# \[OPTIONAL] Adding a Virtual Machine

### Choosing the Deployment Method

Adding a virtual machine to the autodeploy package is optional. You can mass deploy Parallels Desktop only and install virtual machines on individual Mac computers later. Consider the following possible scenarios:

* If you are deploying Parallels Desktop on either Apple Silicon or Intel-based Mac computers (but not both at the same time), you can include a virtual machine in the autodeploy package, so it will be installed on a Mac as part of the deployment process.
* The _recommended approach_ is to deploy without any virtual machines in the autodeploy package and instead provision a corporate VM image using a Configuration Profile in Parallels My Account. This method is especially useful when you plan to deploy Parallels Desktop on both Apple Silicon\` and Intel-based Mac computers at the same time. For more information, please see [**Using Configuration Profiles**](../../../../parallels-desktop-for-mac-enterprise-edition-features/deprecated-using-configuration-profiles) and [**Corporate VM Image Provisioning**](../../../../parallels-desktop-for-mac-enterprise-edition-features/deprecated-using-configuration-profiles/provisioning-a-corporate-vm-image).

{% hint style="danger" %}
**Note**: Architectural differences between Intel-based and Apple Silicon Macs require different virtual machines for each of them, even if the operating system type and version are the same.\
\
If you have both kinds of Macs in your organization and would like to deploy Parallels Desktop with a virtual machine on all of them, you need to create two autodeploy packages (one for Apple Silicon and another for Intel-based Macs) and deploy them separately.
{% endhint %}

There are two ways to include a virtual machine in the autodeploy package: as a downloadable link or as a local file manually added to the package. Regardless of which one you choose, take the following steps first:

1. Configure the virtual machine as described in the subsections of this chapter;
2. FULLY STOP the virtual machine by opening **Actions** in the macOS menu bar and choosing **Shut Down**. Suspending or pausing it will not suffice;
3. Reduce the size of the selected virtual machine by doing one of the following:
   * Open the Parallels Desktop Control Center, right-click on the virtual machine, and select **Prepare for Transfer**;
   * Alternatively, open the Parallels Desktop Control Center, right-click on the virtual machine, and select Show in Finder. Right-click on the virtual machine `.pvm` file and select **Compress {vm\_name}**.

#### \[RECOMMENDED] Including a Virtual Machine as a Downloadable Link

Several popular MDM solutions have been known to experience issues with deploying large packages. As a way to mitigate this, you can amend the `deploy.cfg` file to include a link to a file share location with the virtual machine file instead of including it in the package. Take the following steps:

1. Upload the compressed file to a permitted cloud storage that would be accessible to all target Macs (e.g., OneDrive or Google Share). Make sure the resulting link is **direct** and **open** to all the users affected by the deployment. The best way is to choose **Share with anyone**. \
   \
   [**Note**: A direct https link is a link that explicitly leads to a file, and not a file download page.](#user-content-fn-1)[^1]
2. Open the `deploy.cfg` file in a text editor, same as when [specifying a license key](specifying-a-license-key), scroll to the **Virtual Machines** section and add the download link there exactly as described, following the instructions carefully.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note**: You can find out about other configuration options in the `deploy.cfg` file from [this chapter](configuring-deployment-options).
{% endhint %}

#### \[ALTERNATIVE] Adding a Virtual Machine File to the Autodeploy Package

To add a virtual machine to the autodeploy package directly, simply copy the virtual machine file to the **Virtual Machine(s)** sub-folder that can be found under **Bundle** > **Virtual machine(s)** . More than one virtual machine can be added to the autodeploy package if needed.

<figure><img src="https://2497933630-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCH2PH40adGxVh4iotxRv%2Fuploads%2Fw56rvGroskyZpcMf1paN%2FPDFM-121670_Autodeploy_Pkg.png?alt=media&#x26;token=05914e7f-6d04-44a6-a4db-a95fe07324a7" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Read on to learn about modifications that you can make to the virtual machine configuration before adding it to the autodeploy package.

[^1]: 
