This means you don’t need to have your own PC or Mac with Windows installed. What makes it unique is that it connects mobile devices to Amazon’s own servers. Like the previous two solutions, Amazon WorkSpaces makes it possible to use Windows on an iPad through remote access of a computer running Windows. This works over any internet connection, so you can use your iPad with Windows wherever you may be in the world with internet access, as long as the host computer is powered on. The host computer should also be kept on when you have your iPad connected to it.
Using Windows on your iPad with Parallels Access functions is basically like using Microsoft Remote Desktop with all the same touch controls.
Once the app has finished downloading, open it and follow the installation process.You will need to create a Parallels account on the site, or use your Google or Facebook account to register before you can download the app. Download the Parallels Access desktop app on your PC or Mac.Like with Microsoft Remote Desktop, setup begins with your PC or Mac running Windows. It also has the advantage of letting you access your Windows computer even on the go through a mobile data connection, granting you more flexibility. It is, however, much more straightforward. Parallels Access is a paid product that follows a similar process as Microsoft Remote Desktop in connecting your iPad to your computer running Windows. If it is turned off or goes to Sleep mode, your iPad will lose connection and switch back to iOS. Take note that the computer your iPad is connected to should remain powered on. Once the connection has been established, you should then be able to use Windows on your iPad with all the regular touch controls. Wait for the iPad to connect to the PC or Mac.You can choose to have a password for this user profile. Enter a username to use when accessing the PC or Mac remotely.Type the name of the PC or Mac or the IPv4 address.In the Connection Center, tap the + button.Download the Microsoft Remote Desktop app on the App Store on your iPad.With your host Windows computer set up, it’s time to set up your iPad. You will use the provided numbers to connect your iPad to this computer. Type “ipconfig” in the Command Prompt app.Click on the button next to “Allow remote connections to this computer” then click on “OK”. A “System Properties” window should pop up, and it should be on the “Remote” tab.Click on “Allow Remote Access to your computer”.Type “Remote Desktop” on the Search bar.Click on the Search (?) button on the bottom left of the screen.Under “How to connect to this PC”, remember the name of the PC, as you will need this to connect your iPad to this PC.Scroll down on the left side of the System window and click on Remote Desktop.Click on the Start button (the one with the Windows logo) on the bottom left of the screen.Setup begins with your PC or Mac that already has Windows installed. This allows iOS devices to access a computer running Windows and virtually control it. It goes without saying that each of the methods below requires a stable internet connection.Įven with Apple’s strategy of exclusivity with their mobile devices, they have made available the Microsoft Remote Desktop app on the App Store. This guide will take you through the different ways to do just that. The only way to run Windows on your iPad then is remote hosting.
Apple is infamous for its “walled garden” approach to what can be connected to their hardware and software ecosystem, so the following methods are just workarounds.
There is currently no way to actually install Windows directly on an iPad or any other mobile Apple device. With Microsoft Office’s robust suite of apps that dominate the business world, as well as home computing applications, it comes as no surprise then that, even for consumers who prefer the portability and style of Apple’s devices, they still look for ways to use Windows on their iPads. As well as being the most well-known and used desktop operating system, it also dominates the global OS market, beating the likes of Apple’s OS X, year after year. To many people, Windows is the most recognisable operating system out there and one they grew up with.