Do I need a separate Windows license for the virtual machine?

Yes — a virtual machine is a complete Windows installation in its own right and needs its own valid, genuine product key, exactly as a physical PC would.

Can I run Windows games inside Parallels?

Light to moderate gaming works reasonably well, especially on Apple Silicon Macs, but demanding, GPU-intensive titles will run noticeably below native performance since the VM shares (rather than fully owns) the Mac's GPU.

What happens to the Windows license if I delete the VM?

The license itself isn't tied to Parallels — if you reinstall Windows in a new VM (or on real hardware later, if it's a retail key), you can activate with the same key again as long as it's the same Microsoft account or hasn't hit its activation limit.

How to Install Windows on Mac Using Parallels

Parallels Desktop runs a complete, genuine copy of Windows inside a virtual machine on your Mac, letting you switch between macOS and Windows apps without rebooting — Windows runs in its own window (or full screen) right alongside your Mac desktop.

Prima di Iniziare

A Mac with enough free disk space — 64GB or more recommended for the virtual machine
Parallels Desktop (trial or purchased license)
A genuine Windows product key
For Intel Macs: a Windows 10 or 11 ISO file downloaded in advance

1.Install Parallels Desktop

Download and install Parallels Desktop from parallels.com, then launch it and sign in or start your trial.

2.Start the Windows install wizard

On Apple Silicon Macs, Parallels offers to download and install Windows 11 (ARM edition) automatically — just click through the wizard.

On Intel Macs, point the wizard at a Windows 10 or 11 ISO file you've already downloaded from Microsoft.

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3.Allocate resources to the virtual machine

Choose how much RAM and disk space to give the VM. 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage is a reasonable minimum for general use; allocate more if you'll run demanding apps or games inside Windows.

4.Enter your product key

When Windows Setup runs inside the virtual machine, enter your product key exactly as you would on a physical PC — the process is identical from this point on.

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5.Complete Windows setup

Work through the usual Windows out-of-box setup screens (region, account, privacy) inside the VM window until you reach the Windows desktop.

6.Install Parallels Tools

Once at the Windows desktop, install Parallels Tools when prompted (or manually from the Actions menu). This enables shared folders, copy-paste between macOS and Windows, and significantly better display performance and resolution scaling.

Confirm Windows activated inside the VM

Inside the Windows VM, go to Settings > Update & Security > Activation and confirm it shows "Windows is activated." If not, enter your key there directly.

Risoluzione dei Problemi

Problema	Causa Probabile	Soluzione
Windows runs sluggishly inside the VM	Insufficient RAM/CPU cores allocated, or Parallels Tools isn't installed.	Increase the VM's allocated RAM and CPU cores from the VM's Configuration settings, and confirm Parallels Tools installed successfully — it has a real performance impact.
Product key rejected during setup	Using a key for the wrong Windows edition or architecture (e.g. an x64 key on an ARM/Apple Silicon install).	Confirm your key matches the Windows edition and architecture Parallels is installing — Apple Silicon Macs need an ARM-compatible Windows 11 license.
Can't resize the Windows VM window / low resolution	Parallels Tools isn't installed or needs a restart to take effect.	Install or reinstall Parallels Tools from the Actions menu, then restart the virtual machine.