Your Mac says you need to install Rosetta to open an app

Why it happens

Macs with Apple silicon (M1 and later) use a different kind of chip from older Intel Macs. Apps built only for Intel need Rosetta, a free Apple translator, to run. Your Mac asks for it the first time you open one of those apps, and after some big macOS upgrades it may ask again.

How to fix it

1. Open the app that won't start. A message appears saying you need to install Rosetta.

2. Click Install. Make sure you're online, because Rosetta downloads from Apple.

   your app

3. Enter your Mac login password, or use Touch ID, when asked. You need an administrator account for this.

4. Wait a minute or two while it installs, then open the app again. You only install Rosetta once, and every Intel app can use it.

5. Plan ahead. Rosetta works on macOS 26 and 27, but after that most Intel apps stop working, so ask the app's maker for a version built for Apple silicon.

Still not fixed?

1. No Install message at all? The Pro details below show a Terminal command that installs Rosetta for you. The message route is easier if you can get it to appear.

2. To see if an app is built for Intel, select it in your Applications folder and choose Get Info from the File menu. Kind shows Intel, Apple silicon or Universal.

   Finder›File›Get Info

3. If the install fails, check your internet connection, turn off any VPN, and try again. On a Mac run by a school or company, Rosetta may be blocked, so ask whoever manages it.

4. If Rosetta is installed but the app still crashes, update the app or look for a newer version on the maker's website or in the App Store. Some very old apps and plug-ins won't run on Apple silicon at all.

5. If Rosetta won't install after a restart and the latest macOS update, contact Apple Support. If only one app fails, its maker is the right person to ask.