Parallels Brings Windows Apps To Chromebooks For Enterprise Users

Parallels is bringing Windows apps to Chromebooks with its new Parallels Desktop product. The Chromebook Enterprise software enables Chromebook enterprise customers to run Windows apps directly on the Chrome OS machines, bringing software like Microsoft Office and other software that businesses often rely on. Among other things, the Windows apps and Chrome OS apps can be run at the same time.

Chromebooks have become a favorite in many companies due to their relatively low cost, simplicity, long battery life, and other features. However, there are times when proprietary software must be used that may not support Chrome OS, forcing these companies to also deploy Windows machines. Parallels aims to offer a solution by bringing the two operating systems together.

With Parallels Desktop for Chromebook Enterprise, companies can run a full-featured Windows app on Chromebooks without having to launch an emulator or restart the machine. This is possible even in low-bandwidth and offline environments, according to the company, which notes that the Windows apps play well with Chrome OS in a number of ways.

For example, the integration includes a shared clipboard for copying and pasting between Chrome OS and Windows, shared user profiles, the ability to share custom Chrome OS folders with Windows, sharing printers between Windows and Chrome OS, as well as the ability to open web links from Windows 10 in Chrome OS.

Parallels is now offering its Chromebook Enterprise product for $69.99 USD annually. The company offers a full one month trial that includes five user licenses, Parallels says, noting that there are certain preferred devices, including the Google Pixelbook and Pixelbook Go, HP Elite c1030 and HP Pro c640, Acer Chromebook Spin 713 and Spin 13, ASUS Chromebook Flip C436FA, and more.