Setting Up ShipWorks on a Mac with Parallels
Even though ShipWorks cannot run directly in the macOS (it's a Windows application) you can install Windows on your Mac computer using Parallels, a third-party virtual machine application. Once Windows is installed, you can install ShipWorks just like you would on any PC running Windows. Parallels allows you to run Windows and macOS simultaneously on Mac, giving you easy access to both your macOS and Windows based applications. This article will provide you with resources and tips to help you get set up using Parallels running Windows on your Mac.
For more options on how you can run ShipWorks on your Mac computer, check out this article.
Parallels is a third party application, requiring you to download and install it onto your Mac. Parallels offers a demo period, at the end of which you will be required to purchase the software in order to continue using it. You will also need, if you haven't already done so, to purchase a valid copy of the Windows Operating System, such as Windows 10.
The first step is to follow the steps in the Getting Started with Parallels guide which will walk you through the process of downloading and installing Parallels on your Mac and with how to install the Windows Operating System within the Parallels virtual machine.
Great! Here are a few hints to help you out. There are a few settings within the Parallels application that may need to be updated in order to run ShipWorks successfully and we will list them for you below.
We recommend checking the amount of memory allocated to the Parallels virtual machine running Windows. To do so:
1. Click on the Settings icon located at the top right corner of the Parallels window.
2. Select the Hardware tab.
3. Then, select CPU and Memory from the list of available options.
4. Use the Memory slider to allocate as much memory as possible to the virtual machine.
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Depending upon how much installed memory you have in your Mac, allocate as much memory as possible. Four to eight gigabytes is a good starting point. More is even better.
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Keep in mind that the memory you allocate to the virtual machine subtracts from the available memory allocated to the macOS. Be sure to leave enough memory allocated for your Mac to run smoothly.
There are a couple of printer settings within Parallels that may interfere with how well ShipWorks prints. We recommend:
1. Click on the Settings icon located at the top right corner of the Parallels window.
2. Select the Hardware tab.
3. Select Shared Printers from the list of available options.
4. Uncheck both the Synchronize default printer and the Show page setup options before printing options.
If your Mac is running with a High-res display, you will want to set Parallels so that the Graphics settings are set to Scaled. Here's how:
Please note that if you are currently logged into Windows, changing this setting will force you to log out of and back into Windows within Parallels.
1. Click on the Settings icon located at the top right corner of the Parallels window.
2. Select the Hardware tab.
3. Then, click on the Graphics option.
4. Select Scaled.
5. Click Yes when prompted.
Coherence mode in Parallels makes it seem that your Windows applications are running natively within the macOS. With coherence mode enabled, you will not have to switch between the Parallels window and the macOS. All running Windows applications will display on the Mac desktop and in the application Dock. Here is a screenshot of ShipWorks running on a Mac with Coherence Mode enabled.
With Coherence enabled, you can also access the Windows Start Menu from the Dock.
To enable Coherence Mode:
1. With Parallels running and the application selected, click on the View menu.
2. Select Enter Coherence.
Glad you asked! Now that you can boot Windows using Parallels, you are ready to begin installing and setting up ShipWorks. We have many great articles available to help you get started.
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