Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/18/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Purchased Parallels product on Nov. 21, 2023 and requested refund on Dec. 18, 2023. Invoice and picture of my request enclosed. I have opened several case in 2024 with not help from Parallels support team. They dont seem to understand or read my messages and documents showing that I have followed their instructions to request a refund. I am enclosed the documents I sent to them to show that I requested the refund and opened a ticket on their portal for refund. If you could help me with this issue would be great.Order Ref:431305483

  Business Response

  Date: 02/18/2025

  Hello, 

  Thank you for reaching out. We apologise that the refund request was not processed earlier. We have now issued a refund for the order, reference number *********. You should receive the funds within the next few days.

  Sincerely, 

  The Parallels Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/29/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I bought a lifetime license for their ************************* Mac ********************** 8 months ago and now the software is broken and does not work. I reached out to their support team and was instructed to pay to upgrade to their latest version 20 of the software since version 19 is not compatible with the latest MacOS software. Reading tons of reviews online, I now see that this is a yearly probably for EVERYONE who buys a "Lifetime" license from this company where the ********************** becomes unsupported in under a year whenever their new paid upgrade comes out. This company offers 2 pricing tiers, a subscription that allows yearly upgrades and a lifetime license which apparently only works for under a year and then you're forced to pay for upgrades to use the software that you paid $129 for. Their support team didn't even try to help me troubleshoot. They instantly instructed me to pay more money in order to use the software that I paid for. Unbelievable that there isn't a class action lawsuit against this company. What a total scam.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/02/2024

  Hello,
  

  Thank you for contacting us.
  

  Were sorry to hear about your experience with Parallels Desktop 19 for Mac.
  

  Our Senior Support team will be reaching out directly to Mr. ***** to address this issue and assist further.
  

  Sincerely,
  The Parallels Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/21/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I recently purchased a 1 year subscription to Parallels Desktop for Mac. The refund policy says that I can request a refund in 30 days if I'm not satisfied. When attempting to get one via the form ***********************************, I get an email that I need to contact Parallels support. When I reach Parallels support, I get a chat bot that tells me to use the form mentioned earlier. When I attempt to try and get a support **** I get an error. I just want my money back, I'm not satisfied with this product.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/21/2024

  Hello,
  
  Thank you for getting in touch. We are sorry to hear about the trouble you experienced reaching Parallels Support.
  
  As requested, your order reference number ********* has been refunded.
  
  If there is anything else we can help with, please do let us know.
  
  Best regards,
  The Parallels Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/10/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Hello, I opted for this software following a satisfactory trial period. It functioned well then, but after purchasing and initiating it months later, I encountered a persistent blue screen error stating, Your device ran into a problem and needs to restart. This issue does not arise when I start Bootcamp directly; it occurs solely when launching Parallels on macOS. Despite multiple contacts with tech support and several unsuccessful troubleshooting attempts, their final suggestion was to install a new Windows partition. However, this led to a new issue: I could access my old files but not my Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking software, as it requested a registration code. Since the registration was completed on the original Bootcamp partition via Parallels when it was working correctly but was now causing blue screen errors, I cannot deactivate the license for use on another device. ******'s stringent licensing policies compound the problem, and reaching out for their support has been futile. Parallels trial performance was flawless, but after numerous unsuccessful interactions with tech support, I found my time unduly consumed. I am requesting a refund of the $60 I paid, as the primary purpose of using Parallelsto run Dragon Naturally Speaking on macOSremains unmet. Given that I possess an ***** Mac, directly launching Bootcamp is more efficient, rendering Parallels ineffective for its intended use. I have attached the purchase receipt and my email exchange with the firm. I'm requesting a refund of this software.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/11/2024

  Hello,

  Thank you for contacting us. We're sorry to hear that Parallels Desktop for Mac did not meet your expectations. This is to confirm that a refund has been issued for your order, reference number *********, and you should see the funds reflected in your account within a few business days.
  

