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How to Install Apps on Mac (2026)

The fastest way to install apps on a Mac is Homebrew: open Terminal, install Homebrew once, then run brew install --cask <app> to download and set up any app automatically — no .dmg dragging, and one command to update everything later.

  1. 1

    Open Terminal

    Open Terminal from Applications → Utilities, or press Cmd + Space, type "Terminal", and hit Enter. Terminal is where you will paste each command.

  2. 2

    Install Homebrew (one time)

    Homebrew is the free package manager that does the installing. Paste this command and follow the prompts — you only do this once per Mac. It installs to /opt/homebrew on Apple Silicon.

    /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
  3. 3

    Install an app

    Use brew install --cask <app> for graphical apps (a "cask"), or brew install <tool> for command-line tools (a "formula"). For example, install the VS Code editor:

    brew install --cask visual-studio-code
  4. 4

    Launch it

    Casks land in your Applications folder — open them from Launchpad or Spotlight (Cmd + Space). Command-line tools are ready to run by name in any new Terminal window.

  5. 5

    Keep everything updated

    One command updates every app you installed with Homebrew — no per-app updaters, no nag screens.

    brew update && brew upgrade

Why install with Homebrew?

Installing from Homebrew beats hunting for installers: it is reproducible (a Brewfile captures your whole setup), scriptable (set up a new Mac in one pass), and tidy (one command to update or remove anything). Bundl uses exactly this — pick the apps you want and it generates a single Homebrew command that installs them all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need Homebrew to install apps on Mac?
No, but it is the fastest and cleanest method. You can still download a .dmg from a vendor and drag the app to Applications, or use the Mac App Store. Homebrew automates the download-and-install for thousands of apps and lets you update or remove them with a single command.
Is Homebrew safe?
Yes. Homebrew is free, open source, and widely used by developers. It downloads apps over HTTPS and verifies checksums. Casks usually point at the same files the vendors distribute. Avoid pasting install commands you do not recognize from untrusted sources.
What is the difference between brew install and brew install --cask?
brew install installs a command-line tool or library (a formula), like git or node. brew install --cask installs a graphical macOS application (a cask), like VS Code or Arc, into your Applications folder.
How do I uninstall an app installed with Homebrew?
Run brew uninstall <app> for a formula or brew uninstall --cask <app> for a cask. Homebrew removes the app and its support files cleanly.
Does this work on Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) and Intel Macs?
Yes. Homebrew supports both. It installs to /opt/homebrew on Apple Silicon and /usr/local on Intel, and automatically picks the right build for your hardware.