Run Microsoft Office 365 on your Mac with Parallels Desktop, including Windows-only Office plugins. Or, with Parallels Secure Workspace, you can provide a unified workspace for employees.
Are you an IT admin? See how Parallels Secure Workspace provides unified workspaces for your organization.
We’ve redefined what user-friendly IT should look like — for admins and end users alike. Experience Office 365 (plus Teams chat and legacy software) in a single unified workspace with a simple setup and streamlined architecture.
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"Parallels Desktop is the go-to app for the new MacBooks. It helps me use Microsoft Office 365."
"Great to use other OS seamlessly on Parallels Desktop. I can run Microsoft Office and PC gaming natively. I tried VirtualBox, but Parallels Desktop is much more seamless and value for money."
"I am a long time Windows user as CIO in corporate environments and wanted to try Mac OS and hardware but not willing to give up certain Windows apps, like Microsoft Office, that either did not exist on Mac OS or were not as full-featured on Mac OS. I used VMware Fusion for years, and their product updates were relatively infrequent, and overall product quality seemed to be deteriorating. I got Parallels Desktop and found it to be more reliable, faster, and full-featured."
"The [Parallels Secure Workspace] solution is extremely user-friendly. The user wants to be able to log in to any workplace via a browser, any browser, without having to download software first. After that [the user] must get to work quickly, but of course safely. You can do that with Parallels Secure Workspace."
"We saw that Parallels Secure Workspace offered intuitive, fast, and secure access. We chose it because it covered everything we needed. It was the only solution that offered file management within a web environment in a very intuitive way."
"Parallels Secure Workspace is the benchmark for remote desktop solutions, remote applications...in every aspect!"
Missing the full functionality of your favorite Microsoft Office apps and plugins?
Your solution is here — running a virtual machine with the Windows OS on your Mac enables you to use the plugins and features you need for peak productivity. Maximize the value of your Microsoft Office subscription with Parallels Desktop.
Accomplish more in less time — and with less effort — by automating repetitive tasks and streamlining workflows on your Mac with macros.
Experience the full functionality of Windows-based scripting including access to libraries and APIs not available on Mac and enjoy enhanced productivity without needing to switch devices.
No compromises are necessary to get the full Microsoft Office Professional experience on your Mac. Create and use Microsoft Access databases directly within Office, use ActiveX controls directly within Office documents, and more.
Avoid platform limitations and seamlessly leverage Windows-only plugins, tools, and features including Zapier, Salesforce, Evernote, and Grammarly extensions (among others).
PowerShell integration for task automation and configuration management is available in some Office applications on Windows, it is not available on Mac.
Maximize your software investments and avoid additional costs or hassle when switching between Windows and Mac environments.
The Mac and Windows versions of Office 365 both support integration with SharePoint and other Microsoft services, but the Windows version offers a deeper integration and the complete feature set, including SharePoint Designer.
Certain keyboard shortcuts are optimized for the Windows keyboard layout and do not directly translate to the Mac keyboard layout. Interface elements like menu layouts, ribbon design, and contextual menus differ between the Mac and Windows versions to accommodate platform-specific conventions and user expectations.
| Feature | Office 365 on Mac | Office 365 on Windows |
| Visual Basic Scripting capabilities | No | Yes |
| Ability to use macros | No | Yes |
| Microsoft Access Database | No | Yes |
| ActiveX Controls | No | Yes |
| Sharepoint Designer | No | Yes |
| PowerShell | No | Yes |
| Full Salesforce feature integration | No | Yes |
| Full Adobe Acrobat feature integration | No | Yes |
| Grammarly APIs | No | Yes |
| Full Evernote feature integration | No | Yes |
| Full Zapier feature integration | No | Yes |
The final step in your organization’s digital transformation? A true unified workspace that seamlessly blends legacy systems, Office 365, and Microsoft Teams.
Make the fat client versions of Office applications (both new and old) available as published applications if or when desired. Office application macros, extensions, and plug-ins are readily available.
Leverage Azure AD for single sign-on to Office 365 apps, SaaS apps, and legacy apps and file servers.
Access office desktops, apps, and files from any device, anywhere, at any time. Use Parallels Secure Workspace as a single point of access or use a different workspace like the Office 365 portal.
Real-time communication via Teams in the browser as a portable, unified communications platform.
Use older versions of Microsoft Office alongside state-of-the-art Office 365 where needed. Your legacy apps, desktops, and file servers run in the data center(s) of your choice and are securely available via web browser.
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Optimized for Mac M-series
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Free pilot that works with multiple hypervisors
Download and install Parallels Desktop on your Mac.
Once installed, set up a new virtual machine and install Windows.
After installing Windows, you can run the Windows version of Office 365 and enjoy its full feature set and functionality, right from your Mac.
*Windows license and Microsoft Office 365 licenses required.
Yes, you can use Microsoft Office 365 on a Mac with Parallels Desktop if you own or purchase the necessary license keys.
Yes, you can use Microsoft Office 365 (both the Windows and Mac versions, assuming you have the proper licenses. See how Parallels Secure Workspace works with Microsoft Office.
You will get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the rest of the Microsoft Office 365 suite on your Mac if you own or purchase the necessary license keys.
Yes, you can download and use the desktop version of Microsoft Office on your Mac with Parallels Desktop. Just follow these steps:
Once the installation is complete, you are ready to use the desktop version of Microsoft Office on your Windows 11 Parallels virtual machine. Note that you may need to activate the software using your Microsoft account credentials for full access to all the features.
Yes, you can install Microsoft Office 365 on your Windows virtual machine and the macOS side of your Mac with Parallels Desktop.
Parallels Desktop offers exclusive discounts for students enrolled in a qualified institution or professional educators employed at an eligible institution. Educational discounts can save users up to 50%. Start by verifying your student discount eligibility.
What’s the difference between Microsoft Excel on Mac on Parallels Desktop vs. Windows?
Windows Excel offers more features, better support, and a more comprehensive feature set compared to the Mac version.
Learn moreWhat’s the difference between Microsoft Office 365 on Mac in Parallels Desktop vs. Windows?
The primary difference between Microsoft Office 365 on Mac and Microsoft Office 365 on Windows is that the Windows version offers more features, functionalities, and integrations. In addition, there are variations in the user interface based on the underlying OSs.
Learn moreCan I ensure that Windows file types (e.g., .xlsx or .docx) are automatically opened by the appropriate Microsoft Office 365 program?
Yes, here’s how to automatically open a file from Finder in a Windows program:
Learn moreCan I use Microsoft Office 365 with Parallels Secure Workspace?
Yes, you can allow Parallels Secure Workspace to access your Office 365 subscription and use Microsoft One Drive for Business.
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