windows 11 Home
Version 21H2
Installed on ‎1/‎24/‎2022
OS build 22000.318
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22000.318.0

Could it be that Parallels is no longer installing an Insider preview version?
Thanks

 

I think you're wrong. When I tried installing Windows with the direct download option it was the retail/OEM Version of Windows Home (build 22000.xxx) and not the Insider Preview (build 22xxx).

 

To my knowledge there is no retail version of windows available for the M1 ARM chip architecture. The only options available today are Insider Preview editions.

 

Thank you for your replies.
Here is what it says that I am running:

Edition Windows 11 Home
Version 21H2
Installed on ‎1/‎24/‎2022
OS build 22000.318
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22000.318.0

Processor Apple Silicon 3.20 GHz (4 processors)
Installed RAM 6.00 GB
System type 64-bit operating system, ARM-based processor
Pen and touch Pen support

But if there is no retail version available for the M1 ARM chip, then I'm not sure how I could have a retail/OEM version.
Sorry, but I really am confused about this and I don't want to purchase a copy of Windows from Microsoft for $$$ only to find that I'll still need to run an Insider Preview version that doesn't have all the features of a full retail version.

 

No, that's not quite true. While Microsoft doesn't sell Windows on ARM directly to end users (probably due to their exclusivity agreement with Qualcomm), they offer it to OEM manufacturers. Both "real" retail and OEM are part of what Microsoft calls the Retail Channel. The download Parallels offers is to that version. Or at least it was when I tried the option. To my knowledge there isn't even an Insider Preview of Windows Home. But it's easy to check. If the build number is higher than 22000 it is an Insider Preview, if it is 22000.xxx it's Retail Channel.

 

Thanks MichaelH63,
Maybe Parallels is allowed to offer an ODM (non-Insider) version of Windows 11 now.
Everywhere I look I keep getting referred to Parallels own instructions that explains how to Install Windows on a Mac with Apple M1 chip by registering for the Windows Insider Program and I haven't seen Parallels make any kind of statement that the Insider version isn't necessary any more, which seems odd if they can distribute a non-Insider version.
I do think you must be right though because Windows is telling me that it is OS build 22000.318.

 

I just built a new virtual machine using Parallels exclusively and downloaded Windows 11 at that time. It was a Windows Home Edition under the Insider Preview program.

 

After starting Windows 11 check Settings > System > About (where you got the information above) and you will find information on the version you are running, the Insider Preview needs (you need to set up an account), and the need for a license key for Windows 11. As it happens, even when running an Insider Preview Edition of W11 you should provide a license key to Windows 11 (Home - $95, and Pro - $99 at my last check). Think of the license key as a portable entity and apply it to the W11 install under Parallels.

 

Yes, that build is definitely a Retail Channel build and not an Insider Preview. It was not even released to the Beta or Release Preview Channels. You should be able to update to the latest Retail Channel build (22000.469).

The Parallels knowledge base is a little confusing. Almost the entire article explains how to install Windows using an Insider Preview build (which used to be the only way to install Windows on M1) except for a little note mentioning the direct download option that was introduced with Parallels 17.1.1.

 

Interesting, maybe something changed recently. Which build did Parallels download and install for you?