Parallels Desktop is virtualization software that allows users to run Windows and Windows applications on their Mac computers. The minimum system requirements for Parallels Desktop are an Intel-based Mac, 4GB of RAM (16GB recommended), 16GB of available hard drive space, and macOS
Note: Wharton Computing offers students a Windows environment via our Virtual Lab service. The virtual lab provides access to the same applications found on our public computers. Click here for details about our Virtual Labs service.
Please consult the below chart to decide which option bests suits your needs.
Parallels | Virtual Lab | |
Free to use | ✘ | ✔ |
Install software | ✔ | ✘ |
Access to Dept. Applications | ✘ | ✔ |
Offline access | ✔ | ✘ |
Parallels Installation
A step-by-step guide for installing Windows through Parallels can be found here.
Once the Parallels installation is complete, you can install Microsoft Office or other Windows software.
Questions?
Students - Wharton Computing Student Support
Faculty - Academic Distributed Representatives
Staff - Administrative Support