Installation and Configuration of Parallels Desktop

Installation and Configuration of Parallels Desktop Share your experience about installing, configuring and fine-tuning Parallels Desktop. Sat, 06 Jun 2026 16:46:56 +0000 Sat, 06 Jun 2026 16:46:56 +0000 Parallels Forums https://forum.parallels.com/forums/installation-and-configuration-of-parallels-desktop.59/ Speechmike and Airbridge and Dragon Medical One Tue, 02 Jun 2026 06:43:04 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/speechmike-and-airbridge-and-dragon-medical-one.356613/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/speechmike-and-airbridge-and-dragon-medical-one.356613/ invalid@example.com (DariusR1) DariusR1 7 Running a Ver 13 PVM on a 2020 IMac with OSX 26 and Parallels Ver 26 Fri, 29 May 2026 05:16:51 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/running-a-ver-13-pvm-on-a-2020-imac-with-osx-26-and-parallels-ver-26.370093/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/running-a-ver-13-pvm-on-a-2020-imac-with-osx-26-and-parallels-ver-26.370093/ invalid@example.com (DougW7) DougW7 Please Help Fri, 29 May 2026 02:29:04 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/please-help.370004/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/please-help.370004/ invalid@example.com (Cherish) Cherish
My parallels was deleted by accident. Upon reinstalling it gave me several issues at the start up.

I was advised to go to configure the hardware settings and now I'm completely stuck

will attach a few photos.

Please help]]> 4 Can´t create any virtual machine - "The specified configuration file is invalid." Mon, 25 May 2026 08:10:00 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/cant-create-any-virtual-machine-the-specified-configuration-file-is-invalid.365948/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/cant-create-any-virtual-machine-the-specified-configuration-file-is-invalid.365948/ invalid@example.com (AndreasF19) AndreasF19 I installed Parallels for Mac Silicon, but this isn´t the issue, but after this I can't load or create a virtual machine.
Not Windows, not Ubuntu etc... (licensed)
Error Message (translated): "

"The specified configuration file is invalid.Verify that the specified file is a valid configuration file for a Parallels virtual machine and that it is not corrupted or select a different file." - German: "Die angegebene Konfigurationsdatei ist ungültig.
Überprüfen Sie, ob es sich...

Can´t create any virtual machine - "The specified configuration file is invalid."]]> 18 Moved to new Mac and can't activate license! Sat, 23 May 2026 12:03:14 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/moved-to-new-mac-and-cant-activate-license.361248/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/moved-to-new-mac-and-cant-activate-license.361248/ invalid@example.com (EnriqueL5) EnriqueL5 My license ending "-3WYY4W" is not working when activating on a new Mac. I follow the KB articles but I don't have an option to disable my old license.
If I activate via "My Licenses" I get "Cannot activate the current version because it was created for older versions of parallels Desktop". However, I'm on the SAME version (v17) as this was a migration.
If I try to activate via key I get "This license has reached its activation limit and can no longer be used to activate new...

Moved to new Mac and can't activate license!]]> 11 how to install Parallels version 17 on imac 2011 using OS 12.6.7 (installed using openCore Patcher) Thu, 21 May 2026 01:15:49 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/how-to-install-parallels-version-17-on-imac-2011-using-os-12-6-7-installed-using-opencore-patcher.370030/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/how-to-install-parallels-version-17-on-imac-2011-using-os-12-6-7-installed-using-opencore-patcher.370030/ invalid@example.com (SamiK5) SamiK5 The application crash not sure ho to fix the issue.]]> 1 Help - How to Install Parallels with Windows 11 Home on a M2 Mac Studio? Mon, 18 May 2026 19:06:58 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/help-how-to-install-parallels-with-windows-11-home-on-a-m2-mac-studio.370007/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/help-how-to-install-parallels-with-windows-11-home-on-a-m2-mac-studio.370007/ invalid@example.com (TheodoreL2) TheodoreL2
Help - How to Install Parallels with Windows 11 Home on a M2 Mac Studio?]]> 1 Does use of OCLP invalidate Parallels Support Mon, 18 May 2026 16:51:33 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/does-use-of-oclp-invalidate-parallels-support.370011/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/does-use-of-oclp-invalidate-parallels-support.370011/ invalid@example.com (ChrisK26) ChrisK26 pls help.. Sat, 16 May 2026 23:23:54 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/pls-help.356476/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/pls-help.356476/ invalid@example.com (RadoslavV1) RadoslavV1
pls help..]]> 34 Unable To Edit Settings Sat, 09 May 2026 08:58:32 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/unable-to-edit-settings.339829/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/unable-to-edit-settings.339829/ invalid@example.com (MayaJ1) MayaJ1 View attachment 12159
I have read through the forums and have decided it most likely has the do with uninstalled parallel tools within the windows 10 disk as it gives me the notification that reads
View attachment 12157
"Click Continue to connect the Parallels Tools installation image to this virtual machine and start the...

