Parallels Desktop Business Edition Administrator's Guide
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  • Introduction
    • Business Edition Features Overview
  • Deploying Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition
    • Deploying via an Invitation Email
    • Mass Deployment Using Mac Management Tools
      • Prerequisites
      • Supported Mac Management Tools
      • Preparing the Autodeploy Package
        • Downloading the Autodeploy Package
        • Specifying a License Key
        • [OPTIONAL] Adding the Parallels Desktop Installation Image
        • [OPTIONAL] Adding a Virtual Machine
          • Installing Parallels Tools
          • Preparing Windows for Mass Deployment
          • Common Configuration Options
        • Adding Windows Application Stubs
        • Configuring Deployment Options
        • Single Application Mode
        • [MANDATORY] Creating a Flat Package
        • Testing the Autodeploy Package
      • Deploying Parallels Desktop and Virtual Machines on Macs
        • Deploying with Jamf Pro
          • Automating Parallels Desktop Initial Setup with a Configuration Profile
        • Using a Script to Change VM Options
    • Enrolling Virtual Machines in Azure Active Directory
  • Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition Features
    • Using Configuration Profiles
      • Creating a Configuration Profile
      • Applying a Configuration Profile to a License Key
      • Provisioning a Corporate VM Image
        • Creating a VM Image
        • Creating a Configuration Profile
        • Installing a VM Image on a Mac
      • Enabling Major Version Upgrades
        • Creating a Configuration Profile
    • Participating in the Customer Experience Program
    • Locking a Virtual Machine on Suspend
    • Activating Using a Corporate Account
    • Restricting a Virtual Machine Configuration with a Custom Password
    • Restricting User Actions in Parallels Desktop with a Custom Password
    • Setting an Asset Tag in the Virtual Machine BIOS
    • Using Custom Graphics and Links in the Control Center
    • Hiding Developer Tools in the Parallels Desktop GUI
    • Encrypting a Virtual Machine using the Command Line
    • Single Application Mode
    • Setting an Expiration Date on a Virtual Machine
    • Enforcing USB Device Policies
    • Resetting the Guest OS Password
    • Setting Up a Local Update Server
      • Setting Up a Local Web Server
      • Creating the Parallels Update XML File
      • Configuring Individual Macs
    • Configuring Parallels Desktop Update Branch
    • Customizing the Support Center Option
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  1. Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition Features

Restricting User Actions in Parallels Desktop with a Custom Password

PreviousRestricting a Virtual Machine Configuration with a Custom PasswordNextSetting an Asset Tag in the Virtual Machine BIOS

Last updated 1 year ago

As an administrator of Parallels Desktop Business Edition, you can restrict the following user actions in Parallels Desktop:

  • Creating a new virtual machine.

  • Adding an existing virtual machine.

  • Removing a virtual machine.

  • Cloning a virtual machine or converting it to a template.

  • Opening the Parallels Desktop Preferences dialog.

You can set a custom password (i.e. it can be different from the local Mac administrator password) and specify which user actions from the list above should require it. Once you apply these settings, even the local Mac administrator will not be able to perform these actions without specifying the password that you set.

To set the password and specify the actions:

  1. In the Parallels Desktop menu bar, click Parallels Desktop > Preferences.

  2. Click the Security tab.

  3. Click the Custom password: Turn On... button.

  4. In the dialog that opens, type a password. This becomes the custom password that will be required to perform actions that you will select in the next step. Click OK.

  5. Back in the Security dialog, select the user action(s) you want to restrict.

  6. Close the dialog to apply the settings.

If a Mac user now tries to perform any of the actions that were password-protected (e.g. creating a virtual machine, etc.), they will be required to enter this custom password. Selecting or deselecting an action in the Parallels Desktop Preferences dialog will also require the password.

The steps described above allow you to set the password and restrict user actions in Parallels Desktop on a particular Mac. If you want to apply these settings on multiple Mac computers in your organization, you can use the mass deployment process. For more information, please see . Specifically, these options are set in the Security section of the deploy.cfg file, as described in .

Deploying Parallels Desktop and Virtual Machines on Macs
Configuring Deployment Options