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  • Parallels Desktop for Mac 20 User's Guide
    • Welcome to Parallels Desktop
      • What You Can Do
      • Editions of Parallels Desktop
      • What's New in Parallels Desktop 20
      • What Versions of Windows You Can Install
      • Setting Up Your Mac to Use Windows Applications
      • Other Operating Systems
    • Install or Upgrade Parallels Desktop
      • System Requirements
      • Installing Parallels Desktop
      • Activating and Registering Parallels Desktop
      • Purchasing Parallels Desktop
      • Upgrading Parallels Desktop
        • Installing Software Updates
      • Changing the Language
    • Install or Import Windows
      • Installing Windows
      • Using Boot Camp with Parallels Desktop
      • Importing from an Earlier Version of Parallels Desktop or Another Virtualization Application
      • Downloading and Installing Windows from Microsoft
      • Getting Windows from IT
    • Use Windows on Your Mac
      • Getting Started
        • Launching Windows
        • Opening a Windows Application
        • Installing Windows Applications
        • Shutdown and Suspend Windows
          • Startup and Shutdown Settings
      • Setting How Windows Works with macOS
        • Merging Windows and macOS
        • Setting Windows to Appear in a Single Window
          • Adjusting Window Mode Settings
          • Monitoring Windows in a Scalable Window
        • Running Windows in Full-Screen Mode
          • Adjusting Full-Screen Settings
        • Setting an Application to Open When You Insert a CD/DVD
        • Sharing Items between macOS and Windows
          • Copying and Pasting between macOS and Windows
          • Sharing Files and Folders
          • Sharing iCloud, Dropbox, or Google Drive Folders with Windows
          • Sharing Windows OneDrive Folders with macOS
          • Sharing Applications
          • Setting Files to Open in Your Preferred Application
          • Setting Internet Links or Emails to Always Open in macOS or Windows
          • Opening the Current Safari Page in Microsoft Edge
          • Emailing macOS Files from Windows
          • Sharing External Storage Devices and Volumes
          • Sharing Windows External and Network Drives with macOS
          • Using a Disk Image with a Virtual Optical Drive
          • Adding Windows Disks to macOS Finder
      • Mouse, Trackpad, and Keyboard
        • Setting Your Mouse or Trackpad to Right-Click and Middle-Click
        • Using Keyboard Shortcuts
        • Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts
        • Creating New Keyboard Shortcuts
        • Controlling Windows Input Language In macOS
        • Mouse & Keyboard Settings
      • Connecting External Devices
        • Adjusting Device Settings
      • Connecting Bluetooth Devices
        • Connecting Bluetooth Game Controllers
      • Printing from Windows
        • Sharing a Printer Connected to Your Mac
        • Setting Up a Network Printer
        • Setting Up a USB Printer
      • Using the Built-in or External Webcam
      • Presenting on an External Display or Projector
      • Protecting Your Data
        • Isolating Windows from Mac
        • Working in Windows without Saving Changes
        • Setting Password Requirements
        • Using Apple Touch ID to Log into Windows
        • Encrypting Windows to Protect It from Unauthorized Use
      • Connecting to the Internet or a Network
        • Sharing Network Access Between macOS and Windows
        • Applying Separate Network Settings to Windows
        • Using Host-Only Network Settings
        • Using Wi-Fi with Windows
        • Connecting Windows to a VLAN
      • Optimizing Performance
        • Allocating Specific Amount of Memory to Windows
        • Optimization Settings
        • Pausing Windows When No Applications Are Open
        • Optimizing Virtual Machines for Specific Tasks
        • Scheduling Windows Maintenance
      • Saving Time with Parallels Toolbox
      • Saving a Screenshot from Windows
      • Setting the Appearance of Virtual Machine Dock Icons
      • Allowing Windows Updates While Your Mac is Sleeping
      • Translating Words in Windows
      • Using Apple Writing Tools in Windows
      • Using the Touch Bar in Windows
    • Parallels Desktop Preferences and Virtual Machine Settings
      • Parallels Desktop Preferences
        • General Preferences
        • Shortcuts Preferences
        • Devices Preferences
        • Security Preferences
        • Network Preferences
        • Advanced Preferences
        • Parallels Toolbox
      • Virtual Machine Settings
        • General Settings
        • Options
          • Startup and Shutdown Settings
          • Sharing Settings
          • Application Settings
          • Full Screen Settings
          • Picture in Picture Settings
          • Web & Email Settings
          • Maintenance Settings
          • More Options
        • Hardware Settings
          • CPU & Memory Settings
          • Graphics Settings
          • Mouse & Keyboard Settings
          • Shared Printers Settings
          • Network Settings
          • Sound & Camera Settings
          • USB & Bluetooth Settings
          • Hard Disk Settings
          • CD/DVD Settings
          • Boot Order Settings
          • TPM Chip
          • Printer Settings
          • Serial Port Settings
        • Security Settings
        • Backup Settings
      • Adding and Removing Devices
        • Support for Virtual and Physical Drives
        • Initializing a Newly Added Hard Drive
        • Connecting a Physical Disk to a Virtual Machine as Internal
    • Advanced Topics
      • Working with Virtual Machines
        • Supported Guest Operating Systems
        • About Virtual Machines
          • Set Where Virtual Machines Are Stored
        • Arranging Virtual Machines
        • Making Virtual Machines Distinctive
        • Changing the Virtual Machine Icon
        • Changing the Virtual Machine Name
        • Cloning a Virtual Machine
        • Backing Up a Virtual Machine
        • Creating and Using Virtual Machine Templates
        • Saving Snapshots of a Virtual Machine
        • Changing Virtual Machine Configuration While in Use
        • Scrolling Horizontally with a Mouse
        • Removing a Virtual Machine
        • Donwloading Pre-Configured Virtual Machines
        • Setting Guest OS Type and Version
        • Changing the Number of Virtual CPUs Allocated to a Virtual Machine
        • Using Apple Script with the Guest OS
        • Freeing Up Disk Space
        • Archiving/Unarchiving Virtual Machines
        • Transfering a Virtual Machine to Another Mac
        • Importing and Running x86_64 (Intel) Virtual Machines on Apple Silicon Macs
          • Launching and Running an x86_64 Virtual Machine on an Apple Silicon Mac
          • Creating a New x86_64 (Intel) Virtual Machine on an Apple Silicon Mac
      • Using Other Operating Systems on Your Mac
        • Customizing the Keyboard for a Guest OS
        • Running macOS Virtual Machines
          • Signing into Apple Account on macOS Virtual Machines
          • Connecting USB Devices Directly to Your macOS Virtual Machine
          • Supported Trackpad Gestures
      • Installing and Updating Parallels Tools
        • Parallels Tools Overview
        • Parallels Tools for Windows
        • Parallels Tools for Linux
        • Parallels Tools for Mac
      • Setting File Type Associations
      • Picture in Picture Mode
      • Hiding and Showing Parallels Desktop
      • Removing Parallels Desktop
      • Advanced Settings
      • Shared Network Settings
      • Host-Only Network Settings
      • Creating Custom Host-Only Networks
    • Troubleshooting
    • Parallels Desktop Social Media Pages
    • More Resources
    • Glossary
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On this page
  • Connecting a Removable Media Drive
  • Connecting a Network Adapter
  • Connecting a Sound Device
  • Connecting a USB Device
  • Connecting a Shared Folder
  • Connecting a Serial Port
  • Connecting a Printer

