Will your Intel apps still work on macOS 27 Golden Gate?

Why it happens

Apple silicon Macs use a different kind of chip from Intel Macs, and Rosetta is the free Apple translator that lets apps built for Intel run on them. Upgrading to macOS 27 doesn't always bring Rosetta back by itself, so an Intel app may ask for it again the first time you open it. Apple has said macOS 27 is the last version with Rosetta for general use.

How to fix it

1. Open the Intel app. If a message says you need to install Rosetta, click Install. Make sure you're online, because it downloads from Apple.

   your app

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

3. Wait a minute or two, then open the app again. Rosetta is shared by every Intel app, so you only install it once.

4. Now plan ahead. Check the developer's website or the App Store for a version built for Apple silicon, or ask them when one is coming, so the app keeps working after macOS 27.

Still not fixed?

1. To find every Intel-only app, open General > About, click System Report…, then look under Software > Applications. The Kind column shows which apps are Intel, Apple silicon or Universal.

   General›About›System Report…

2. For a single app, select it in Applications and choose File > Get Info. Kind tells you whether it's built for Intel.

   Finder›File›Get Info

3. No Install message appears? The Pro details below show the Terminal command that installs Rosetta directly.

4. On a work or school Mac, Rosetta may be blocked. Ask whoever manages the Mac.

5. If Rosetta is installed but the app still won't open, update the app or ask its maker, since some old apps and plug-ins won't run at all. If Rosetta itself won't install after a restart and the latest macOS update, contact Apple Support.