Instructional: This is how you install Windows 11 on Mac using Parallels. V2.0

By Oliver, 4 September, 2025

(Updated 06.09.2025)

Overview

A short, clear guide for blind users on macOS Sonoma to set up Parallels and run Windows 11 as a virtual machine.

  • Uses VOCR for inaccessible screens.
  • Uses Karabiner-Elements on macOS to map Caps Lock → Insert.
  • Uses SharpKeys in Windows to map Insert → Caps Lock, so Narrator can use Caps Lock as its modifier.
  • Focuses on the App Store edition of Parallels, with notes for the Standalone edition if you need advanced features.

Before You Start (Downloads & Keys)

  • [ ] Decide which Parallels edition to install (App Store vs Standalone).
  • [ ] Download: VOCR, Karabiner-Elements, SharpKeys.
  • [ ] Have your Apple ID or Parallels subscription key ready.

We’ll grant macOS permissions after you install/open each app for the first time.

What You Will Install

  • Parallels Desktop — App Store Edition: Open in Mac App Store
    Differences & Licensing Notes:

    • App Store edition → Simplest install, activation via Apple ID, updates from the App Store.
    • Standalone edition → Download here for features like Coherence mode, advanced sharing, and networking.
    • Licensing:
    • Subscription keys from Parallels’ website work in both editions.
    • Perpetual one-time keys don’t activate the App Store edition.
    • App Store subscriptions don’t give you a transferable license key.

  • VOCR for macOS: VOCR releases

  • Karabiner-Elements for macOS: Karabiner-Elements
  • SharpKeys for Windows:
  • Narrator tips: Narrator guide (Microsoft Support)

1) Install & Prepare VOCR on macOS

  1. Unzip VOCR, move it to Applications, then open it.
  2. On first run, macOS will prompt for permissions. In System Settings → Privacy & Security, grant VOCR:
    • Accessibility
    • Screen Recording
    • (If a prompt isn’t spoken, press VO+F1 twice to focus it.)
  3. Open VoiceOver Utility (VO+F8) → General → enable Allow VoiceOver to be controlled with AppleScript.
  4. Test VOCR: press Command + Shift + Control + W → you should hear “Finished.”
  5. Navigate OCR results with Control + Command + Arrow keys.
  6. Click items with VO-Shift-Space.
  7. Tip: Turn off Screen Curtain while using VOCR so it can “see” the screen.

2) Create a Simple Windows Profile in Karabiner

  1. Install and open Karabiner-Elements.
  2. On first run, macOS will prompt for permissions. In System Settings → Privacy & Security, grant Karabiner:
    • Input Monitoring
    • Accessibility
  3. Go to Profiles → Add Profile → name it Windows.
  4. With the Windows profile selected, open Simple Modifications and add:
    • From key: caps_lock
    • To key: insert
  5. Activate this profile when working in Parallels and switch back afterward.

Optional (Advanced): Use the Karabiner auto-switch complex rule below to automate this (Caps Lock acts as Insert only when Parallels is focused).

3) Install Parallels and Activate

  1. Install Parallels via the App Store link.
  2. Launch Parallels. On first use, macOS may prompt for:
    • Accessibility, Input Monitoring, Screen Recording → grant these for reliable keyboard pass-through and display capture.
  3. Choose one:
    • Start Free Trial
    • Restore Purchases (if bought via App Store)
    • I Have Subscription (enter your subscription key)
  4. Licensing reminders:
    • Subscription keys from Parallels’ website work in both editions.
    • Perpetual one-time keys do not work with the App Store edition.

4) Create the Windows 11 VM (Use VOCR Throughout)

  1. In Parallels Control Center, click New (+).
  2. Select Get Windows 11 from Microsoft, then Continue.
  3. Use VOCR for any unlabeled or silent UI:
    • Scan: Command + Shift + Control + W
    • Navigate: Control + Command + Arrow keys
    • Click buttons like Continue, Next, Install, Accept, Finish with VO-Shift-Space
    • Enable Install Windows automatically if available.
  4. Parallels will install Windows 11 automatically (download + install may take time).
  5. When you see Installation Complete:
    • Choose Continue and accept the EULA.
    • Let Parallels Tools finish installing.
    • If it doesn’t, go to Actions → Install Parallels Tools, then reboot the VM.

