# Common Configuration Options

When preparing a source virtual machine for mass deployment, you may change any of its configuration settings to fit your needs. The following list describes a few common options:

* **CPU & Memory.** Beginning with Parallels Desktop 17, you can configure a virtual machine to select CPU and memory settings automatically depending on the available hardware resources. This option is preselected for all new virtual machines. To ensure it is selected, open the virtual machine configuration, and select **Hardware** > **CPU & Memory**. In the right pane, check that the **Automatic** option is selected.
* **Shared Folders and Profiles**. Parallels Desktop offers great flexibility in bridging the capabilities of macOS and your guest operating system by configuring shared folders and profiles. Think over which files and folders you wish to share between the two operating systems and set them up beforehand.
* **Enforce USB Device Policies**. Specify what types of USB devices can be connected to the virtual machine. See [**Enforcing USB device policies**](/landing/pd-ag/parallels-desktop-for-mac-enterprise-edition-features/enforcing-usb-device-policies.md) for complete details.\
  \
  [**Note**: With Parallels Desktop for Mac 26.1 or newer, some virtual machine settings, including USB device policies, can now be controlled centrally using the](#user-content-fn-1)[^1] [Management Portal](/landing/pd-ag/getting-started/configuring-golden-images-and-policies-in-the-management-portal.md). [Read more](#user-content-fn-1)[^1] [here](/landing/pd-ag/preparing-virtual-machines-for-deployment-and-securing-them/policies.md#vm-settings).
* **Installing Applications**. You can install all the necessary applications in the virtual machine before deploying it.

For the complete information about Parallels virtual machine configuration, please refer to the [**Parallels Desktop User's Guide**](https://docs.parallels.com/pd-documentation-page/#for-end-users).

[^1]:


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