Hi Folks,
I can't seem to stay away from MATE, so I thought I'd build a VM on my Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, but I can't find an ISO for the arm64 architecture. I tried using the image from the official Ubuntu MATE page, but its amd64 and Parallels refuses to install it.
Where can I find the appropriate download?
Sorry, Bombilla, but that also is only AMD64. 
Regrettably the UbuntuMATE flavour only builds for AMD64.
That is not the case for the MATE Desktop, as far as I know.
However, if you are willing to pursue the option ... you could use the
then
OR ...
Using the Ubuntu Server base for ARM64 ( myself with Ubuntu Server base for AMD64 )...
We can work together to figure out the Brisk Menu issue I encountered when trying to sort out the auto-update of the Menu categories and items for post-install of Applications.
Maybe, we can attract Victor's (@vkareh) attention in helping us out with that expectedly simple but frustrating last piece for this alternative approach to building an environment as close to UbuntuMATE as possible.
Have you looked into Debian builds? Debian -- Package Search Results -- mate-desktop shows arm64 builds
So, Victor, do you know if that Debian-originating package (joint Debian/Ubuntu effort) is used directly by Ubuntu, without adding any Ubuntu-specific patches before importing into the Ubuntu repository, for either the ARM64 or the AMD64 builds?
I honestly don't know this. I'm not familiar with either Debian nor Ubuntu packaging.
Thank you, Victor, for taking the time to address our questions.
Luke (@lah7 ), would you have any insight into my two questions:
Question #1:
Question #2:
Thank you in advance for any guidance that you can provide.
For native boot: As far as I know, Apple Silicon, while based on ARM, requires special patches to work.
I think there was a project that was upstreaming patches so Linux can boot natively, but for now, it'll need a different kind of installation. It might be this Ubuntu Asahi project - which requires installation from within macOS. Haven't tried it.
Once you have an 
Ubuntu environment, then you should be able to install 
MATE packages, or the 
Ubuntu MATE packages.
But.... since we're asking about VMs, I guess you'll need a bootable arm64 based ISO of Ubuntu. Then, install MATE desktop on top. If not, there might be a virtual disk IMG, similar to Raspberry Pi images.
The answers are in the packaging files at packages.ubuntu.com.
E.g. mate-desktop → mate-desktop_1.26.2-1.1build3.debian.tar.xz (right sidebar, the one that ends in debian.tar.xz)
patches may be present; these could be Debian's or Ubuntu's patches.changelog tells you who last packaged it and what changed.control tells you the architecture and other metadata. I think any patches would be evenly applied to all architectures.I don't know your second question. I feel like these questions might be hijacking the original topic's question of "How to install Ubuntu MATE in a VM on Apple Silicon?".
You can install Ubuntu MATE on Parallels on Apple Silicon.
Use the standard Ubuntu ARM ISO and install it.
apt install ubuntu-mate-desktop^
Should do the trick.
You can remove the Ubuntu Desktop if you desire afterwards.
Thanks! I might try this.
I've been running GNOME / vanilla Ubuntu 24.04.3 on Parallels and just tried Ubuntu 25.10 on Virtual Buddy, and honestly, I don't like them. Not only do I find the UI less than intuitive, I feel like I'm being fought at every turn. I can't find a weather widget that will actually work despite what the software repositories say, and it seems things break all too often. I never had issues like this with Ubuntu MATE (yes, I know that at its core it's still Ubuntu, but MATE seems to make all the difference).
OK, that's more like it! It was actually easier than describing it. I now have my personal favorites back up and running. It's almost as if I hadn't left! 