How to emulate Windows on Mac using Parallels for Free

Emulating Windows on Mac is the best way for you to use macOS and use applications that are only available on Windows. Some people will ask why not just buy a Windows machine, because they do not understand that we only need a few applications on Windows, not everything on Windows. I have used macOS for more than 5 years, my phone is also an iPhone, and I think the Apple ecosystem is really great. We cannot give up the whole fragrant flower garden for a flower branch, right? Use Parallels for free to emulate Windows on your Mac.

Download Parallels for Mac for free

Step 1: Download the installation file of Parallels for free. Unzip the zip file on Mac and open the DMG file, you will see the files inside like this.

Step 2: Install Parallels on Mac. Open the DMG file inside, double-click the Parallels icon to start the installation.

Step 3: Ignore the prompt to update to the latest version, as it won’t be free. Click the close button in the notification window, click “No, use current”, authenticate with Touch ID or your password to continue installing Parallels on your Mac.

Step 4: Grant permission to use folders to Parallels. If you see the permission window that appears, click the Next button to open the Privacy & Security settings.

You can also go to Privacy & Security directly from the Settings app, under Files & Folders. Enable Parallels access to the Desktop Folder, Documents Folder, and Downloads Folder.

At this point, Parallels is ready to emulate Windows on Mac or emulate other desktop operating systems like Linux.

Emulate Windows on Mac with Parallels

When Parallels doesn’t have any emulators yet, it will prioritize suggesting that you emulate Windows 11 on Mac.

Step 1: Click the Install Windows button to start downloading and installing Windows on Parallels.

Step 2: Grant access to other features while waiting for Parallels to install Windows. I have a few suggestions from my own experience as follows:

• iCloud: Don’t allow, because if we need to do anything with iCloud, macOS can already do it.
• Network and other permissions: Enable, as it affects Parallels functionality.

Step 3: Completely turn off Parallels after installing Windows. If you do not turn it off, you will be asked to log in and use the 14-day trial.

Step 4: Open the SIP ON file to renew it for free forever. If you have not turned off the gatekeeper, follow the instructions as shown in the image below to open the file. Click Done, go to Privacy & Security settings, click the Open Anyway button, click the Open button on the confirmation dialog, and use Touch ID or password to allow opening the file.

Note: If you have turned off SIP on macOS, please use the SIP OFF file. By default, we use SIP ON.

Step 5: Get a free license. Click the Install button and wait for the button to change to Installed, then click the Exit button, and the OK button to complete.

Step 6: Use the Windows emulator on macOS. Reopen Parallels, accept Windows terms to start using.

And this is Windows emulation on Mac. But if you just need to use an application like Power BI for Mac and don’t need the other Windows stuff, I recommend you use Coherence mode. I have instructions below.

Change the RAM and CPU of the Windows emulator

By default, Parallels will give Windows emulator 8 GB of RAM and 4 CPUs. This parameter is most suitable for machines with 16 GB of RAM. But if your machine is stronger or weaker, you can adjust the configuration accordingly.

Go to Actions, select Shut Down to turn off the Windows emulator, then go to Configure.

Go to CPU & Memory, select Manual configuration, and change the parameters. You just need to remember one rule: do not exceed 50% of the machine’s configuration (as recommended by the developer ).

• Processors: This is the CPU. For example, if my computer has 16 CPUs, then I will choose 8.
• Memory: This is RAM, for example, if my computer has 42 GB of RAM, then I will choose 24.

After changing the configuration, you can restart Windows to continue using it.

Using Coherence mode

This is the most interesting point that I see on Parallels compared to other Windows on Mac emulation applications. It allows you to put the window of a Windows application on the macOS screen, so you will no longer see other Windows things.

After opening an application in the Windows emulator, click View and select Enter Coherence, or press the key combination Control Command C.

You should now see the Windows window disappear, leaving only the macOS application window. It looks like an actual macOS-designed application.

If you like using Coherence mode, add the apps you need to the Windows Start menu. That way, you can open them from the Windows icon on the macOS dock without exiting Coherence.

I have been using Parallels for more than 2 years, and personally, I find it the most suitable application for emulating Windows on Mac. Because most macOS users only need a single virtual machine and stability, while other Windows on macOS emulation applications are suitable for creating and managing multiple virtual machines at the same time.