Launching and Running an x86_64 Virtual Machine on an Apple Silicon Mac

To import and launch an x86_64 virtual machine on an Apple Silicon Mac, follow these steps:

1. On your Intel Mac, choose a virtual machine that runs an operating system compatible with our emulator, as specified in this list.

2. Properly shut down the selected virtual machine. Transferring a virtual machine that's not been properly shut down may result in data loss.

3. Most Linux virtual machines created on Intel Macs will have a virtual bootloader that emulates legacy BIOS, which is not compatible with our emulation functionality. If you would like to transfer a Linux x86_64 machine, you will have to create a new one on your Intel Mac first, following these steps:

   1. Download an x86_64 ISO file for the required Linux distro.

   2. Start Parallels Desktop on your Intel Mac and select File > New...

   3. Click on Install Windows, Linux, or macOS from an image file, select the downloaded ISO file, and click Continue. Alternatively, choose one of the suggested options from the Free Systems section.

   4. Click Customize settings before the installation and select Continue.

   5. Once the configuration window opens, switch to the Hardware tab, and choose the Boot Order item from the left-side panel. Click on Advanced and select the 64-bit EFI option.

      

      Click OK.

   6. Close the window and proceed with the installation.

4. On your Intel Mac, open the Parallels Desktop Control Center, select the required virtual machine, right-click on it, and click Show in Finder. This will show you the .pvm file of your x86_64 virtual machine.

5. Transfer the .pvm file to your target Apple Silicon Mac, e.g., using an external USB drive.

6. Copy the required .pvm file to your Apple Silicon Mac's folder with Parallels Desktop virtual machines, right-click on it, and choose Open With > Parallels Desktop.

7. The imported virtual machine will initially be designated in the Control Center as Not Compatible. Right-click on it and choose the Start using Emulator option.

   

   After that, the virtual machine will be designated as an Intel x86 system.

   
8. Before using the newly imported x86_64 machine on your Apple Silicon Mac, check this list of what to expect.

For the latest compatibility updates and troubleshooting information, refer to this KB article.

Even if you don't have an Intel Mac on hand, you can still create and run an x86_64 virtual machine on an Apple Silicon Mac, albeit with some limitations. Read this subchapter for more details.