Parallels for ChromeOS, which lets Chromebooks run Windows, seems to be shutting down

Ben Schoon | Oct 9 2024 - 8:32 am PT

While ChromeOS has become more and more capable over the years, the occasional need for a traditional desktop operating system, namely Windows, has never really gone away. To solve that, some apps and services have allowed Chromebooks to run Windows, including Parallels, which is said to be shutting down later this year.

Running Windows on a Chromebook was once just a dream, but over time it’s become more possible and easier to do. In 2021, Parallels for ChromeOS launched as a solution to this problem for enterprise machines. This was built in part through a collaboration with Google.

However, updates to the project have been quiet for a long time now. The last notable update was in mid-2022 when Parallels was updated to support lower-end chipsets from Intel and AMD.

That silence was already writing on the wall, especially when combined with Google having acquired Cameyo earlier this year, specifically citing virtual Windows apps on ChromeOS as a reason for the acquisition.

ChromeUnboxed now reports, citing an unnamed source, that Parallels for ChromeOS will shut down soon. A user on Reddit claims that, during a sales call with Parallels, the company confirmed the shut down.

Current customers will apparently be informed soon, with a formal announcement sometime before the end of the year. Parallels for ChromeOS is also said to be discontinued before the year’s end, but there’s no explicit date mentioned.

There has yet to be any public confirmation of this change via the Parallels website or Google’s pages regarding the service, but it certainly seems like the end is near.