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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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  • Adding a New Device to a Virtual Machine
  • Removing Devices from the Virtual Machine Configuration

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  1. Parallels Desktop for Mac 20 User's Guide
  2. Parallels Desktop Preferences and Virtual Machine Settings

Adding and Removing Devices

PreviousBackup SettingsNextSupport for Virtual and Physical Drives

Last updated 1 year ago

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Adding new devices to a virtual machine is easier than connecting new devices to a real computer. Removing or disconnecting devices is also easy. The following types of virtual devices can be added to the configuration or removed from it:

  • Hard drive

  • Optical drive

  • Network adapter

  • Printer port

  • Serial port

  • TPM chip

Note: Any aforementioned devices can only be added to the corresponding virtual machine when it is stopped. The Add becomes disabled when the virtual machine is running.

Adding a New Device to a Virtual Machine

  1. Choose Configure from the Actions menu to open Virtual Machine Configuration.

  2. Click the Hardware button at the top of the Virtual Machine Configuration dialog to open the pane for editing hardware devices.

  3. Click the Add button (+) in the bottom part of the Virtual Machine Configuration dialog and select the device to be added to your virtual machine.

  4. If you select any device except for a hard disk, the corresponding device with a typical configuration is added at once and ready for use.

    If you selected a hard disk, you should specify some parameters:

    • The hard disk type: a new image file, an existing image file, or a physical disk. Select Boot Camp if you want to add an existing Boot Camp partition as a hard disk to your virtual machine.

    • If you're adding an existing image file, provide the path to it on your Mac. If you're adding Boot Camp or a physical disk, specify its location.

    • The hard disk size for the new hard disk image file. Click OK to add the hard disk. After you add a new virtual hard disk to the virtual machine configuration, it will be invisible to the operating system installed inside the virtual machine until the moment you initialize it. For detailed information on how to initialize the newly added hard disk, please refer to the documentation and help resources of the operating system installed in your virtual machine.

After the new device is added, you can manage its properties as usual and start using it.

Removing Devices from the Virtual Machine Configuration

  1. Choose Configure from the Actions menu to open Virtual Machine Configuration.

  2. Click the Hardware button at the top of the Virtual Machine Configuration dialog to open the pane for editing hardware devices.

  3. Select the device you want to remove and click the Remove button (-) in the bottom part of the Virtual Machine Configuration dialog.