Virtualization Options for M1/M2/M3 Macs Running Sonoma: Parallels & VMware Alternatives

Abstract: Explore virtualization options for your M1/M2/M3 Mac running Sonoma. If Parallels and VMware Player don't meet your needs, discover alternative solutions for virtualizing apps on your Apple Silicon Mac.

Created: 2024-09-23 by UserComp.com Editors

With the recent release of Apple's M1, M2, and M3 Macs running the Sonoma operating system, many users are searching for virtualization options to run their favorite virtualized applications. Unfortunately, due to restrictions imposed by Apple, Parallels is currently not an option for M1/M2/M3 Macs. However, there are several other impressive virtualization solutions available.

Why Can't We Use Parallels on M1/M2/M3 Macs?

Apple's M1, M2, and M3 chips utilize the ARM64 architecture, which is different from the x86_64 architecture of Intel and AMD processors. Parallels Desktop 16, the latest version supporting Intel-based Macs, relies on Intel's VT-x technology to virtualize x86_64 systems, making it incompatible with ARM-based Macs.

What Are My Virtualization Options for M1/M2/M3 Macs?

Although Parallels is not supported, several alternatives offer virtualization options for ARM-based Macs. Here, we will consider QEMU, Ubuntu, and VirtualBox.

QEMU

QEMU, short for Quick Emulator, is an open-source, full-system emulator that can run on various host architectures, including ARM64. It supports virtualization using KVM, enabling fast and smooth performance for the virtual machines.


 
 
 qemu-system-aarch64 -M virt -m 2048 -cpu cortex-a57 -nographic \
 -smp 2 -device virtio-blk-device,drive=hd \
 -device virtio-net-device,netdev=net \
 -drive if=none,id=hd,file=debian-arm64.qcow2,format=qcow2 \
 -netdev user,id=net

Ubuntu

Ubuntu, a popular Linux distribution, officially supports ARM64. Utilizing Ubuntu's server or desktop image, users can create an ARM64 virtual machine directly on their M1/M2/M3 Macs.


 
 
 vagrant init ubuntu/focal64 && vagrant up --provider virtualbox

VirtualBox

VirtualBox, an open-source virtualization solution from Oracle, is currently experimental in its ARM64 support, but it's a promising alternative for M1/M2/M3 Mac users. It is still not recommended for production usage.


 
 
 VBoxManage createvm --name "debian-arm64" --register
 VBoxManage modifyvm "debian-arm64" --cpus 2
 VBoxManage createhd --filename "debian-arm64.vdi" --size 2048
 VBoxManage storagectl "debian-arm64" --name "SATA" --add sata --controller PIIX4
 VBoxManage storageattach "debian-arm64" --storagectl "SATA" --port 0 --device 0 --type hdd --medium "debian-arm64.vdi"
 VBoxManage modifyvm "debian-arm64" --boot1 dvd --boot2 hdd
 VBoxManage startvm "debian-arm64"

While Parallels remains an unavailable option for ARM-based Macs, there are other virtualization solutions available. Open-source solutions like QEMU and Ubuntu provide a stable virtualization environment, while VirtualBox, though experimental, offers an option with potential for future development.

References

Tags: virtualization mac m1 m2 m3 sonoma parallels vmware

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