Apple was phasing out the use of 32-bits applications on macOS for quite some time. Now the finishing time has come that the version 10.15 or macOS Catalina will no more support 32-bit applications. If you are still running old and unsupported applications in macOS Mojave or earlier versions then you need be cautious before upgrading to macOS Catalina. In this article, we will explain how to check 32-bit and 64-bit apps in macOS.
And it might be a mistake to delete apps that only have modules that aren’t yet 64-bit compatible. As we note in the guide, you can use the free donationware app Go64 to identify outdated programs. Oct 28, 2019 Mac users don't have to worry about this, as MacOS has been 64-bit only for a long time. In fact, as of the latest version (10.14 Catalina) 32-bit applications on a Mac aren't even technically. Mac’s Rants & Raves Episode #295. There has been some confusion about the status of 32-bit apps in macOS 10.14 Mojave, which will be available soon (for free).
Without installing any third-party software, you can search your Mac to find which apps are 32-bit. To do this, choose the Apple menu, then About this Mac. Click System Report, then scroll down and select Applications. The rightmost column header is 64-bit (Intel). Click this header to sort applications. Jan 10, 2017 If you see Version 14.x, Office for Mac 2011 is what you’re using. On the Mac, there is no choice between running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of the operating system, since the OS has been 64-bit for several years. Office for Mac 2011 was only available in a 32-bit version, and Office for Mac 2016 is now only available in a 64-bit version.
What Happens When You Open 32-bit Apps?
As of macOS Mojave, Apple will show a warning message whenever you open 32-bit apps. The best example of 32-bit app on macOS is Microsoft Office 2011. Whenever you open the app, macOS will show you a message like below indicating that the app is outdated and not optimized for your Mac.
However, you can still click on the “OK” button to continue using the app. Unfortunately, this is no more possible with macOS Catalina. When the 32-bit app is on the dock, you will see a white cross mark on the app indicating it will not work any more.
Trying to open the 32-bit with macOS Catalina will show a messages like below depending on the app:
Word 2011:
Kaspersky Antivirus Pro:
iPhoto:
Basically you have the following three options:
If there are no upgrade or alternate options then you can’t use 32-bit apps with macOS Catalina.
Related:How to fox slow performance and speedup your Mac?
How to Check 32-bit and 64-bit Apps in macOS?
If you wanted to check how many apps on your Mac are running with 32-bit then follow the below instructions.
Taking Action
Unfortunately, you have no option to modified any parameter on the apps. If you have premium apps purchased from App Store or directly from third-party websites, contact the developer and inform them to upgrade a 64-bit version. For the free apps, you need to find alternatives from App Store from other developers.
If you have no other option to use the app then delay upgrading to macOS Catalina till the time you find alternative solution.
The day is rapidly approaching where Apple will just disallow 32-bit apps from running on iOS, maybe as soon as iOS 11. AppleInsider shows you how to identify which apps installed on your iPhone are 32-bit — and points out some problems that Apple needs to rectify before that day comes.
Apple has included a new Settings pane in iOS 10.3 to easily check for installed 32-bit apps, and to see if there are updates available.
To check, open Settings. Tap on General. Tap on About, and select Applications. This brings up a list of the installed apps that are 32-bit.
In our device, we've got four apps — two games and two educational titles — that are 32-bit with no updates. In our spot-checks, educational and entertainment titles are the heaviest-hit by the shift, as they have historically been.
It is unfortunate that some apps will be left behind in the shift, but every computer user has dealt with a change from on-high affecting software libraries before. The earliest releases of OS X included a Classic OS9 environment that wasn't perfect — which was killed seven years later in 2007 with the release of 10.5.
Be wary of older apps that haven't been updated in a while.
To facilitate the shift to Intel processors, Rosetta was included with 10.4.4 in 2006, and killed when 10.7 shipped five years later in 2011. These are just recent examples for Apple — Windows users have the same pain, just sometimes with less advanced notice.
This has all happened to us before — it happened with the 68K to PowerPC shift, with every big OS migration, and with the shift from PowerPC to Intel. As with any architecture shift, some users get left behind.
Apple is responsible for the safety and speed of iOS and the iPhone. It has told developers for three years, since a note in December 2014, that updates to software needed to include 64-bit support. Apple is clearly not responsible for ensuring that all iOS software works forever, on every combination of iOS and hardware.
Apple has been enforcing the requirements since June 2015. When iOS 9 rolled out, it warned that 32-bit apps could cause slowdowns, with iOS 10.3 now more forceful and straight-out says that 32-bit app support would be discontinued in a future iOS revision — which is probably iOS 11.
If you have an app that won't make it past the end of the 32-bit compatibility era, blame the developer — there's been ample warning. If the app is mission-critical, then don't upgrade your hardware's OS revision, and don't plan on moving the app to new hardware.
Apple can still make this less painful, if it chooses![]() ![]()
What Apple will not do, is retain 32-bit compatibility forever. Older 32-bit software has been on life support since the A7 processor in the iPhone 5S in 2013.
However, there are a few things it can, and should, do to ease the transition.
Identify 32 Bit Apps On Mac Software
At this time, there does not appear to be a way to check apps in iTunes to see if they are 32- or 64-bit — but that would be helpful. So, for now, the only way to know for sure is to check on your iOS 10.3 device.
Check 32 Bit Apps Mac
The identification tool now in Settings in iOS 10.3 is a good start. However, Apple needs to be more forthcoming about this in the App Store, as well as giving users a clear identification of which apps are 32-bit in iTunes before the support is fully dropped.
For now, before you install new-to-you, be wary of older apps that haven't been updated in a while. This extends even to apps from larger vendors, like 'Civilization Revolution 2' in our screen captures.
Apple 32 Bit Apps
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December 2020
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