# 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:

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**Note:** Virtual machine templates are available in Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition only.
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* 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.