Using Windows 11 through parallels on mac

Char Stockwell 0 Reputation points
2026-05-28T13:57:01.7533333+00:00

I am using a Mac Studio running Tahoe 26.5. I am trying to run SMAPI which requires Windows. I purchased a Windows 11 license but it will not work because I never had a windows 10 on this Mac. How can I get windows to work

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Install and upgrade
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Char Stockwell 0 Reputation points
2026-06-01T09:06:26.78+00:00

Turns out that it is so simple. I didn’t need parallels or Windows 11 or any of that stuff.. I just download the file from Nexus Mods and drag it into my mod folder. It’s just that simple. Thanks everybody for your suggestions.

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  1. AI answer

    2026-05-28T13:57:13.3866667+00:00

    Windows 11 can run on a Mac with an Apple silicon chip (such as Mac Studio) only in specific, supported ways. Having or not having Windows 10 on that Mac does not prevent Windows 11 from working; what matters is using a supported method and a valid Windows 11 license.

    For a Mac Studio using Parallels Desktop:

    1. Use a supported Parallels version
      • Parallels Desktop versions 18, 19, and 20 are authorized solutions for running Arm versions of Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Enterprise on Apple M1, M2, and M3 Macs.
      • Ensure Parallels is one of these versions and that the VM is created as a Windows 11 on Arm virtual machine.
    2. Use Windows 11 on Arm
      • On Apple silicon, Parallels runs the Arm edition of Windows 11, not the x64 edition.
      • The Windows 11 Pro product key is platform-agnostic (x64 vs Arm), so a valid Windows 11 Pro key can activate Windows 11 on Arm in Parallels.
    3. Install and activate Windows 11
      • Create a new Windows 11 VM in Parallels and install the Arm version of Windows 11.
      • During or after installation, enter the purchased Windows 11 Pro product key to activate. A separate license is required for each Windows 11 instance, including VMs.
    4. Be aware of limitations
      • The Arm version of Windows 11 has limitations that can affect some hardware, games, and apps, especially those relying on DirectX 12 or nested virtualization features.
      • Experiences that depend on nested virtualization (Windows Subsystem for Linux, Windows Subsystem for Android, Windows Sandbox, virtualization-based security) are not supported in this Parallels-on-Mac scenario.

    If SMAPI or the game it depends on requires features not supported on Windows 11 on Arm (for example, certain DirectX 12 capabilities), it might not work correctly in this environment. In that case, an alternative is to use a Windows 11 Cloud PC via the Windows 365 service, which provides a fully compatible Windows 11 environment hosted in the cloud and accessed from the Mac.

    The fact that this Mac never had Windows 10 does not block Windows 11 installation or activation; a valid Windows 11 Pro license key is sufficient for a new VM.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Char Stockwell 0 Reputation points
    2026-05-28T14:02:15.8+00:00

    I purchased Windows Home II

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  3. Lychee-Ng 28,915 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-05-29T11:48:28.91+00:00

    Hi Char Stockwell,

    I completely understand the confusion here, especially with installing Windows on a Mac device. The good news is that you shouldn’t need Windows 10 at all, so let me clarify a few things first, then we can go into it step by step.

    Now, Windows can run on a Mac Studio, but only as a special version called Windows 11 ARM, not the normal PC version. In addition, Microsoft and Parallels officially mention support mainly for Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise. That’s why the AI answer below could only give those suggestions.

    Based on other users’ reports, you might still be able to run Home. But I would recommend you to be prepared for incompatibilities. If you’re ok with it, let’s follow these steps below exactly:

    1. Open Parallels Desktop (download if you haven’t)
    2. Delete your current Windows virtual machine / session
    3. Click File > New > Get Windows 11 from Microsoft
    4. Click Auto Install > wait for Windows to finish download
    5. When it starts to proceed: CANCEL installation > close window.
    6. Add new Windows, but this time select ISO image > Home edition
    7. After Windows opens, go to Settings > System > Activation
    8. Click Change product key and enter your Windows 11 Home key.
    9. If it fails, still in Activation > Troubleshooter > I changed hardware…

    One last thing to keep in mind: since this is Windows ARM, some apps or mods (especially very specific ones like SMAPI) might not work the same as they would on a regular Windows PC. That would be a separate limitation from Windows itself.

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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