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  1. Parallels Desktop for Mac 20 User's Guide
  2. Advanced Topics
  3. Working with Virtual Machines

Changing Virtual Machine Configuration While in Use

Parallels Desktop allows you to connect or disconnect certain devices at runtime or switch some of them to use other media. Generally, the following virtual devices can be connected or disconnected at runtime:

  • Removable media drives

  • Network adapters

  • Sound devices

  • USB devices

  • Shared folders

If parallel and serial ports are present in the virtual machine configuration, you can also manage them on the go. To configure any of these devices, use the necessary command from the Devices menu in the menu bar. This menu is available only when the virtual machine is running.

Connecting a Removable Media Drive

If you have several CD/DVD drives connected to your virtual machine, in the Devices menu they are listed in the same order as they were connected. The first CD/DVD drive will be CD/DVD 1, the second will be CD/DVD 2, and so on.

Connecting a Network Adapter

You can set up any of the three network modes: Shared Networking, Bridged Networking, or Host-Only Networking.

Connecting a Sound Device

To connect or disconnect a sound device, choose the type of output (or input) device or Mute option respectively.

Connecting a USB Device

Parallels Desktop automatically detects all USB devices plugged into your Mac computer. The devices that are currently connected to the virtual machine appear in the list from the Device menu. You cannot use a USB device in macOS while it is being used by the virtual machine.

Connecting a Shared Folder

The Shared Folders options available at runtime are similar to the settings in the Virtual Machine Configuration dialog.

You can:

  • share all Mac disks or Home Folder only with the virtual machine;

  • share Windows guest operating system disks with macOS;

  • add a new shared folder.

Connecting a Serial Port

To connect or disconnect a serial port, click the Devices menu, select the corresponding serial port, and choose the appropriate command in the displayed menu.

Connecting a Printer

To connect to a printer or an output file, click the Devices > Printer menu, select your preferred printer, or choose to print to a file.

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Last updated 11 months ago

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