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Setting Up a Shared Folder

Setting Up a shared folder requires two steps:

  1. Adding a shared folder(s) in your virtual machine configuration.
  2. Installing Parallels Tools in your guest OS.

See below for detailed instructions.

Adding a Shared Folder

  1. Open the virtual machine configuration, click the Edit VM Button button to open the Configuration Editor.
  2. In the Configuration Editor, select the Shared Folders tab (see the Shared Folders topic). Select the Enable shared folders option.
  3. In the Shared Folders tab, click the Plus Button button to open the Shared Folder Properties screen.
  4. In the Shared Folder Properties screen:

    specify a name for the folder which will appear in your guest OS in the Name field;

    specify a folder in your host computer that will be shared in the Path field;

    if you want to restrict writing to this folder from inside the guest OS, select the Read Only check box. You will be able to save files to this folder in the primary OS only;

    make sure the Enabled check box is selected;

    and click OK.

    Add Shared Folder

  5. Click OK in the Configuration Editor.
  6. Click Save VM Button to save the virtual machine configuration.

If you have not installed the Parallels Tools in a virtual machine, proceed to the Installing Parallels Tools in the Guest OS subtopic. If you have them installed:

Installing Parallels Tools in Guest OS

Parallels Tools includes the Shared Folders tool which is necessary for a guest OS to view the shared folders. See a full description of this tool in the Parallels Tools Overview.

Installation of Parallels Tools is performed just after you have created a new virtual machine and installed a guest OS in it. See Installing Parallels Tools for detailed descriptions on how to do so in a particular guest OS. We recommend that you perform the typical installation, but if you perform a custom installation make sure the Shared Folders tool is selected.