Signing into an Apple Account (formerly Apple ID) or using iCloud services inside a macOS virtual machine depends on your Mac's processor and the macOS version running on both the host and the virtual machine.
On Apple silicon Macs
If your Mac uses Apple silicon, you can sign into your Apple Account inside a macOS virtual machine, but only under specific conditions:
- Both the host Mac and the macOS virtual machine must be running macOS Sequoia 15 or later.
- On macOS Sonoma 14 or earlier, signing into an Apple Account inside the virtual machine is not possible.
- Even on macOS Sequoia 15 and later, signing into the Mac App Store from within the virtual machine is still not supported.
This limitation comes from Apple's Virtualization framework, which Parallels Desktop uses to run macOS virtual machines on Apple silicon. Parallels Desktop cannot override this platform-level restriction.
On Intel-based Macs
If your Mac uses an Intel processor, this specific restriction does not apply in the same way, since Intel-based macOS virtual machines in Parallels Desktop do not rely on Apple's Virtualization framework. If you run into Apple Account or iCloud sign-in issues on an Intel-based macOS virtual machine, this is typically unrelated to the framework limitation above. Check Apple's current guidance for your specific macOS version, since Apple's requirements around Apple Account and iCloud on virtual machines can change between releases.
What to do
If you need Apple Account or iCloud access inside a macOS virtual machine:
- Confirm your Mac uses Apple silicon.
- Update both the host Mac and the macOS virtual machine to macOS Sequoia 15 or later.
- Keep in mind that Mac App Store sign-in will still not work inside the virtual machine, even after you sign into your Apple Account.
For the most current details on which iCloud features are available inside a virtual machine, see Apple's support article Use iCloud on a virtual machine.
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