Deploying Parallels Desktop via MDM App Catalog (as seen in Jamf Pro)

As mentioned before, we recommend you to deploy the licensing/PPPC profile first, and follow it up with the Parallels Desktop for Mac app from your MDM's app catalog.

This chapter uses Jamf Pro for demonstration purposes. If you use a different device management solution, check their respective guide on distributing profiles and using built-in app catalogs.

Note: If you cannot find Parallels Desktop for Mac in your MDM solution's app catalog (or it does not have a built-in app catalog), and you would like to use a script to create the deployment package, use the following permanent link to get the latest version of the Parallels Desktop for Mac DMG: https://link.parallels.com/link/66a0eecfbfZ6/

Deploying configuration profiles in Jamf Pro

For the purposes of activating Parallels Desktop for Mac, Jamf Pro offers a pre-configured profile for Mac computers where you can the preferred activation method to a license key or SSO, and add your preferred PPPC settings. Follow these steps:

1. From the main Dashboard, go to Computers > Content Management > Configuration Profiles and click the + New button.

2. On the Options tab, fill out the required parameters on the General page, such as Name, Description, Level, and Distribution Method.

3. Use the left-side scroll menu or its dedicated search bar to get to the Applications & Custom Settings section, expand it, and click on the External Applications option.

4. Click the + Add button, choose Jamf Repository under Source, and com.parallels.desktop.managedprefs under Application Domain. Use the other drop-down menus to choose the version and variant.

5. Use the Activation Experience drop-down menu to choose SSO or License Key. In the latter case, insert the license key into the respective field.

6. Use the left-side scroll menu or its search bar to locate the Privacy Preferences Policy Control section, and click Configure.

7. Under App Access, set the Identifier to com.parallels.desktop.console, Identifyer Type to Bundle ID, and leave the Validate the Static Code Requirement box unchecked. In the Code Requirement field, paste the following value, making sure to copy it carefully: identifier "com.parallels.desktop.console" and anchor apple generic and certificate 1[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.2.6] /* exists */ and certificate leaf[field.1.2.840.113635.100.6.1.13] / exists */ and certificate leaf[subject.OU] = "4C6364ACXT" If you want to verify the value of this parameter independently, launch macOS Terminal on a Mac with a copy of Parallels Desktop installed and execute the following command: codesign -display -r - /Applications/Parallels\ Desktop.app

8. Under App or Service, use the + Add button to, at the very minimum, allow the app to access the Desktop (SystemPolicyDesktopFolder), Documents (SystemPolicyDocumentsFolder), and Downloads (SystemPolicyDownloadsFolder) folders. You may also want to enable Accessibility and ScreenCapture for other Parallels Desktop functionality, such as error reporting.

9. At the very top of the Configuration Profiles page, switch to the Scope tab and select the target computers or user groups.

10. In the bottom-right corner, click Save.

Deploying a pre-made configuration profile

If you prefer to distribute your pre-made configuration profile using Jamf Pro, from the main Dashboard, go to Computers > Content Management > Configuration Profiles and click the Upload button in the top-right corner, selecting the .mobileconfig file with the configuration profile made in the previous chapter.

This will open the profile for editing, where you will be able to switch to the Scope tab and select the target machines or specific user groups.

Note: One of the benefits of Parallels Desktop for Mac Enterprise Edition is that you can mix per-device (license key) and per-user (SSO) activation methods within the same corporate setup. Therefore, you may need to provision some machines with a license key profiles, and some with SSO profiles. Make sure you distinguish user groups and don't end up deploying two different profiles to the same machine.

Refer to your MDM solution's guide for syncing user groups with your identity profider.

Deploying Parallels Desktop for Mac from Jamf Pro app catalog

To deploy Parallels Desktop for Mac using Jamf Pro's built-in app catalog, from the main Dashboard, go to Computers > Content Management > Mac Apps and click the + New button in the top-right corner. Select Jamf App Catalog as source and choose Parallels Desktop 20.1 or newer for deployment.

Attention: Parallels Management Portal requires the local installations of Parallels Desktop to be version 20.1 or newer to establish and maintain connection.

During the setup, you can choose a group of computers that the app will be deployed to. You can set up groups under Computers > Groups.