You may have many reasons to want to install Windows on your Mac.

Perhaps you want to play PC games or run Windows-specific programs that macOS doesn’t support.

What Is a Virtual Machine?

A Mac and a Windows Laptop Placed Side-by-Side on a White Surface

A virtual machine is an operating system that functions within a computer.

Virtualization is one of thethree ways to run Windows on your Mac.

There are manyreasons why you should start using a virtual machine.

Parallels Desktop Installing Windows on a Mac

Image Credit:Parallels

Developers in particular are fond of virtual machines because it helps them test their programs on multiple operating systems.

For example, if you get a virus on the virtual machine, it won’t affect your Mac.

Although a bit costly, Parallels Desktop works on all Intel and Apple silicon-based Macs.

parallels-desktop-for-mac

Image Credit:Parallels

However, QEMU requiresinstallation via Terminal using Homebrew.

So, here are some reasons why you should use Parallels Desktop:

1. you might also enter full-screen mode with the macOS running in the background.

you could copy files from one OS and paste them into another with a few clicks.

A Windows PC Booting Up

you’ve got the option to also drag them between different operating systems.

Parallel’s file sharing feature allows for interoperability between different operating systems installed on your Mac.

The virtual machine is simply a file that’s stored on your Mac.

windows 8 on a Mac

Parallels recommends that you use at least 8 GB of RAM to get stable performance.

you could allocate more memory to the virtual machine if you feel it’s unusable due to sluggish performance.

Fortunately, you’re free to use alternatives like CrossOver.

So, have your charger ready, just in case.

It’s a bit expensive, but it’s packed with features and gets the job done.