Parallels Desktop 19 gets TouchID support for Windows 10 and 11, macOS Sonoma compatibility

The Apple Silicon device family running Windows 11 in Parallels Desktop 18

Parallels Desktop, a popular app for running Windows 11 and other operating systems on Macs (check out Microsoft's free virtual machines if you need one), has received a major update to version 19. Key changes include compatibility with the upcoming macOS Sonoma release, TouchID support for Windows 10 and 11, design improvements, enhancements for Apple Silicon-based Macs, and many more.

Here is what is new in Parallels Desktop 19:

Compatibility with macOS Sonoma: The upcoming macOS update contains several changes affecting virtual machines and specific features, such as printing. Therefore, developers from Parallels had to re-engineer Shared Printing to ensure you can continue printing within Windows. The app now uses Internet Printing Protocol, which can potentially bring more printer-specific features to Windows.
Design Improvements: Parallels Desktop 19 now meets modern macOS design guidelines and features a reworked icon.
TouchID support for Windows 10 and 11: Parallels Desktop 19 now lets you use your Mac's TouchID sensor to sign into Windows 10 and 11. The app can save your PIN into Mac Keychain and replace it with your fingerprint. Besides making your Windows on Mac experience more convenient, the change will benefit business customers, who often need to deal with stricter security requirements.
OpenGL Improvements with support for more CAD software: With OpenGL 4.1 support, Parallels Desktop 19 can run more Windows-specific CAD software, such as VariCAD, Deswik.CAD, Vectorworks Vision 2023, and more.
Apple Silicon optimizations: The latest improvements bring support for IPSW images, enhancements for basic virtual machine operations, two-finger gestures support for scrolling and zooming, mass deployment, automatic resolution adjustment, and port forwarding.
Microsoft Intune: Parallels Desktop 19 allows enrolling Windows 11 in Intune, making administering Windows devices within organizations easier and more efficient.