  We truly appreciate your interest in Parallels and hope to welcome you back as a loyal customer in the future.
  

  Best regards,
  The Parallels Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/05/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On May 11, 2024, I paid ***** for an annual Parallels Desktop Pro Edition subscription to use on my MacBook Pro running macOS. In addition, I purchased a Windows 11 Pro key for ****** to use specifically with Parallels. The total amount paid was ******. Parallels promised to provide stable virtualisation software enabling me to run Windows on my Mac.However, the software has proven unreliable, resulting in frequent crashes and system interference on macOS, prompting me to take my MacBook to the Apple Store for diagnostics. ***** Support identified Parallels Desktop as the likely source of these problems and advised against using it. As a result, I can no longer use Parallels Pro Edition or the Windows 11 Pro key, which is only helpful with the virtualisation software.Despite multiple attempts to resolve the issue with Parallels customer support, they have only provided a one-month extension, which does not address the root cause. Given the softwares instability and lack of usability on macOS, I am requesting a full refund of ****** for both the Parallels Pro Edition and the Windows 11 Pro key.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/06/2024

  Hello, 
  
  Thank you for reaching out. 
  
  We are very sorry to know Parallels Desktop for Mac did not work for you up to your expectations. 
  
  We may proceed with the refund of your order (reference number *********, purchased on 11.05.2024) by coordinating with our order processing partner, Cleverbridge.
  
  Regarding the refund request for the Windows 11 Pro key, we regret to inform you that we cannot accommodate this request, as we do not sell Windows licenses and the purchase was not made through Parallels.
  
  We would be happy to offer support from our Parallels Desktop Level 2 team to address any issues youve encountered. If you prefer to proceed with the refund for Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition, please let us know, and we will work with Cleverbridge to process it.
  
  Sincerely, 
  The Parallels Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/06/2024

   
  Complaint: 22245525
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Hello Parallels Team,
  
  Thank you for replying.
  
  I have to disagree with your assessment. Parallels Desktop had severe compatibility issues with macOS, resulting in frequent crashes, as confirmed by ***** Support, who advised me to stop using it. This demonstrates that the product is not fit for purpose, as it does not provide stable virtualisation, which was why I purchased it.
  
  Furthermore, ********* officially supports Parallels Desktop for running Windows 11 on Apple silicon Macs (link: ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************). Given this; I wonder why you cannot refund the Windows 11 Pro key, especially since your product requires customers to buy this license. I would not have purchased the Windows 11 Pro key if I had known Parallels would not function properly.
  
  I already contacted ********* for a refund, but it was denied because the key had been used and the 30-day return period had expired. I have attached a portion of my transcript from my conversation with **********
  
  According to the UKs Consumer Rights Act 2015, products must be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. Parallels Desktop fails to meet these requirements. Since I purchased the Windows 11 Pro key specifically for use with your product, which does not work, I hold you accountable for a solution.
  
  Your suggestion that I contact ********* directly ignores that I only purchased the Windows key because your software required it. Because Parallels did not work as advertised, you are responsible for the entire cost.
  
  It is also disappointing that I had to escalate this issue to the Better Business Bureau before receiving a response beyond your customer supports one-month extension.
  
  Please process a full refund of ****** for both Parallels Desktop Pro Edition and the Windows 11 Pro key.
  
  I am confident that this will be resolved promptly by UK consumer law.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  ******* *****

  Business Response

  Date: 09/20/2024

  Hello,

  Thank you for getting back to us. 
  
  Unfortunately, we are unable to process refunds for software not purchased directly through Parallels. Any requests for refunds related to the Windows license must be addressed with the original seller from whom the license was purchased.
  
  The requirement to license Windows installations, whether physical or virtual, is mandated by *********. Parallels is not involved in setting these requirements, and they must be adhered to in accordance with Microsofts policies.
  
