While it ’s true that Macs come with loads of majuscule package that can help you get most thing done out of the box , it wo n’t be long before you need to add your own preferred program to the Dock at the bottom of your silver screen . Here ’s how to download and set up apps from the Mac App Store or directly from the developer ’s web site , plus we ’ll discuss what to do if you ca n’t set up the package to your Mac .
Before we explicate how to download and install apps , we ’ll start off by explaining how to use the Mac App Store to find the apps you need .
How to find apps on the Mac App Store
The soft means to download and install an app is by using Apple ’s own App Store .
How to install apps from the Mac App Store
Once you have found the app you desire to instal on the Mac App Store installing it is simple :
How to find the app you downloaded
Once the install is terminate you’re able to look for the young app by using Spotlight .
Another mode to locate the app is to click the Launchpad clit ( likely F4 on your keyboard ) to exhibit all your installed apps .
How to download apps from the web
The Mac App Store has a huge selection of apps , but not all developer host their introduction there . Apple take a muscular slice of the price of apps when they appear on its weapons platform , so some developer choose to go flat to customers instead . You may also find that some non - App Store reading have additional functionality or features , so it ’s deserving hold them out . If you make out that an app is made by a small team , you should also consider support them by buy direct rather than propping up a vast corporation . It ’s the digital equivalent of patronise locally .
To install an app from the web , visit the site of the app in question and you should see an option to download it somewhere . For instance , in the image below you ’ll see the home page for the excellentFantasticalcalendar app . Below the principal image you ’ll see there ’s an option to Download Now . This will be a pattern that you should see on all non - App store apps .
How to install apps from the web
Apple makes it a flake easy to establish apps from the Mac App Store because the party is confident it has checked that the app is safe and good . If you are instal an app from the entanglement it is a little more complex because Apple need to remind you to tick you are indisputable the app is safe .
That ’s not to say that Apple is hand over the responsibility to you . There are three case of apps you could be download from the web : an app made by an Apple licence developer ( which should be good ) , an app that is n’t certify ( but you are sure is safe ) , or an app that is n’t dependable at all and you should n’t instal it . As we explain in our run through of how Apple makes sureMacs are unattackable , Apple has various measure to ensure you ca n’t install unsafe apps . One is Gatekeeper , which tick that the developer has a certificate issue by Apple , the other is XProtect , which is like Apple ’s inbuilt antivirus software system that blocks anything that has malicious codification .
If you see a admonition state that the app is from an ‘ unnamed developer ’ then you ’ll need to pull off your security background to be able to add the app . Readhow to open a Mac app from an unidentified developerfor advice on how to do this .
How to install unsupported apps
Sometimes you may not be able-bodied to install an app because the rendering of macOS you are go does n’t support it .
Some older apps wo n’t work with late versions of macOS . For example , Apple stopped support 32 - fleck versions of apps in macoS Catalina , which meant a number of apps no longer work if you install that translation of macOS or any that followed it ( Big Sur ) . Read : Apps that wo n’t work in Catalina . We have more information about what to do if your software age out and some helpful baksheesh inwhat to do about Apple ’s Not optimize & Needs To Be update monition .
Alternatively it might be that there is n’t a Mac variant of the app you want to tend . In that type you could practice a practical car software such as Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion to run Windows on your Mac ( as long as it is n’t an M1 Mac ) . Read : estimable virtual machine software for MacandHow to run Windows on the Mac . We also have a guide torunning Windows apps on your Mac with Crossover , which enbles you to pass Windows apps without black market Windows !
How to update Mac apps
Once you ’ve installed your app , you ’ll want to verify you ’re always using the previous version – this will help you obviate job with the security of the app and any issues that might be due to bug and other changes .
you may enable automatic updates on the App Store so that your apps will be update as soon as an update is egress . you’re able to also set up your Mac to check for non - App fund update too . We explain how to achieve both of these scenarios inhow to update all your Mac apps .
How to delete apps
