How AEC and industrial designers use SOLIDWORKS on Mac

In architecture, engineering, and industrial design fields, the computer you work on shapes what you can actually get done, whether you’re in school or working on real-world applications.

That’s why so many designers and engineers default to Mac.

Even though macOS has about a 14% share in desktop operating systems around the world, more than four in five engineers reportedly rely on macOS devices for daily tasks.

And this shows up when the workflow hits CAD.

Designers and engineers use Macs for design, documentation, and collaboration.

There’s just one problem.

What happens when you need to work with Windows-only CAD software like SOLIDWORKS?

SOLIDWORKS is used for modeling, simulation, and production...and it’s Windows-only. This leaves Mac-first teams in an awkward choice: Switch machines, split workflows, or find a way to make both worlds work together.

This is where Parallels Desktop fits in. It allows AEC and industrial design teams to use SOLIDWORKS inside a Windows environment while staying on macOS. This way, modeling, testing, documentation, and handoff all live in one continuous workflow.

Need to run SOLIDWORKS, but have a macOS device? Try Parallels Desktop Pro free for 14 days and see how it helps you run Windows software on Mac!

Can SOLIDWORKS be used on macOS?

SOLIDWORKS can be used on macOS by running Windows in a virtual machine with Parallels Desktop, even though it isn’t natively supported, and performance depends on hardware and workload.

Heads up: To run SOLIDWORKS, you’ll need Parallels Desktop Pro or higher to ensure your virtual machine can meet the minimum specs.

So, while you could consider lugging around two laptops—one with Windows for your CAD software and your Mac—it’s far from a perfect solution.

This setup with Parallels Desktop allows AEC and industrial design professions to open and use SOLIDWORKS within a Windows environment while continuing to work in macOS for documentation, communication, and file management.

Parallels gives me the best of both worlds—Mac reliability and organization, plus full access to SOLIDWORKS on Windows—so I can design, iterate, and deliver faster.

-Krish S., B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

For modeling, assemblies, and everyday design work, many users find this approach reliable when paired with sufficient system resources.

Because SOLIDWORKS relies on Windows-specific components and professional graphics support, performance and feature availability depend on hardware configuration and workload complexity.

For graphics-intensive simulation or visualization, a dedicated Windows workstation may be a better fit.

How macOS helps SOLIDWORKS users test and iterate designs

Design may be a step in the process—but it’s just that. A step. And after you come up with an initial model, you need to make sure it can work.

Once you’ve created a model within SOLIDWORKS, you can also use the software to run a wide range of finite element analysis (FEA) tests and simulations for stress, thermal, motion, fluid-flow, and more. Then, you can iterate based on the results until you find the right answer to your engineering problem.

But here’s the thing.

Standardized tests can’t always account for specific scenarios, and it isn’t exactly uncommon for an engineer or a designer to have to develop a custom test.

Running custom tests on Windows devices

While Windows can be used for coding, it’s more limited in what it can do. It’s great for some uses like .NET and DirectX, and it can be set up to run with Linux for a broader range, but it doesn’t naturally have the same flexibility as macOS.

Coding custom analyses on macOS

On the other hand, macOS is built on Unix, which gives its users inherent access to tools like Python, shell scripting, and additional coding resources. This makes it easier for users to get up and running with their coding tasks without a lot of setup—and speed is important when you’re testing and iterating on a design.

When you can run SOLIDWORKS in a Windows environment on your Mac device, you get all the functionality and standardized testing, plus a solid option for coding any custom analyses, in one place.

Bonus: Parallels Desktop has a neat function called Coherence mode that blends your macOS and Windows environments together, so you get the best of both worlds in what feels like just one device.

Running production for your SOLIDWORKS designs through macOS

You’ve done the design. You’ve done the testing. Now, it’s time to bring your idea to life.

But here’s where things can get messy.

The production stage often requires a few steps.

Renderings and visualizations

First, there are the renderings and visualizations for any stakeholders you need to get on board. You can do that within SOLIDWORKS, and by doing it in your Windows virtual machine, you can access those files through your Mac operating system as well—so your files are easier to organize and send out.

Sending designs to production

Once your design is ready to enter the real world, you’re now facing a plethora of steps that involve generating 2D drawings from your models in DXF or DWG formats, managing versions of those files (especially if outside vendors are involved), and working with any specific tools those vendors might have.

Even without Windows on your Mac through Parallels Desktop, you’d likely be working across OSs at this point.

When you run SOLIDWORKS on your Mac through your Windows virtual machine, these files are all in one place. You can also use SOLIDWORKS to create CNC toolpaths or send designs to production using its direct CAM integration without ever truly leaving your macOS environment.

No more additional file exports. No more wondering which laptop has the right files.

Ready to run SOLIDWORKS on Mac for yourself?

Whether you’re working with SOLIDWORKS for a class project or for your next large-scale industrial project, Parallels Desktop gives you the flexibility to run the Windows software you need on the Mac device you have.

Learn more about running SOLIDWORKS on your Mac on the Parallels website, and start your 14-day free trial today.

Looking to support a Mac-first team or help students get access to Parallels Desktop for SOLIDWORKS? Learn more about Parallels Desktop for Enterprise on the Parallels website.