5) First Boot: Turn On Narrator

  1. Press Windows + Control + Enter (on Apple keyboards: Command + Control + Return).
  2. Open Settings → Accessibility → Narrator with Windows + Control + N to adjust:
    • Speech rate
    • Verbosity
    • Keyboard layout
  3. Set Caps Lock (or Caps + Insert) as the Narrator modifier key.

6) Keyboard Tweaks for a Natural Windows Experience

A) Pass macOS Shortcuts Into Windows

  1. In Parallels, open Preferences → Shortcuts.
  2. Set Send macOS system shortcuts to Always.
  3. Result: Command+Tab becomes Alt+Tab in Windows.
    • To switch back to macOS while the VM runs:
      • VO-Shift-D (Dock), VO-M (menu bar), or Control + Command + F to exit full-screen.

B) Make Caps Lock Work as the Narrator Modifier

  1. macOS: Karabiner maps Caps Lock → Insert (your Windows profile).
  2. Windows (SharpKeys): map Insert → Caps Lock:
    • Open SharpKeys → Add → From: Insert → To: Caps Lock → OK.
    • Click Write to Registry, then sign out or reboot the VM. (Alternatively, install my config in the Advanced section below.)
  3. In Settings → Accessibility → Narrator → Keyboard, set Caps Lock (or Caps + Insert) as the modifier.

7) Make Everyday Use Smoother

  • Use full-screen mode to reduce overlap between VoiceOver and Narrator speech.
  • Toggle VoiceOver speech off while working inside Windows, then on when you return to macOS.

8) Understanding UAC (User Account Control) & Workarounds

What is UAC?
User Account Control (UAC) is Windows’ safety feature that asks for your approval before an app makes system-level changes (e.g., installing software or editing the registry). When UAC appears, Windows often switches to a special secure desktop that dims the background and shows a consent dialog with Yes/No.

Why isn’t it spoken sometimes in Parallels?
Because UAC runs on the secure desktop, some screen readers (including Narrator in certain VM contexts) don’t announce the prompt reliably. The dialog is present but may be silent.

What to do when the UAC prompt isn’t spoken:
- Keep the VM focused and press Alt+Y to choose Yes (approve).
- If that fails, use VOCR to scan and click Yes with VO-Shift-Space.
- If VOCR cannot see it, try exiting and re-entering full-screen, then scan again.

Advanced (security trade-off): You can configure Windows not to switch to the secure desktop for UAC prompts (via Local Security Policy), which may make them more likely to be spoken—but this reduces system security. Change only if you understand the risk.

9) Advanced Setup (Optional)

Install my SharpKeys profile

This remaps Insert → Caps Lock, swaps Windows and Alt on the left, and creates Right Ctrl and Application (Context Menu) on the right—mimicking a standard Windows keyboard layout.

  1. Download my config file (link in Quick Links).
  2. Open SharpKeys → Import (or File → Import).
  3. Choose the downloaded file.
  4. Verify it shows Insert → Caps Lock (and any optional mappings).
  5. Click Write to Registry, then sign out or reboot.

Install the Karabiner complex mapping (auto-switch Caps Lock → Insert only when Parallels is focused)

Credit: Igna Triay — rule link below.

You can install the rule in two accessible ways:

Method A — Paste the rule directly (no files) 1. Open Karabiner-Elements → Complex Modifications.
2. Choose Add rule → Add your own rule (or Open JSON editor if presented).
3. Paste the full rule JSON from the linked file.
4. Save, then Enable the rule (it will appear in the list).
5. Confirm it activates when Parallels Desktop is focused and disables elsewhere.

