.PVM File Extension
Parallels Virtual Machine
| Developer | Parallels |
| Popularity |
3.3 | 22 Votes |
| Category | Disk Image Files |
| Format | Binary |
What is a PVM file?
A PVM file is a virtual machine created by Parallels Desktop for Mac, a virtualization application for Macs that can run other operating systems. It is a macOS package that stores all of the information for a virtual machine required by Parallels Desktop for Mac to load and run an operating system, such as Windows or macOS.
Parallels Desktop for Mac is a program that allows Mac users to run Windows, Linux, Android, and additional versions of macOS on their computers. When you create a virtual machine (VM) with Parallels Desktop, the software creates a PVM file to store its contents. To create a PVM file, select or click + in the Control Center.
Each PVM file is a macOS package that contains all the files Parallels Desktop needs to launch an operating system. One of these files is an .HDD file, which stores the files saved to your virtual machine's hard drive. For example, a Windows virtual machine's HDD file includes all the Windows program files you have added to that virtual machine. Another file located within a PVM file is the Parallels Desktop Configuration .PVS file, which contains settings for the VM.
NOTE: Since PVM files contain all of the information for a VM, you can move a VM to another computer by moving the PMV file.
How to open a PVM file
To open a PVM file as a virtual machine, you must install Parallels Desktop for Mac on your Mac. Place your PVM file in the folder you set as the default location for storing virtual machines (Parallels default location is Macintosh HD/Users/[username]/Documents/Parallels/). Then, open Parallels, select , and select your PVM file.
Opening a PVM file as a macOS package
In macOS, you can right-click a PVM file and select to view the package's directories and files with Apple Finder. Files you may find stored within a PVM file include PVS, HDD, .LOG, .ISO, and .DAT files.
NOTE: Modifying the contents in a PVM file may corrupt the virtual machine.