Mac OS X only offers a few virtualization apps, but the competition is strong. We've chosen Parallels as our favorite thanks to its excellent performance, ease of use, and fantastic Mac-specific feature set.

Fusion includes a feature named Unity, which is very much like Parallels’ Coherence mode. The Windows backdrop goes away, and Windows apps show up directly in the macOS interface, including the Dock and App Switcher. However, not all of the resources used are. Don't like this video? * Use the App Launcher. Category Science & Technology; License. How to Run Windows on Mac - Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac - Duration: 2:01.

Parallels Desktop

Platform: Mac OS X
Price: $80
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Features

Easy installation of popular operating systems like Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X
Run multiple virtualized environments simulatenously
Windows virtualization offers many methods of integrating your virtualized environment with Mac OS X, such as file sharing (even via drag and drop) and external device sharing
Coherence mode lets you run virtualized Windows applications just like they're regular applications in Mac OS X
Virtualized Windows environments support your Mac's multitouch gestures, Éxpose, and Spaces (or Mission Control in OS X Lion)
Supports Mac OS X Lion's full screen mode (which is actually really great for virtualized environments)
Easily install Mac OS X Lion to a virtual machine from your restore partition
Parallels Transporter ($5) helps you move your files from your existing Windows machine to the virtualized Windows machine on your new Mac
Parallels Mobile ($5)
Buy a copy of Windows directly from the Parallels app
Fast performance all-around
Capable of playing pretty much any game your hardware can handle, allowing the allocation of up to 1GB of video RAM
Surround Sound 7.1 support

Where It Excels

Parallels Desktop is really a well-thought out application that has worked to consistently improve overall performance with every version and add new features to make virtualization easy enough for anybody. Installation was never complicated in the first version of Parallels, but now you pretty much just give it a disc (or disk image) and it handles the entirety of the installation for you. Since version 6 (current version is 7) I've been repeatedly surprised at how fast it runs and how easy it is to set up a virtual machine. You can always count on things getting faster and easier with each new version.

Parallels was designed to work with Microsoft Windows. While it certainly supports Linux and Mac OS X virtualized environments just fine, Windows is clearly the focus. This is evident when you start using your virtualized environment and see how integrated Windows becomes. Files are shared between them. It's easy to access Windows app directly from Mac OS X. With Coherence Mode enabled, you can even run any Windows app like it's natively supported. It'll show up in your dock, have its own window, and respond like it's a Mac app. You can also run Windows full screen, in a Window, or in Modality Mode (which makes your virtual machine transparent). You have a ton of options.

If you're looking to run more than Windows, Parallels can handle Linux and Mac OS X as well. You can even install OS X Lion from the restore partition on your existing Mac. The overall idea behind Parallels Desktop seems to be taking the pain and tedious effort out of virtualization, and, in this regard, the software is very successful.

Where It Falls Short

There are very few drawbacks to Parallels. Since we tend to opt for free software in most cases, Parallels' $80 price tag might seem a bit high. You do get a good discount on upgrades, however, as those usually are priced at $50 (and often $40 when first released). That said, it's a great application and warrants the cost. If you're looking for something a little more free, check out our competition section.

As for issues with the software itself, there isn't much to speak of. Sometimes finding a particular setting in your virtual machine can be daunting because there are a remarkable number of options. Setup is so simple that when you go in to edit your machine's preferences it's almost shocking that there is so much available to configure. Once you get used to where things are it isn't bad, but it seems contrary to the simplicity found in the majority of the Parallels Desktop application. I've also noticed Parallels Tools sometimes forgets its installed on my Windows virtual machine, and other little quirks here and there, but nothing that particularly problematic. These little things should be expected with pretty much any virtualization software, just as they should be expected with any computer. When you're dealing with operating systems, there will always be a few unusual and minor things that pop up.

The Competition

VMWare Fusion ($80, currently $50 via promotion) is Parallels' primary competition and is preferred by some. Performance and features are mostly on-par when it comes to Windows virtualization (albeit a little slower at times), but VMWare's gaming performance doesn't stack up. It also doesn't have 3D support in Linux, if that matters to you. At the moment it's cheaper than Parallels by $30, so that may be enough of a draw if gaming doesn't interest you. VMWare Fusion is still a solid choice, but we feel, at this time, Parallels is noticeably better.

Virtualbox is your free option. It doesn't offer a feature set that comes even close to Parallels or VMWare, but it also doesn't cost anything at all. If you simply need a virtualized environment for mostly any operating system and you don't need any of the hand-holding provided by your paid options, it's a solid choice. It's even preferred by some because it offers more technical features that other options do not. Basically, VirtualBox is a good alternative for you if you don't want to pay or are more interested in running a test environment than using your favorite Windows and Linux applications on your Mac.

Lifehacker's App Directory is a new and growing directory of recommendations for the best applications and tools in a number of given categories.

While Mac hardware is perfectly matched to the macOS, but it is not the only operating system that can be run on your Mac's hardware.

Regardless of the reasons you'd want to, plenty of other operating systems, including many of the Window and Linux operating systems, are able to run on your Mac. That makes the Mac among the most versatile of computers you can buy. Here's what we'd use to install Windows on a Mac.

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Boot Camp

Perhaps the best-known option for running Windows is Boot Camp. Boot Camp, included free with your Mac, allows you to install Windows and then lets dual boot between Mac or Windows when you start up.

Because Boot Camp runs Windows directly on your Mac's hardware (there is no virtualization or emulation to be performed) Windows can run at the best possible speed your Mac is able to deliver.

Installing Windows on your Mac is no more difficult than installing Windows on any PC. Apple even provides the Boot Camp Assistant to partition the startup drive to make room for Windows as well as to install all the drivers Windows will need for all of the special Apple hardware.

Supports Windows 7, 8.1, and 10.
Windows runs natively on the Mac hardware for best performance.

Requires full Windows license for the initial install.
Can't run Windows and Mac OS concurrently.

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Virtualization

Virtualization allows multiple operating systems to run on computer hardware at the same time or at least for practical purposes it seems like the same time. Virtualization abstracts the hardware layer, making it look like each operating system has its own processor, RAM, graphics, and storage that it needs to run.

Virtualization on the Mac makes use of a software layer called hypervisor to emulate all the underlying hardware. As a result, the guest operating system running on the virtual machine does not run as fast as in Boot Camp. But unlike Boot Camp, both the Mac operating system and the guest operating system can be running at the same time.

There are three primary virtualization apps for the Mac:

Parallels: The first to bring virtualization to the Mac. Parallels supports a

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