Windows 11 on an M1 Mac
Parallels for the win (Installing).
Introduction
I was at work the other day. The guy I worked with told me he had installed the Windows 11 Beta on his home computer and was showing me some features. I, then said, “This, looks like macOS, I’ve got to try this”.
When I got home, I downloaded Parallels, grabbed a Windows 10 VHDX from Microsoft and away I went.
Prerequisite
Before even beginning this process, make sure you are a member of the Windows Insider Program. You have to be an insider to be able to Download the ARM version Insider Preview of Windows 10
Setup
Parallels makes Windows life on Mac easy, but not cheap. I was able to grab a student discount, but it’s still $39.99 a year (a regular subscription costs $79.99 a year).
The first window you see when installing on an M1 Mac is a warning about only being able to use the ARM version of Windows. I haven’t tried another versions and honestly haven’t seen if any else has tried, so I recommend that you make sure you grabbed the ARM version.
Next, you simply let Parallels go to work. It will find ISOs downloaded on your Mac, or let you select your own.
