Mac Software Downloads

macOS is the operating system on Apple's Mac computers, and software for it comes in a fairly consistent shape — most often a disk image you open and drag into the Applications folder, sometimes a package installer. That consistency makes installing Mac software simpler than on some platforms, but a couple of details are worth knowing first.

The biggest is the processor transition. Newer Macs use Apple Silicon chips, while older ones use Intel processors, and software can be built for one, the other, or both. A program built only for Intel still runs on Apple Silicon through a translation layer, usually without trouble, though a version built natively for your chip performs better.

macOS also screens the software you run. Its Gatekeeper feature expects apps to be signed and notarized by their developer, and it warns about anything that is not. That warning is not always a sign of danger — small developers sometimes skip notarization — but it is a prompt to be sure of the source before overriding it.

Version compatibility rounds out the picture. Apple updates macOS yearly, and an app may require a recent release or, the other way around, no longer support an old Mac. Check an app's stated requirements against your system version and processor type before downloading. The listings here include those details for each program.