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Apple has begun the process of phasing out 32-bit applications on Macs, which is why many users who upgraded to macOS 10.13.4 or later will have come across the following warning message the first time they launch certain older apps.
Apr 23, 2011 - Go to the Apple Menu and select 'About this Mac'. If you have a Core Duo processor, you have a 32-bit CPU. Otherwise (Core 2 Duo, Xeon, i3, i5, i7, anything else), you have a 64-bit CPU. Mac OS X is fairly bitness-agnostic, so either should work. Jun 5, 2018 - Apple has begun the process of phasing out 32-bit applications on Macs. On your Mac are 64-bit and which are still living in the 32-bit age.
This is the first of many warnings Apple plans to provide as it works to put an end to 32-bit apps on the Mac, as it did on iOS devices with the release of iOS 11. Apple has confirmed that macOS 10.14 Mojave, set for public release in the fall, will be the last version of macOS to allow 32-bit apps to run, but it will include more 'aggressive' warnings about their use before they are phased out entirely. In this article, we'll show how you can quickly find out which apps installed on your Mac are 64-bit and which are still living in the 32-bit age. If you don't rely on apps that fall in the latter camp, you can safely uninstall them. However, if you're a frequent user of one of these apps, try contacting the developer to find out if a 64-bit version is in the works. If one isn't planned, try and find an alternative app with similar functionality before the time comes when it refuses to launch.
How to Identify 32-Bit Apps on Your Mac
- Click the Apple symbol () in the menu bar on your Mac's desktop.
- Click About This Mac.
- In the macOS Overview pane that appears, click the System Report... button.
- In the information window that appears, scroll down the left column and click Applications under the Software list, then wait a moment while your Mac generates a list of installed apps.
- When the list of apps appears, click the 64-Bit (Intel) label to bring any 32-bit apps to the top of the column.
- Drag down the divider using the center dot to expand the viewable list of apps.
Some popular apps in the above list, like Steam and Google Music Manager, will likely have 64-bit versions available in good time, but other items – old Brother printer drivers and utilities, for example – may not survive a forthcoming upgrade, and it could be a while before developers issue 64-bit versions of said software (assuming it's even still actively supported), so as our example shows, it pays to plan ahead.
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The Mac has been shipping with 64-bit processors since before the Intel transition and macOS, née OS X, has supported 64-bit for years. Modern technologies, like Metal, require 64-bit. One day, macOS will as well. Apple hasn't said what day that will be, at least not yet, but it's continuing its long, slow march in that general direction.
At WWDC 2018, Apple noted that macOS Mojave will be the last Mac operating system to support 32-bit apps. By fall of 2019, and possibly sooner, any 32-bit apps still on your Mac will no longer work.
Apple has been notifying Mac users since April 2018. If you open an app on your Mac and get an alert that an app isn't optimized, there are a few things you can do.
What notification will Mac users see?
If you're running macOS 10.13.4 or later, starting April 12 at midnight local time, if and when you launch a 32-bit notification, you'll get a notification that says:
[App] is not optimized for your Mac.
This app needs to be updated by its developer to improve compatibility.
You'll only ever get the notification once — the first time you launch the 32-bit app, and only to let you know the app will, eventually, be outdated.
Will you still be able to run 32-bit apps on macOS?
Absolutely. For now — and until Apple officially announces and implements an end-of-support date or the next Mac operating system launches, whichever comes first.
Is there a way to see any and all 32-bit apps you might have installed on your Mac?
There is, but it's tedious.
- Click on the Apple icon in the Menubar.
- Click on About this Mac.
- Click on System Report.
- Click on Applications (under Software.)
- Click on an App.
- If the 64-bit (Intel) field says No, the app is 32-bit.
What do you do if you have 32-bit apps?
Check the Mac App Store or developer's webpage for an updated, 64-bit version of the app. If one's available, upgrade.
If there's no 64-bit version available, you can send the developer feedback, or you can look for a similar app that does support 64-bit.
When will the 32- to 64-bit transition be complete?
Apple hasn't set that date yet. Hopefully, the company is watching how fast developers are moving and users are updating and, when it does set a date, it'll be one that works for as many people as possible. The only thing we know so far is that Apple has confirmed that macOS 10.14 Mojave wil be the last macOS to support 32-bit apps.
For more information, keep an eye on Apple's knowledge base.
VECTOR | Rene Ritchie
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