How to use your Parallels Desktop for Mac Trial

We’ve got easy steps here:

Microsoft Developer Technologies

One barrier to trying virtualization for some users – especially those in technology testing software, is figuring what Windows environment you need. It gets expensive buying OSes – not to mention difficult if you’re looking for a specific older version of Windows! You’re in luck, you can check out Microsoft’s Developer Technologies page, and try a variety of virtual machines and environments for 90 days. Combine that with your 14 day free trial of Parallels Desktop for Mac, you can be sure that this virtual solution and environment is right for you before you buy either!

Choose your edition

What if you don’t know what version of Parallels Desktop for Mac you need? We have a Standard edition, Pro, and Business – and if you’re like us, you want to try before you buy. What is great about the 14 day free trial of Parallels Desktop for Mac is that you can choose which edition you use in your trial. You can even switch in the middle of your trial. Check out the comparison chart below and you can see which edition you want to start with. Find there is something in another edition you want to check out? Switch to a different edition and give it a shot all for free!

Choose your view

This is one of our favorite parts of Parallels Desktop for Mac: Choose your view! Just because you need to run Windows, it doesn’t mean you have to have the whole Windows desktop running on your Mac Desktop! Some people like to keep Windows running on one monitor and their macOS of choice on the other – They like knowing where something is going to open, or keeping exact track of what environment they are working in. For others, they would rather be in Coherence and have everything look native and fluid. It only takes one click of the blue button in your Windows Desktop for Coherence mode.

What is Coherence? Think of it like an instance of Windows running behind just that one program you’ve got on your Mac, only in Windows. Here’s an example below: The macOS is running in the background, but the windows browser is running, with no Windows Desktop to contain it. It looks and feels like it is a program running completely native on your Mac!

Rather than going to Parallels Desktop at the top of my Mac menu bar, Views, and Exit Coherence, you can just click on a button and it’s that simple: You’re back with everything running in Windows. The Coherence Mode button saves a few extra steps!