Parallels Tools for Linux

In most cases, your Linux virtual machines would already have Parallels Tools installed automatically.

Note: You may find the updated list of Linux distributions supported in Parallels Desktop on Apple Silicon Macs here.

However, if that did not happen, the quickest way to ensure that Parallels Tools for Linux are installed is to:

1. Launch the Linux virtual machine.

2. When Linux boots up, use the macOS menu bar to choose Actions > Install Parallels Tools.

3. Reboot the Linux virtual machine when prompted.

Installing Parallels Tools Manually

In case the above method fails, do the following to install Parallels Tools:

1. Launch the Linux virtual machine.

2. When it boots up, connect the Parallels Tools image to the virtual machine: in the menu bar, click Devices > CD/DVD > Connect image....

3. Browse to the image location Application > Parallels Desktop.app > Contents > Resources > Tools > select prl-tools-lin-arm.iso if your Mac runs on Apple silicon or prl-tools-lin.iso for Intel Macs. This will mount a virtual CD/DVD with the Parallels Tools.

4. Double-click on the install-gui file to start the installation.

5. When the installation is complete, click Restart to restart the virtual machine or wait for it to restart automatically.

How to install Parallels Tools using Terminal

The details on installing Parallels Tools for Linux using Terminal are maintained and updated in this KB article.

How to Ensure Parallels Tools Have Been Installed

You can easily confirm whether Parallels Tools were installed. Start your virtual machine and look at the status bar of its window. If the tip Press Ctrl + Alt to release the mouse and keyboard appears in the status bar of the virtual machine's window, this means that Parallels Tools were not installed. When Parallels Tools are installed, you do not need to press any key to release the mouse and keyboard - they are released automatically.

Troubleshooting

Parallels Tools may fail to install because not all mandatory packages are available. Check the /var/log/parallels-tools-install.log file in the guest OS for error messages, install the missing packages, and try to install Parallels Tools again.

For more information on installing Parallels Tools, please refer to the Parallels Knowledge Base.

Updating Parallels Tools

When a newer version of Parallels Tools for Linux becomes available, the Parallels Tools Installation Agent window will appear. You will be prompted to choose the command to gain root privileges and enter the password (if su - root password, if sudo - your user's password). After that, Parallels Tools update automatically.

Reinstalling Parallels Tools

To reinstall Parallels Tools in Linux, remove them first and install them once again.