How to Change a Serial Number in Parallels 17 on Mac

In macOS, a serial number is usually presented as a 12-character combination. If you need to verify your virtual machine's serial number, follow these steps:

To begin, open Terminal (located within the Utilities folder under Applications) inside the virtual machine and execute the following command:

1. In a text editor, press `CMD + F` to show the search bar.

2. Type 'SerialNumber' without quotes in the search bar to locate the exact string needed.

3. Right-click on the virtual machine in Control Center, select 'Show in Finder,' then right-click on the `.pvm` file with TextEdit.app and open the `config.pvs` file.

Alternatively, you can edit your virtual machine's configuration file using the following method:

1. Open Terminal inside the virtual machine.

2. Type `Prlctl set 'Windows 10' -smbios-serial-number C02XK123456` to change the serial number.

However, it's essential to note that changing a serial number by editing the configuration file is more complicated and may not be as reliable once established.

In Parallels 17, you can also change your serial number using Boot flags. This method worked on previous versions of Parallels but may not work in newer versions.

If you click 'DENY' when prompted to allow a new serial number, you should see the serial adapter option available in the Hardware tab despite having already booted into Windows. However, if you attempt to connect the device directly, it will have no functionality and only show up in Device Manager.

It's worth noting that serial ports do not work in ARM64 Windows VMs. To ensure functionality, select the USB-to-serial adapter and launch Windows.

In Windows, verify that the Devices menu shows the serial adapter as NOT SELECTED (without a checkmark). Next, check the Device Manager to see if a COM 1 port is listed with a driver from Parallels.

Finally, in the VM Control Panel Hardware tab, ensure that your USB-to-serial adapter and Bluetooth serial connection are both visible. The Mac should have drivers or install the macOS driver version on the host. V17.1.0 is working for some users who had to learn the new 'secret' process to enable these features.

To plug in your USB-to-serial adapter, simply connect it to your Mac.

Serial parallels 17 mac