Error message in Terminal

The default interactive shell is now zsh.


To update your account to use zsh, please run `chsh -s /bin/zsh`.


For more details, please visit https://support.apple.com/kb/HT208050.


Why am I getting this message? and how can I fix it without damaging my computer or main login profile?

MacBook Pro Retina

Posted on Oct 11, 2019 8:40 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 25, 2019 8:07 AM

Prior to Catalina, Apple kept defaulting to a Bash (v3.5.2) fron 2007. Because Bash v4.* has a GPL v3 license, Apple could not update the ancient Bash, but Zsh, a more capable shell, has an MIT license and Apple can keep it current in Catalina and beyond. The old Bash is still available to those that wish to use it.


That initial message with instructions on running chsh when launching the Terminal is simply a courtesy message to set zsh as the default shell. Once done, it no longer appears.

30 replies

Oct 17, 2019 10:29 AM in response to AGOFLS

The Zsh shell does not read your prior Bash dot files when you open a Terminal, so almost nothing is getting setup. Here is my ~/.zshrc file contents:


# .zshrc
export PATH=".:$HOME/bin:/usr/local/bin:$PATH"
export MANPATH=".:/user/local/share/man:/usr/share/man:$MANPATH"
TPUT="/usr/bin/tput"
Bluebld="$(${TPUT} bold; ${TPUT} setaf 63)"
White="$(${TPUT} bold; ${TPUT} setaf 15)"
Green="$(${TPUT} bold; ${TPUT} setaf 42)"
Normal="$(${TPUT} sgr0)"
# don't want VPN DNS changing my hostname
MyHost="$(networksetup -getcomputername)"
export CLICOLOR=1
# [e]grep matches are quite yellow
export GREP_COLOR='00;38;5;226'
export GREP_OPTIONS='--color=auto --extended-regexp'
export LSCOLORS='gxfxcxdxbxegedabagacad'
export HOMEBREW_NO_ANALYTICS=1
PS1="${Green}${MyHost}: %~ %% ${White}"
# command-line editing using vi/vim
bindkey -v


The Zsh home site is here,

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Error message in Terminal

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