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Parallels Toolbox 4.5 adds support for Apple Silicon, a customizable dashboard, and a new user interface

Most people know Parallels as a virtualization software that makes it easier to run Windows on your Mac, but the company has an incredibly useful macOS utility called Parallels Toolbox that most people probably don’t know about. Today, Parallels Toolbox 4.5 has added support for Apple Silicon, a new dashboard for your most-used tools, and a brand-new user interface.

Parallels Toolbox 4.5 includes over 45 time-saving tools for macOS including tasks you probably have dedicated utility apps to use. Popular ones include:

  • Download videos from Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
  • Quickly mute your mic for Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc.
  • Lock your desktop if you need to step away
  • Make a GIF, screenshot, or record your screen
  • Find duplicate files to free up space
  • Eject external drives with one click
  • Enable AirPlane mode to turn off all external communications
  • Convert video for iPad and iPhone syncing
  • Set a timer
  • Uninstall macOS apps
  • Download audio from the web
  • Resize images
  • See your clipboard history
  • Many more!

9to5Mac‘s take on Parallels Toolbox 4.5

While Parallels Toolbox 4.5 ran just fine with Rosetta 2 technology, it’s great to see it become native to Apple Silicon. The new customizable dashboard allows you to quickly find your most-used custom tools, so they’re easier to access. Parallels Toolbox launches with around half the number of tools it has today, and according to the video above, more are coming. If you use a PC, Parallels Toolbox is also available for Windows.

If you’ve found yourself needing a bunch of different utility apps to handle the things that Parallels can handle, then you’ll want to check out the free trial to see if you can eliminate a lot of them and use a single app instead. Parallels Toolbox 4.5 includes a seven-day free trial and then is only $19.99/year, which includes all future updates as long as your subscription is active.

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