Method B — Import the downloaded rule file 1. Download the rule from the link below.
2. In Karabiner-Elements → Complex Modifications, select Add rule → Import (or Open config folder).
- If you opened the config folder, copy the file into:
~/.config/karabiner/assets/complex_modifications/
- Return to Complex Modifications, choose Add rule, then Enable the rule.
3. Make sure it toggles correctly based on whether Parallels is focused.

Download the rule: Karabiner complex rule (Google Drive)
Credit: Igna Triay

Full Keyboard Isolation

In Parallels → Preferences → Shortcuts, VOCR-click into the Windows shortcuts table and uncheck all mapped shortcuts so all keystrokes go straight to Windows. Repeat for Application Shortcuts if needed.

Quick Links

FAQ

Can I switch later to the standalone Parallels?
Yes — subscription keys from Parallels’ website activate both editions. Perpetual keys do not work with the App Store version.

How do I switch back to macOS while leaving the VM running?
Use VO-Shift-D (Dock), VO-M (menu bar), or Control + Command + F to exit full-screen.

What is the Narrator shortcut?
Windows + Control + Enter. On Apple keyboards, that’s Command + Control + Return.

Tags
Mac Apps
macOS
Miscellaneous

Disclaimer

The article on this page has generously been submitted by a member of the AppleVis community. As AppleVis is a community-powered website, we make no guarantee, either express or implied, of the accuracy or completeness of the information.

Options

Comments

By JoĂŁo Santos on Thursday, September 4, 2025 - 09:52

A few questions that are currently not answered on the original post:

  1. Other than the automated and mostly non-interactive Windows installation, what kind of difference do you feel between running Windows on Parallels as opposed to UTM?
  2. Is there anything about Parallels that not only justifies its price but also having to put up with its accessibility problems compared to UTM?
  3. A user on the other thread mentioned audio latency as a problem for them in UTM; do you experience that in Parallels?

I'm really curious about these things, because I've read people suggest Parallels a lot here and so far I don't really understand exactly what makes it stand out considering its aforementioned negative aspects.

By Oliver on Thursday, September 4, 2025 - 10:04

As this is a guide, it's probably better we keep questions to the specifics of installation rather than derailing by weighing up Parallels drawbacks and benefits.

I certainly agree it is a conversation worth having, and I suggest you create a separate forum post which I'll be more than happy to blather away at. :)

By JoĂŁo Santos on Thursday, September 4, 2025 - 10:28

The thread that you are asking me to create already exists, and you even commented on it. That thread also mentions UTM before I even replied for the first time, and to my knowledge you never addressed any of those questions.

For example this comment of yours:

I do get your point though. There is the question of giving our money, on mass, to a company who hasn't done anything about including accessibility for the last six years. On the other side of that, is personal choice and need. If one is willing to put up with the pain of it for a greater reward, it's really down to the individual but this is why forums such as this one are so good as, despite the hyperbole and between the flames, there is some good information that can inform people's purchasing decision.

The problem with that thread in particular, and the reason why I decided to intervene the way that I did, is precisely because the original poster asked whether Parallels was accessible using VoiceOver and people kept claiming that it was "kinda" only to end up stating that sighted assistance or an actual OCR was required to interact with it, which constitutes actual disinformation in my book because the fact of the matter is that it's definitely not accessible with VoiceOver. Not only that but subjective personal choice is hardly informative to anyone, hence my questions that for some reason everyone seems to avoid for no good reason, and you in particular mentioned "greater reward" but never actually elaborated on that, so the objective informative contribution is totally missing.

By Oliver on Thursday, September 4, 2025 - 11:28

I can't compare the options. My only experience is with parallels.

The intention of this guide is to help people who wish to install parallels. I understand one might ask why, but the hope here is this will make it easier for those who want to try and perhaps compare.

This, and please forgive the grim metaphor, is simply one way of skinning the cat... A metaphor which would have been far better had Apple not abandoned their big cat naming convention.

