What is Coherence?
First off, you have to download Parallels Desktop 13 on your Mac. After the program has been downloaded, double-click on the ParallelsDesktop.dmg file to open it. Now, double-click on Install in the Parallels Desktop window. Another link on Parallels' menus invites you to buy Acronis True Image backup software, which you probably don't need if you use your Mac's built-in backup features. Parallel Computing. Anyone who wants to run a Windows app on the Mac should choose between our two Editors' Choice apps, Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion. Note: The feature is also available in newer Parallels Desktop for Mac versions. When selected, Windows will use up to half of assigned system memory (RAM) for graphics when required. Example: if your Mac video card has 3GB of vRAM, but your virtual machine has 4GB of System Memory (RAM) assigned, then Windows will use only up to 2GB of video.
Coherence is one of the four ways to view Parallels Desktop. In the Parallels documentation, these are called 'view modes':
- Window
- Full Screen
- Picture-in-Picture (PiP)
- Coherence
Window – Notice that both Windows applications (Word and Excel in this figure) are seen, but they are constrained to fit in the overall Windows window. Mac® applications (Keynote in this figure) run side by side with Windows and the Windows apps. The Keynote window overlaps the overall Windows window, but it cannot overlap only a Windows app.
Full Screen – Windows occupies the entire Mac screen. The individual windows for Windows applications can be larger and have more room. Mac applications that are currently running cannot even be seen. In fact, it's not easy to see that this is a Mac at all.
Picture-in-Picture – The entire Windows screen has been reduced to a postage stamp size, but it is still 'live.' Major screen changes can be observed. This view mode is useful in monitoring a long-running Windows operation.
Coherence – The Windows desktop is totally gone. The windows of Windows applications can overlap in any way. Note that the Keynote window is now 'between' the Word and Excel windows. This is not possible in the Window view mode. Operating the windows for the Windows apps resembles Mac apps in most ways.
Both Full Screen and Window modes are rather easily understood just from their names, and PiP is easy to understand and remember after you see it only once. Coherence requires a little more explanation.
Basically, Coherence hides the Windows desktop so that it doesn't take up any space on your Mac screen or distract you with its non-Mac look and feel. Figure 2 shows the same use of Parallels Desktop™ for Mac in Window view mode and in Coherence.
How do you enable or disable Coherence?
There are several ways to enable Coherence in Parallels Desktop 15 and these are shown in Figure 3.
- The blue button in the window title bar
- The || menu in the Mac menu bar
- The Parallels Desktop Startup and Shutdown preference in the Configuration window
- The blue button in the window title bar
- The || menu in the Mac menu bar
- The Parallels Desktop Startup and Shutdown preference in the Configuration window
In order to help new Parallels Desktop users, Parallels Desktop 15 plays a short introductory video about Coherence the first time it's used. You can see this video here:
Video 1: Coherence introductory video (5 seconds)
The easiest way to switch back to another view mode when using Coherence is to use the || menu in the Mac menu bar.
How do you do certain actions without a Windows desktop? Adobe premiere pro mac 11 crashing.
What Is Parallels Desktop
There are a number of Windows actions that are normally accessed from the Windows desktop—but when you're using Coherence, you don't see the desktop. How do you perform actions like these when in Coherence? Here are some of the most common actions from the Start Menu:
How To Use Parallel Desktop On Macbook
Video 1 shows enabling, using and disabling Coherence in a short session using Parallels Desktop. (2-minute video)
Parallels Desktop 10 For Mac
It has been my experience that there are only two reactions by Parallels Desktop users to Coherence: either they love it and use it all the time, or they hate it and rarely use it. The Coherence usage statistics seem to show that the majority like it. (See Figure 8.)
Let us know in the comments if you use Coherence mode and what you like or dislike about it. If you're interested in downloading a free 14-day trial of Parallels Desktop to figure out your favorite view mode, download and get started with virtualizing Windows on macOS.
