Published•Updated
CHIRP
Tool for programming amateur radio
System UtilitiesFree
v20250801
Install with Homebrew
brew install --cask chirpWhat is CHIRP?
Tool for programming amateur radio
How to Install CHIRP on Mac
Follow these steps to install CHIRP using Homebrew, the most popular package manager for macOS. This works on both Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) and Intel Macs.
- 1
Open Terminal
Launch Terminal from your Applications > Utilities folder, or press Cmd + Space and type "Terminal".
- 2
Install Homebrew
If you don't have Homebrew yet, paste the install script from brew.sh into Terminal and follow the prompts.
- 3
Run
brew install --cask chirpPaste the following command into Terminal and press Enter:
brew install --cask chirp - 4
Verify Installation
Run `brew list` to confirm chirp is installed, then try `chirp --version` to check the version number.
- 5
Launch CHIRP
Run `chirp` in your Terminal to start using it.
Troubleshooting
- • If you see a permission error, try prefixing the command with
sudo. - • If Homebrew can't find the package, run
brew updatefirst to refresh the package list. - • On Apple Silicon Macs, make sure Homebrew is installed at
/opt/homebrew(the default for M-series chips).
Key Features
Easy installation via Homebrew
Regular updates and maintenance
Free to use
Professional support available
Pros
- ✓Simple one-command installation
- ✓Well-maintained and regularly updated
- ✓Completely free to use
Cons
- ✗Requires Homebrew to be installed
- ✗macOS only
Frequently Asked Questions about CHIRP
Open Terminal, install Homebrew if you haven't already (visit brew.sh), then run
brew install --cask chirp. The app will be downloaded and installed automatically. You can then run chirp from Terminal.About the Author
Productivity & Workflow Analyst
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