Free Guide to Removing Parallels Desktop From Mac

Why People Remove Parallels Desktop and What You Should Know First

Parallels Desktop is software that lets Mac users run Windows and other operating systems alongside macOS without restarting their computer. It's been around since 2006 and remains one of the most widely used virtualization tools for Mac professionals. However, not everyone who installs it keeps it forever. People remove Parallels Desktop for various reasons: they've finished a specific project that required Windows software, they're switching to a different virtualization tool, their Mac's storage space has become too crowded, or they simply don't use it anymore and want to free up system resources.

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Before you decide to remove Parallels Desktop, it's worth understanding what you might lose. The software typically stores virtual machine files—these are digital "computers" running inside your Mac that can take up significant storage space. If you have a Windows virtual machine with years of files, documents, or programs inside it, removing Parallels Desktop without backing those files up means they'll be gone. Some users have discovered too late that they needed a file from their virtual machine after deleting the software.

The removal process itself differs depending on your macOS version and how thoroughly you want to clean up. A basic removal might take 10-15 minutes, while a complete cleanup that eliminates every trace of the software and its associated files can take longer because you'll want to locate scattered configuration files and caches.

This guide walks through the different removal approaches, from the quickest method to the most thorough cleanup. By understanding each step before you start, you can make choices that match your needs—whether you need to preserve your virtual machines for later or want a completely clean slate.

• Back up any important files from your virtual machine before beginning removal
• Decide whether you want a quick removal or a complete system cleanup
• Set aside time to handle any leftover files and configuration folders

The Quick Removal Method: Moving Parallels Desktop to Trash

The fastest way to remove Parallels Desktop from your Mac is the same method you'd use to remove most Mac applications. This approach takes about five minutes and doesn't require technical knowledge. Here's what you're doing: you're telling your Mac to move the Parallels Desktop application from your Applications folder to the Trash, then emptying the Trash to finalize the deletion.

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To perform the quick removal, open Finder on your Mac. In the sidebar, click Applications. Scroll through the folder until you see "Parallels Desktop"—it typically appears as a single application icon with the Parallels name and logo. Click on it to select it, then either right-click and choose "Move to Trash" or press Command+Delete on your keyboard. Your Mac will move the application to the Trash.

Once you've moved Parallels Desktop to the Trash, you should empty the Trash to complete the removal. To do this, click the Trash icon in your Dock (usually at the far right), then click the "Empty" button. Alternatively, you can right-click the Trash icon and select "Empty Trash." Your Mac will permanently delete the Parallels Desktop application files.

This quick method works because macOS applications are typically self-contained. Unlike Windows software that spreads itself across many system locations, most Mac applications keep all their files in one place. Once you've moved Parallels Desktop to Trash and emptied the Trash, the application is removed and won't run anymore.

The main limitation of this approach is that it doesn't address virtual machine files or configuration settings. If you had created Windows virtual machines using Parallels Desktop, they typically remain on your computer in a folder called "Parallels" within your home directory. These files can occupy several gigabytes or more, depending on how many virtual machines you created and how much data they contained.

• Open Finder and navigate to Applications folder
• Locate Parallels Desktop and move it to Trash
• Empty Trash to finalize the removal
• Check your Applications folder to confirm Parallels Desktop is gone

Handling Virtual Machine Files and Where They Live

When you use Parallels Desktop to create a Windows virtual machine, the software saves it as a file package on your Mac's hard drive. This file package contains the entire virtual machine—the Windows operating system installation, all programs you installed within Windows, and any files you saved there. A single virtual machine typically occupies 20 to 100 gigabytes of space, though it can be much larger depending on how much you've installed and stored.

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These virtual machine files are usually stored in a folder called "Parallels" located in your home directory. To locate them, open Finder and press Command+Shift+H to go directly to your home folder (you might see it listed as your username). Look for a folder named "Parallels" or sometimes "Parallels Desktop VMs." Inside, you'll find folders for each virtual machine you created, often named things like "Windows 10.pvm" or "Windows 11.pvm." The ".pvm" extension stands for "Parallels Virtual Machine."

Before you remove these files, consider what's inside them. If you stored important documents, photos, or settings inside your virtual Windows machine, you'll want to back them up. However, if the virtual machine was only for testing purposes or running specific software that you no longer need, you can delete these folders to free up significant storage space on your Mac.

To back up a virtual machine before removal, you can copy the entire .pvm folder to an external hard drive or cloud storage service. This preserves the entire virtual machine. Later, if you install Parallels Desktop again, you could restore the virtual machine by placing the .pvm folder back in the Parallels directory. Some users do this when they're temporarily removing software but might need it again in the future.

If you're certain you don't need the virtual machines, you can delete the entire Parallels folder. Select it in Finder, press Command+Delete, and confirm the deletion. This will free up the storage space those virtual machines were occupying.

• Virtual machine files are usually in a "Parallels" folder in your home directory
• Each virtual machine file can be 20-100+ gigabytes
• Consider backing up the Parallels folder before deleting if you might need the data later
• Check inside virtual machines for important files before removal
• Deleting the Parallels folder frees significant storage space

Finding and Removing Configuration Files and Support Folders

When an application runs on your Mac, it often creates additional files and folders beyond the main application itself. Parallels Desktop stores configuration settings, license information, temporary files, and caches in several locations throughout your Mac's system. These files are smaller than virtual machine files but can still accumulate over time. Removing them provides a cleaner uninstall and ensures no leftover settings interfere with your system.

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These hidden support files are typically stored in folders that start with a dot (.) and are hidden from view by default in Finder. To see them, you need to make hidden files visible. Press Command+Shift+Period (the period key) in Finder, and hidden files will appear grayed out. The most common locations for Parallels Desktop files include a "Library" folder in your home directory (specifically ~/Library/Application Support/Parallels, ~/Library/Preferences, and ~/Library/Caches).

To remove configuration files systematically, navigate to your home directory (Command+Shift+H), then open the Library folder. Look for these Parallels-related folders: "Application Support/Parallels," "Preferences," "Caches," and "Logs." Within these locations, you'll find files and folders with names like "com.parallels" or simply "Parallels." You can move these to Trash just like regular folders.

Some users prefer to remove these folders systematically: first, remove the main Parallels Desktop application, then remove virtual machine files from the Parallels folder, then remove configuration files from Library locations. This step-by-step approach makes it easier to verify that each piece was successfully deleted.

If you're uncomfortable navigating hidden files, you have alternatives. Some third-party "uninstaller" applications can locate and remove these files automatically, though