By Igna Triay on Thursday, September 4, 2025 - 12:28

If using karabiner, another option is to make a complex rule that will do the switch from Caps lock to insert automatically whenever parallels is focused, and switch back to caps lock when parallels is not focussed. I.e, if your on your vm, capslock will be insert, but as soon as you say, tab away from the vm and back to the desktop, insert will revert back to caps lock automatically, and yes, this happens even if the vm is still powered on as long as its not the focussed application, it'll switch back. That way you don’t have to switch between different profiles. If anyone is interested, I will paste the link to a text file containing. The rule for karabiner, Adjust open the text file in text edit, select all, copy, then go to karabiner, complex modifications, add your own rule, paste into the text box that shows up, save, and your all set.
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/j3za5d3b4xfmy7w4xow7w/Caps-Lock-to-Insert-when-Parallels-is-focused-otherwise-Caps-Lock-karabiner-complex-rule.txt?rlkey=xofke235gn6ss85xzc41xs43b&st=a7g3zfya&dl=0

By Oliver on Thursday, September 4, 2025 - 13:57

Thanks so much for this. I found a script but couldn't get it working. This one worked perfectly.

I'm hesitant to include it in the guide as it add more complexity. What do you think?

The problem with this whole set up is, it's a pain from start to finish. I guess we could provide files like these, I could share my sharpkeys profile, but but think that just adds to the confusion.

By Maldalain on Thursday, September 4, 2025 - 15:19

It’s because of amazing people like Oliver—and so many others—that AppleVis is such a great place for anyone looking for advice or support. Huge thanks for this guide and for all the contributions you’ve shared with the community!

By Igna Triay on Thursday, September 4, 2025 - 15:51

I myself don’t use sharpkeys, I actually configured my virtual machine so that The shortcuts are within parallels itself, but that was just me. But yeah, i'd include the files and the karabiner rule. I mean its a one time thing, set it once and that's it. I wouldn't say its a pain from start to finish, I mean if its the first time using say VOCR or karabiner I can see that it might be a pain, but if your already used to VOCR and karabiner etc its easy.

By Gus Pacleb on Thursday, September 4, 2025 - 16:08

Thanks for the step by step guide! You beat me to it. I've been wanting to do something like this for a while but could not figure out the best way to structure it so it would make sense. Huge thanks for creating.

I posted this on a previous thread, but I'll also post here for those who may want a little more separation between VM and MacOS.

You can disable every single equivalent of a VM shortcut so that all keys get passed along to Windows. This is useful for those who who are okay with adapting and want to use standard windows commands, and want total isolation of keyboard input to be sent to the VM and the VM only.

In Parallels preferences in the same section where you can configure keyboard shortcuts, VO OCr and activate the Windows 11 option. Upon activation VO will announce that you're in a table on the last option. Rerun a VO OCR scan and you'll see a bunch of keyboard commands. Selecting one, on the left side will put you in a giant list. Press space to check or uncheck the mapped shortcut. I have all of mine unchecked. You can repeat this for the application shortcuts section as well, which is further up and to the left when running an OCr scan.

I hope this is helpful.
Gus

By Cowboy on Thursday, September 4, 2025 - 22:11

If you can make command tab work like alt tab inside of windows, how do you then switch out of the VM and back into the macOS while leaving the VM running? I know that while running VMware command tab moves me between all of the open Mac applications including VMware. What am I missing here?

By Igna Triay on Friday, September 5, 2025 - 00:09

2 ways. You go back to the dock or to the desktop of the mac with VO shift d. Or you could always use say, the application chooser via the trackpad to directly jump to another application as well.

By Oliver on Friday, September 5, 2025 - 08:13

How did you configure the shortcuts in parallels? I was hitting a wall. Though I could put a key in to the "from", the "To" is a combo box which, when I VOCR click on it, doesn't show the options even if vanilla VO reads out the list.

I do have a vague memory of using parallels in the past and the layout for shortcuts being different.

By Oliver on Friday, September 5, 2025 - 08:21

I'll let this run for a little longer and compile suggestions, all of which are great.