Unable To Edit Settings]]> 3 旧激活密钥尚未被许可证服务器接受 Fri, 08 May 2026 04:29:41 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/369958/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/369958/ invalid@example.com (delphiq) delphiq 旧激活密钥尚未被许可证服务器接受
旧激活密钥尚未被许可证服务器接受]]> 1 CAN'T START PARALLELS DESKTOP !?!? Fri, 08 May 2026 03:09:48 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/cant-start-parallels-desktop.369913/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/cant-start-parallels-desktop.369913/ invalid@example.com (- joz -) - joz -
To start ''Windows XP'' please restart your Mac first. It has not been restarted after the Parallels Hyperviser System Extension was allowed.

And therefore it doesn't load. It's driving me crazy!]]> 3 Parallels 11 activation on OS X 10.13.6 fails (Check your Internet connection) Wed, 06 May 2026 01:01:38 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/parallels-11-activation-on-os-x-10-13-6-fails-check-your-internet-connection.359987/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/parallels-11-activation-on-os-x-10-13-6-fails-check-your-internet-connection.359987/ invalid@example.com (MichaelP88) MichaelP88 there are already at least 2 similar threads with the same topic but without any solution so far.
I just completely reinstalled my iMac mid2011 from scratch (after reformatting the drives).
I used the latest OSX supported for that model which is 10.13.6 High Sierra (where Parallels 11 was running fine before I formatted the drives).
During the Parallels 11 installation process I was asked to enter my account data for activation.
It failed with the following error message: "Check...

Parallels 11 activation on OS X 10.13.6 fails (Check your Internet connection)]]> 80 code not working Mon, 04 May 2026 13:36:52 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/code-not-working.369943/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/code-not-working.369943/ invalid@example.com (lorendam) lorendam Op hdd Fri, 24 Apr 2026 02:55:18 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/op-hdd.369861/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/op-hdd.369861/ invalid@example.com (A.J.v1) A.J.v1 Ik maak gebruik van vertaler van Nederlands naar Engels.

Ik heb II parallels op mijn Mac mini ingesteld. Klopt het dat deze veel ruimte in beslag neemt? --> 105GB?
Ik vaag mij af, of ik hem kan verplaatsen (installeren) op een HDD? Ik hem aasluit en vervolgens opstart, om Mac mini ruimte vrij te houden?

Hoop hierbij voldoende heb kunnen mijn vraag heb kunnen beschrijven. En of ik juiste onderwerp heb aangeklikt waar mijn vraag hoort.

Groetjes.
------------------
Hi,

I am using a...

Op hdd]]> 1 "unable to apply restrictions on the filesystem to the virtual machine configuration" Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:31:07 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/unable-to-apply-restrictions-on-the-filesystem-to-the-virtual-machine-configuration.359781/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/unable-to-apply-restrictions-on-the-filesystem-to-the-virtual-machine-configuration.359781/ invalid@example.com (AlbertHall) AlbertHall
Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Scott]]> 2 How do I purge the C:/Mac/MacDisk file? Tue, 14 Apr 2026 21:33:46 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/how-do-i-purge-the-c-mac-macdisk-file.368734/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/how-do-i-purge-the-c-mac-macdisk-file.368734/ invalid@example.com (OlivierM2) OlivierM2 My Mac is an M1 PRO with a 994 GB HDD, and I currently have over 200 GB of free space on the Mac's disk.
I installed Parallels Desktop and Windows 11 and tried several resource-intensive programs. I quickly realised that the 256 GB VM was too small. I wanted to increase the VM to 300 GB, but W11 remained at 256 GB.
I deleted a resource-intensive app to free up space, but the W11 C...

How do I purge the C:/Mac/MacDisk file?]]> 1 Was the "Resolution" options under Hardware > Graphics removed? Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:35:03 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/was-the-resolution-options-under-hardware-graphics-removed.347961/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/was-the-resolution-options-under-hardware-graphics-removed.347961/ invalid@example.com (WilliamH11) WilliamH11 5 How to get pdf's to open in Preview Tue, 31 Mar 2026 19:59:17 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/how-to-get-pdfs-to-open-in-preview.349165/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/how-to-get-pdfs-to-open-in-preview.349165/ invalid@example.com (CarissaT) CarissaT
How to get pdf's to open in Preview]]> 17 Long Filename in VM Tue, 31 Mar 2026 06:30:35 +0000 https://forum.parallels.com/threads/long-filename-in-vm.92931/ https://forum.parallels.com/threads/long-filename-in-vm.92931/ invalid@example.com (jazzizgreat) jazzizgreat
See CCC log below:
05:00:16 cannot send long-named file "/Users/Andre/Documents/Parallels/Microsoft Windows XP.pvm/Microsoft Windows XP (Backup)/Microsoft Windows XP (Backup)/Microsoft Windows XP (Backup)/Microsoft Windows XP (Backup)/Microsoft Windows XP (Backup)/Microsoft Windows XP (Backup)/Microsoft Windows XP (Backup)/Microsoft...

Long Filename in VM]]> 1