New Parallels 17.1 update improved Windows 11 and macOS Monterey support

Parallels 17 Windows (Image credit: Parallels)

What you need to know

A new Parallels 17.1 update improves matters for both Windows 11 and macOS Monterey users.
Windows 11 virtual machines are now improved, while Parallels will now run more happily on a macOS Monterey machine.
macOS Monterey virtual machines are now supported.

A new Parallels Desktop 17.1 for Mac update has improved support for Windows 11 as well as macOS Monterey virtual machines, while the app itself will now happily run on Apple's upcoming operating system, too.

The release, announced via a blog post, makes some important changes to Windows 11 support including automatic enablement of vTPM. Windows 11 requires a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) in order to install, something Macs and virtual machines don't have. That's where the virtual part of things kicks in.

Users of all editions of Parallels Desktop 17 (Standard, Pro & Business) will be able to run Windows 11 with the use of a vTPM added by default to meet the minimum requirements of Windows 11

What's more, macOS Monterey can now run in a virtual machine on Apple's M1 Macs with default virtual machine disk sizes increased.

Now, Parallels Desktop 17.1 users can install Parallels Tools in a macOS Monterey VM on Apple M1 Mac and use the Copy and Paste integrated feature between the VM and the primary macOS. Additionally, the default virtual machine disk size increases from 32 GB to 64 GB.

Other improvements include improved graphics performance for gaming and more. You can read all about the ins and outs on the Parallels blog right now.

Parallels is one of the best Mac solutions for running virtual machines and the team will hope this new update helps ensure it remains that way.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.

Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.