  As previously offered, we would be pleased to have one of our Level 2 Engineers assist you directly to resolve the issue. Additionally, as a gesture of goodwill, we are happy to extend your Parallels Desktop for Mac subscription by an additional year at no cost.
  
  The only refund we are able to process is for order reference number *********, which pertains to your purchase of Parallels Desktop.
  
  Please let us know how you would like to proceed, and we will be glad to assist further.
  
  Sincerely,
  The Parallels Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/30/2024

  Dear ******,
  
  I apologise for the delay in responding and for not getting back to Parallels sooner. I lost track of time and forgot to reply.
  
  I can confirm that I am satisfied with Parallels compromise solution. Given the circumstances, I recognise that I am unlikely to achieve my desired outcome, so I am prepared to accept the proposed solution.
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/14/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Supposedly automatically renewed at beginning of calendar year. Now told my license has expired. Product doesn't function as promised anyway. Support impossible to get because of hurdles to customer contact. Very simply. I no longer want the product, and I want a refund of their automatic renewal. Simple

  Business Response

  Date: 03/14/2024

  Hello,

  
  Thank you for reaching out.
  
  As requested, we have issued a refund for the last renewal of the subscription for Parallels Desktop for Mac (order reference number ********* has been refunded).
  
  Please let us know if any further assistance is required.
  
  Sincerely,
  The Parallels Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/07/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Parallels discontinued its application Parallels Access effective March 5, 2024. They have a contractual obligation with me until July 2, 2025 to provide service. I purchased 2 Years of Parallels ************** for multiple computers on July 2, 2023, under their reference number *********. As they have not full-filled their contractual obligations, they should be refunding the unused balance of my subscription to my credit card ASAP.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/07/2024

  Hello,

  Thank you for reaching out and we do apologise for any inconvenience.  

  A prorated refund of CAD 32,00 has been issued for your order reference number 405900445. Your Parallels ************** will remain operational and supported until April 30, 2024.

  After this date, the application will cease to function on all platforms and environments. 

  Sincerely, 

  The Parallels Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/08/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/13/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I first sent a message about a refund request on January 6 (almost a week ago). I was then asked to fill a different form out. Then I was asked to fill another form out. Then I was told to send another email to Cleverbridge support (a company that processes payments for Parallels). It sure feels like y'all are giving me the run around. Please cancel my access and process my refund ASAP.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/14/2024

  Hello, 

  Thank you for reaching out. 

  Im happy to confirm that your refund request for the order reference number ********* has already been submitted for processing. Please allow 5-7 business days for the amount to be credited to your account.
  
  You will receive a separate email from cleverbridge system (*************************) containing your official credit note. Please check your Spam or Junk folder if you dont see it in your Inbox.
  
  Sicnerely,
  *********************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/17/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/06/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The date is the year 2023. I purchased a license from ********************** to run Windows 11 on my Mac computer. I downloaded all the files and set up Windows 11 on the Mac. All worked fine, until:Parallels gave me a product key in which to activate the Windows 11. I even registered the key with Parallels. However, the Windows 11 software would never accept that key. Never. Ever. I contacted Parallels but they have not responded. I contacted them again on December 6, 2023. No reply.I am left with a non-working copy of Windows on my Mac.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/07/2023

  Hello, 

  Thank you for reaching out. We apologise for any inconvenience this situation may have caused you. 

  Parallels Desktop for Mac does not come with ********* Windows license. The license for ********************** Desktop for Mac pertains specifically to activating the Parallels Desktop software; it is not intended for activating Windows. You will need to acquire a separate license for Windows if you do not already have one.

  Please refer to this article for details:
  
  *********************************************

  The article also has the recommendations on what Windows license is recommended, as well as has the links to make the purchase from the *********'s official website. 

