If the window also contains a shortcut icon to “Applications”, drag and drop the app onto the shortcut.

A new Finder window showing its contents should appear.

Find the downloaded file, which usually ends up in your Desktop or Downloads folder.

The trick is that most Mac applications are distributed as images called DMG files, and many new Mac users end up running applications directly from the image instead of installing them to the “Applications” directory.Įnough explanation, here’s how to install an OS X app from a DMG file: There usually is no such “installation wizard” on a Mac &emdash you simply drag and drop the program into your computer’s “Applications” directory. On a Windows PC you run an installer, tick off a few checkboxes, and wait for the progress meter to reach completion. Software installation with Mac OS X is very different than in the Windows world. Or, go to the Desktop, click once on the icon, and press CMD+E.Īlso Useful: Best Gaming Laptops Under $2000 How to Install and Open. Do this by opening the Finder and clicking the eject icon next to the virtual drive’s icon. Once you are done working with the contents of the file, you will want to remove or “unmount” it from your system. The icon will have the same name as the DMG, and you’ll be able to browse through its contents like any other folder. The operating system will load the load image and place a new icon both on your desktop, and in the sidebar of the Finder. This may sound daunting, however “mounting” a DMG file with Mac OS X is no more complicated than double-clicking it’ icon. In order to work with the contents of a DMG file, you must mount the the disk image to your system. There is only the DMG file, which can be written to a hard drive, burned to a CD or DVD, or sent over the Internet. The difference is that with a DMG, there is no physical storage medium. A DMG file is like one of these devices in that it serves as a means to encapsulate documents, images, software, and other files. In order to understand the concept of a DMG disk image, think of a storage volume such as a CD, DVD, hard drive, or external drive. They can be “mounted” on your Mac in order to work with their contents, or even burned to an actual physical disc. A DMG file is like a virtual DVD or hard drive.

Bonus Tip: Add Your New Application to the DockĭMG stands for Disk Image, and is a format commonly used to distribute files and applications among Apple computers.

Zip to dmg mac