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I can not get Rosetta anywhere on my new MacBook M1 Max computer. I built it from a old 17" MacBook 17" Time Capsule backup.

Trying to get help using NEW MacBook M1 Max to open old applications. Never see the "Open using Rosetta" option.

Posted on Jan 2, 2022 1:57 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 2, 2022 9:11 PM

Hi J_H_M,


Rosetta (2) can only translate 64-bit Intel apps. It doesn't support 32-bit apps. To check if any of your apps are 32-bit, click the Apple logo in the top left corner, hold down the Option key, then click System Information.


In the sidebar, go to the Software category, then select Legacy Software. If any apps appear in this list, they are 32-bit and unfortunately cannot run on your new Mac.


32-bit apps were last supported in macOS Mojave. Support for them was removed in macOS Catalina (10.15), which was released 2 years from the current version, macOS Monterey (12.1).



In regards to installing Rosetta (2), you can install it using these methods:


  • When you open an Intel 64-bit app, your Mac will prompt you to install Rosetta if it isn't already installed. Follow the onscreen instructions to install Rosetta.


  • You can manually install Rosetta using Terminal: softwareupdate --install-rosetta
4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 2, 2022 9:11 PM in response to J_H_M

Hi J_H_M,


Rosetta (2) can only translate 64-bit Intel apps. It doesn't support 32-bit apps. To check if any of your apps are 32-bit, click the Apple logo in the top left corner, hold down the Option key, then click System Information.


In the sidebar, go to the Software category, then select Legacy Software. If any apps appear in this list, they are 32-bit and unfortunately cannot run on your new Mac.


32-bit apps were last supported in macOS Mojave. Support for them was removed in macOS Catalina (10.15), which was released 2 years from the current version, macOS Monterey (12.1).



In regards to installing Rosetta (2), you can install it using these methods:


  • When you open an Intel 64-bit app, your Mac will prompt you to install Rosetta if it isn't already installed. Follow the onscreen instructions to install Rosetta.


  • You can manually install Rosetta using Terminal: softwareupdate --install-rosetta

Jan 2, 2022 9:24 PM in response to J_H_M

There are no good options to run 32-bit Intel x86-32 Mac apps on Apple MacBook Pro M1 Apple silicon Arm AArch64 systems.


Emulation os x86-32 on macOS via Rosetta 2 won’t work here, and running a virtual machine guest of macOS x86 Mojave or older, though you might get Qemu to work here, maybe, maybe, possibly, slowly.


Your options are to continue use an Intel Mac and Mojave or older either directly or as a guest in a virtual machine, or to update or upgrade or replace or retire the 32-bit apps.

I can not get Rosetta anywhere on my new MacBook M1 Max computer. I built it from a old 17" MacBook 17" Time Capsule backup.

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