Parallels Desktop 16.5 for Mac Brings Native Support for M1 Chip

Parallels today announced the release of its highly anticipated Parallels Desktop v16.5 for Mac which features full support for Macs equipped with either Apple M1 or Intel chips. Users can now experience Windows 10 at native speeds on their Macs.

The update also delivers M1 support for the most popular ARM-based Linux distributions. Separate Parallels Access and the just-redesigned Parallels Toolbox apps, which are both included for free concurrently with Parallels Desktop subscriptions, now also provide native support for M1 Mac computers.

“Apple’s M1 chip is a significant breakthrough for Mac users,” said Nick Dobrovolskiy, Parallels Senior Vice President of Engineering and Support. “The transition has been smooth for most Mac applications, thanks to Rosetta technology.”

“We received enthusiastic feedback about the remarkable performance of both the Technical Preview of Parallels Desktop 16 for M1 Mac and Windows 10 on ARM Insider Preview as well as x86 applications and games, including Rocket League, Among Us, Roblox, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Sam & Max Save the World and many others.

Testers loved Parallels Desktop’s easy-to-use features and seamless integration of Windows with macOS Big Sur, which increased productivity,” said Dobrovolskiy.

Click here to download Parallels Desktop 16.5 for Mac.