# Creating and Using Virtual Machine Templates

You can create templates based on your virtual machines. Later you can use them to create multiple identical virtual machines. To create a virtual machine template, you can:

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** Virtual machine templates are available in Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition only.
{% endhint %}

* convert a virtual machine to a template, or
* clone a virtual machine to a template.

The difference between these two ways is that when you convert a virtual machine to a template, you can't run it until you convert the template back to the virtual machine. And when you clone a virtual machine to a template, the template appears separately from the virtual machine and you can work with both.

A template, in its turn, can be converted or deployed back to the virtual machine. When you convert a template, it turns back to the virtual machine. And when you deploy it, the resulting virtual machine appears separately from the template and you can work with both.

### Converting a Virtual Machine to a Template

To convert a virtual machine to a template:

1. Start Parallels Desktop.
2. In **Control Center**, select the virtual machine you want to convert (it must be shut down) and choose **File** > **Convert to Template**.

### Converting a Template to a Virtual Machine

To convert a template back to the virtual machine:

1. Start Parallels Desktop.
2. In **Control Center**, right-click the template you want to convert and choose **Convert to Virtual Machine**.

### Cloning a Virtual Machine to a Template

To clone a virtual machine to a template:

1. Start Parallels Desktop.
2. In **Control Center**, select the virtual machine you want to clone (it must be shut down) and choose **File** > **Clone to Template**.
3. Choose where you want to store the resulting template.

   By default, Parallels Desktop stores templates in the `~/Parallels` folder.
4. Click **Save** to start cloning the virtual machine to the template.

### Deploying a Template to a Virtual Machine

To deploy a template back to the virtual machine:

1. Start Parallels Desktop.
2. In **Control Center**, right-click the template you want to deploy and choose **Deploy to Virtual Machine**.
3. Choose where you want to store the resulting virtual machine.

   By default, Parallels Desktop stores virtual machines in the `~/Parallels` folder.
4. Click **Save** to start deploying the template to the virtual machine.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.parallels.com/landing/pdfm-ug/parallels-desktop-for-mac-26-users-guide/advanced-topics/working-with-virtual-machines/creating-and-using-virtual-machine-templates.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.