Open Terminal, the Mac's command line

Why it happens

Terminal is the Mac's command line app, and it comes with every Mac. Apple keeps it in the Utilities folder inside Applications, so it doesn't show up in the Dock. Most people never need it, which is why it's tucked away.

How to fix it

1. Press Command-Space to open Spotlight. Type Terminal, and press Return when it's highlighted.

2. Prefer clicking? In Finder, open the Go menu and choose Utilities, then double-click Terminal.

   Finder›Go›Utilities

3. To keep it handy, Control-click the Terminal icon in the Dock while it's open, choose Options, then Keep in Dock.

Still not fixed?

1. If Spotlight doesn't find it, use the Finder route above. The Utilities folder always has Terminal in it.

2. If Terminal opens but you're not sure what to type, stop there. Only run commands you understand, from a source you trust, and never paste anything that starts with sudo unless you know exactly what it does.

3. Terminal is part of macOS and can't be deleted. If it's truly missing or won't open, contact Apple Support, as that points to a deeper problem with macOS.