I do have to make a choice though as, after we manage to install, quite a few things are down to personal preference such as switching the option and command keys/windows and alt, locking the keyboard to the VM etc.

I suppose we need a more specific goal. Mine was to create, as much as possible a perfect replica of windows including all key mappings and for it to work in a kind of sand box where, though we can access mac files, there is no over spill from mac or vice versa. Saying all that, I know some people do like the coherence mode which allows apps from the stand alone version of parallels to be broken out and to sit like any other mac app. Personally, I don't like this. It's messy and there is a lot of chatter between the windows screen reader and voiceover.

Maybe I should split the guide into two. The first being a basic guide to get the user up and running, and then we compile a second guide for customisation?

What's everyone's thoughts?

By Dennis Long on Friday, September 5, 2025 - 09:34

I like your suggestion. Thanks for all you do its appreciated.

By Tyler on Saturday, September 6, 2025 - 06:27

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

Can you use VO-Space to click an item when VOCR navigation is engaged? I always thought you had to click the mouse either with VO-Shift-Space or the physical mouse button.

By Oliver on Saturday, September 6, 2025 - 08:12

I've shared through Google Drive. Could someone try downloading and make sure it works? It's down in the Quick Links section.

Does anyone know how we can get either NVDA or Narrator to read the user authorisation window that pops up when installing from an untrusted source or when making system changes? It doesn't voice on Parallels, for some reason. The way around this is doing Alt Y, but for the sake of this guide, it would be nice if there were a solution. Sharp Keys requires user privileges, which is why I ask.

By Igna Triay on Saturday, September 6, 2025 - 10:21

To add the shortcuts to parallels you have to do it with OCR to click the buttons, say, command as control, then press ok with VOCR, the dialog is accessible with voiceover but, it doesn't work for some reason like you can set it up but when you press ok it doesn't work, its I think the second or first button to do bring up the add a new shortcut menu.

By Oliver on Saturday, September 6, 2025 - 11:50

Before struggling with this option further, does caps lock to insert actually work as a parallels shortcut, IE, without using carabiner elements? I'm also wondering if it works with mac keyboard set to always pass through to the VM.

By Tayo on Saturday, September 6, 2025 - 11:59

I don't have the cash to purchase this, and seeing as it's so finicky to set up, I probably wouldn't purchase it unless I had no choice. But has someone donne a side-by-side comparison of Parallels vs. Fusion? I'm writing this on Fusion, and have never noticed any latency issues, slowdowns or anything like that.

By Maldalain on Saturday, September 6, 2025 - 13:03

Thanks Oliver again for this guide. You might have already done this, but may you kindly update the guide benefiting from commentors questions and notes? I am planning to follow your guide and need to make sure that I am following the exact, trouble free procedure. Much appreciated your effort.

By Oliver on Saturday, September 6, 2025 - 13:57

I'd be very interested to read such a comparison. I suggest you set up a thread on the matter. I only have experience with parallels.

Also, if we could keep the discussion to this guide and getting people up and running on parallels, that will be great. I'll refresh the guide tomorrow when I've got a chance, but, as it stands, it works. The extra aspects provided by the thread are more icing on the cake than anything.

By Tyler on Saturday, September 6, 2025 - 21:17

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

As someone debating whether to buy a new Windows PC to replace my aging one, or ditch my Windows hardware and create a VM on my Mac, I am also interested in a comparison of Parallels versus VMware Fusion. While I am not thrilled by the idea of paying for software that requires third-party accessibility workarounds to navigate essential parts of the interface, it sounds like due to a Windows audio bug, I'll need to use VOCR one way or another. Furthermore, regarding VMware, I get the sense that Broadcom is committed to user-hostility above all else with their convoluted account creation and download process, as well as the breaking of in-app update functionality with no apparent plans to fix it. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Fusion was ultimately discontinued or allowed to slowly decay in the future, due to its failing to align with the company's apparent core priority of alienating longtime enterprise cloud customers.