It’s an annual custom to see an replace to Mac virtualization software program Parallels Desktop just a few weeks earlier than the subsequent main macOS launch. Like clockwork, we have come to that point once more: Parallels Desktop 19 is on the market now, with a handful of enhancements for customers who need to run Windows or Linux on their Macs.
It’s not probably the most radical year-over-year replace we have seen, however there are some welcome optimizations and tweaks. The headlining characteristic is the power to make use of Touch ID to check in to your Windows digital machine. When you subsequent launch your Windows VM, your Windows password may be saved to your Mac’s keychain with a Touch ID-specific report that’s distinctive to your system. It’s essential to notice that that is only for signing into the VM, although; this isn’t full Touch ID support for all of the locations Windows Hello seems all through (*19*) working system.
There are additionally numerous tweaks to make Parallels macOS Sonoma-ready, what with Apple’s annual OS replace coming someday this fall. For instance, a change in Sonoma would have damaged the Shared Printing characteristic that lets you print out of your Windows VM. Parallels’ engineers re-configured the characteristic to get it working inside the new launch and made some enhancements to it.
There are additionally quite a few tweaks to working macOS VMs on Apple Silicon, addressing some latest person frustrations, like restricted use of multi-touch gestures on the trackpad. And for customers who’re making an attempt to run Windows purposes, an improve of OpenGL support to 4.1 makes extra purposes—significantly CAD software program like VariCAD, Deswik.CAD, and Vectorworks Vision 2023—run. There’s sadly nonetheless no DirectX 12 support, although.
Support for Linux distros has been expanded, and now you can run x86 binaries and containers inside a Linux ARM VM on Apple Silicon Macs due to some inventive utility of macOS’s Rosetta 2. All these modifications are topped off with some rebranding on Parallels’ half, with some totally different design components, together with a brand new utility icon.
Perpetual licenses of Parallels Desktop releases go for $129, or you possibly can pay $99.99 yearly for the software-as-a-service choice with continuous updates, if that is your choice. Upgrading a beforehand bought perpetual license prices $69.99. All the modifications in Parallels Desktop 19 can be found at the moment to customers who’ve a present license.