Parallels is testing x86 emulation on Apple silicon Macs

Parallels has introduced x86 emulation in Parallels Desktop 20.2, allowing users to emulate Intel-based hardware on M1 or greater Macs. This is a first for Parallels since Apple's transition to Arm in 2020. The "early technology preview" enables users to run existing x86_64 Windows and Linux distributions with UEFI BIOS via Parallels Emulator. Users can also create new Windows 10 and Windows Server 2022 virtual machines. However, performance will be slow, with up to seven-minute boot times, and there are several limitations, including no external USB device support and limited operating system support. The option to start these VMs is currently hidden to avoid false expectations. Parallels has listed more caveats in a separate article. In addition to x86 emulation, version 20.2 brings other changes, including automatic time and time zone syncing in macOS virtual machines on Apple silicon. It also adds Apple's AI-powered Writing Tools to the Windows right-click menu in certain Microsoft Office applications. This feature was previously accessible only through a keyboard shortcut or the macOS menu bar's Edit menu. Overall, the update provides new capabilities, but with significant performance limitations.