Yes, installing macOS on a Parallels virtual machine is straightforward if you follow the correct steps. 1. Ensure your system meets the requirements: use Parallels Desktop 16 or newer, have sufficient RAM (minimum 8GB, recommended 16GB), at least 20–30GB of free disk space, and comply with Apple’s EULA by using Apple hardware. 2. Create the virtual machine by launching Parallels, selecting “Install macOS from Recovery Partition or Image,” allowing Parallels to detect or download the macOS installer, and allocating resources like CPU and RAM. 3. After installation, install Parallels Tools for better performance and integration, enable shared clipboard and drag-and-drop functionality, optionally set up snapshots for easy rollback, check for macOS updates, and adjust display settings if needed. 4. For advanced users, run multiple macOS versions by downloading separate installers and creating individual VMs, each customizable for specific purposes such as development testing or legacy app support.

Installing macOS on a Parallels virtual machine is actually one of the more straightforward ways to run macOS alongside your current OS, especially if you're on a Mac already. The process is smoother than many people expect, as long as you follow the right steps.

1. Make Sure You Meet the Requirements

Before jumping into installation, double-check that your system and software are up to the task:

• Parallels Desktop: You’ll need at least Parallels Desktop 16 or newer (earlier versions may not support newer macOS releases).
• macOS Version: You can only install macOS versions supported by Parallels — usually the latest few releases.
• Hardware Compatibility: Your Mac should have enough RAM (8GB minimum, 16GB recommended), and some free disk space (at least 20–30GB for the VM).
• License Compliance: Apple’s EULA allows macOS to be installed in a virtual machine only on Apple hardware. Don’t try this on non-Mac systems — it's against the rules.

If all that checks out, you’re good to go.

2. Create the Virtual Machine

Parallels makes this part pretty painless because it has built-in support for macOS installations:

• Open Parallels Desktop.
• Click File > New > Install macOS from Recovery Partition or Image.
• If you’ve already downloaded a macOS installer from the App Store, Parallels will detect it automatically. If not, it will guide you through downloading the correct version from Apple.
• Choose where to store the virtual machine (you can leave it as default unless you have a specific reason to change it).
• Allocate resources like CPU cores and RAM — the defaults are okay for most users, but if you're doing heavier tasks, bump them up a bit.

Once everything is set, click “Continue” and let Parallels do its thing. It’ll create the virtual machine and start installing macOS automatically.

3. Post-Installation Setup Tips

After macOS finishes installing, there are a few things you should take care of to make the experience smooth:

• Install Parallels Tools: This is crucial for better performance and integration. It enables features like shared folders, clipboard sharing, and better graphics support. Just go to the Actions menu inside Parallels and select Install Parallels Tools.
• Enable Shared Clipboard and Drag-and-Drop: These options are under the virtual machine settings. They make moving content between macOS and your host OS much easier.
• Set Up Snapshots (Optional): If you want to preserve the clean state of your VM, create a snapshot after installation. That way, you can roll back easily later if something goes wrong.
• Check for Updates: Once macOS is running, open System Settings and ensure your virtual macOS is up to date.

One common issue is display resolution — sometimes the VM doesn’t auto-scale properly. If that happens, just adjust the resolution manually in macOS Display Settings or enable "Full Screen" mode in Parallels for automatic resizing.

4. Running Multiple macOS Versions (Advanced)

If you want to test different macOS versions side-by-side (like Ventura and Sonoma), you can create multiple VMs:

• Download each macOS installer separately from the App Store.
• Hold Option (Alt) when launching the installer so Parallels knows you want to use a custom image.
• Point it to the correct installer app for the version you want.

Each VM will act independently, so you can customize them for different use cases — development testing, old apps, etc.

That’s basically it. Installing macOS in Parallels isn’t complicated once you know what to look for — just make sure your setup is compatible and don’t skip the post-install steps like Parallels Tools.

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