Parallels Desktop, the popular virtual machine manager for macOS, just got a big update. The new Parallels Desktop 20 release includes new ways to control and manage virtual machines, better support for DevOps teams, and a virtual machine package that makes AI development easier.
The macOS Sequoia 15 update, which Apple is pushing on September 16, will now let you log on to macOS virtual machines using your Apple ID. Before macOS 15, the macOS virtual machine (VM) would return a “verification error” whenever you tried to log in with an Apple ID. 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.
Parallels is already Microsoft-certified to run Windows 11 VMs, and with this update the app is getting Microsoft Copilot support too. Enabled with the Parallels Visual Studio Code extension, you can now control the virtual machines created in Visual Studio using natural language commands.
The big highlight is the “Parallels AI Package,” a VM available in the extension catalog, preloaded with AI development toolkits and coding suggestions. It’s supposed to make it easier and more accessible to work with AI models. “These allow developers to start working and experimenting with AI at a low cost, with quick onboarding, and the ability to test on different configurations, including those without network access,” Ary Collet Junior, the product marketing manager wrote.
The Parallels AI Package VMs can be downloaded on the device and run offline. So you can, say, run a language model within it without internet access. The VM disks can be locked and isolated for better security too.
DevOps teams or independent developers can deploy and control Parallels Desktop VMs from their GitHub repos with GitHub Actions. This integration is aimed at “eliminating manual steps, reducing errors, and accelerating your development process.” The Parallels Desktop DevOps service is also being upgraded with support to host and manage multiple virtual machines. A new portal in the Enterprise edition allows admins to manage and deploy virtual machines from a single dashboard.
The Parallels Desktop 20 update also brings a few improvements for running macOS VMs too (developers who work with legacy software often need to run older versions). The app adds snapshot capabilities, faster VM setups, and support for Apple M-series chipsets.
You can buy Parallels from the company’s website, and a 14-day free trial is available. It costs $129.99 for a one-time purchase on a single machine, and major upgrades require additional purchases when they become available. The Pro version costs $99.99/year (per machine) and includes any future updates.
Source: Parallels