  Sincerely, 

  *********************

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/14/2023

  Parallels has contacted me and gave me incorrect information: [that, when I paid for, and downloaded] my copy of Parallels, it had NO COPY OF WINDOWS included. This is misinformation, if not an out and out lie. My copy of Parallels did indeed have a copy of Windows 11 included. It was a 'limited' copy of Windows and would expire. It was a limited copy but it was included with the package. This 'limited' copy of Windows should never have requested a product key; I or any Parallels customer would not have a Windows product key. Consequently, I cannot trust anything Parallels tells me about this product. They should be accurate with their customers, and not appear deceptive. When they appear deceptive in their dealings with the public, the public often has recourse to someone like BBB.

   

  Business Response

  Date: 12/15/2023

  Hello,
  
  Parallels Desktop for Mac indeed provides a convenient way to download and install Windows, which is an evaluation version:
  ********************************************
  
  Activating Windows 11 in Parallels Desktop works the same way as on a PC. One can use any applicable existing Windows license to activate Windows 11 in ********************** Desktop or purchase a new Windows license:
  ********************************************
  
  Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
  
  Sincerely,
  Danil Gonoshilin

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/17/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/13/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My dispute is simple because it asks for Parallels to follow through on their promise below. The software key did not work and they choose not to reply to any of my follow up emails since. I'm asking for your help in holding them accountable to this email (I can also be reached at the email shown below). I also asked them for a price on that version of the software without updates or subscription (so a lifetime license) and they refused to quote or reply thus far. I have a slightly newer Apple iMac that can run their version 18 software and same as above, they refuse to answer/quote a lifetime license to that. I would like the below key to be activated or for them to provide another one that gives me 5 days to export all my key documents from that instance of parallels. As they promised here:On Monday, December 12th, 2022 at 7:04 AM, *********************************** ****************************************** wrote: Hello ****, Thank you for your prompt response and apologies for the inconvenience. We know this has been a very frustrating and trying time for you as a Parallels customer, and for that, we apologise. Furthermore, we value our customers, and we look forward to giving you the best service possible. We hereby inform you that as an exception you have been granted a 5-day Parallels Desktop Pro edition trial license under the following below email address and licence key. Email : *********************** License key : ********************************** Should you have additional questions, feel free to reply to this e-mail. Have a nice week. Best regards, -- ************* Customer Support Engineer ||********************** Knowledge base: ************************************ Follow us on ******** @ParallelsCares

  Business Response

  Date: 11/14/2023

  Hello, 

  Thank you for reaching out!

  We checked our records, and do see a 5-day trial key was issued under the account registered with *********************** email address and was shared via the ticket # 3811881. The correspondence was sent to ***********************. 

  Should a trial key be still required, please find a newly issued trial key for 1 month below:
  
  6J9JXJ-FQXFDP-4VR5FW-6FZP4R-F4E262

  Please do let us know if any further assistance is required. 

  Sincerely, 

  *********************

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/14/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/14/2023

  Hi *****,

  Your sales team was non-responsive to any of my requests to buy a life-time license for version 18 as well.
  

  I asked for a life-time license based on my new iMac 2012's hardware restricting it to os ******** 10.15.7.

  According to forums, your version 18 is the last supported version to the above configuration, so there is no future upgrade path to invest in to make use of/benefit from annual subscriptions.

  So can you please offer a solution.

  I was communicating with them during the 50% off sale your company ran in the last few weeks hoping to hear back and action on that.

  Companies like Quickbooks are still very much supporting life-time licenses which is ethical and fair for older hardware users.

  Sincerely,

  *********************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/14/2023

  Hi ******,  did my "more information" message get sent to Parallels?  If not, would you please do this as in it, I'm requesting a path toward buying
  their product for an older machine which their sales team has not replied to. 

  Thank you,

  ****

  Business Response

  Date: 11/15/2023

  Hello, 

  Thank you for reaching out. Following my response to the complaint there has been an additional communication with **** directly where a potential solution to their situation has been suggested. I am open to further communication and can be contacted directly via email at ***************************. 

  Sincerely, 

  *********************