We recommend the best way to install 32-bit apps on a Mac nowadays is by using Parallels. There are various virtual environments you can use to play 32 bit games or apps but not all of them work on macOS Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur Catalina or M1/M2 Macs because some of them (such as Wine) are 32-bit applications themselves and don’t work on the latest versions of macOS. This enables you to open applications in 32-bit mode on a Mac. On M1 Macs you can’t install an older version of macOS but you can install an M1 ARM chip compatible version of Windows instead. On Intel Macs you can then run an older 32 bit compatible version of macOS such as macOS Mojave or run Windows on your Mac (if the app or game you want to play also works on Windows of course).

The only way to play 32 bit games or run 32 bit apps on macOS Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina or M1 Macs is to install a virtual environment.

You can also check if are any 32-bit apps on your Mac by going to the Apple logo and selecting About This Mac > System Report… > Software > Applications and checking the Kind field in the panel below.

In the last column on the right, you can see whether the game or application is 32 or 64 bit Intel compatible.

In the left menu bar, scroll down to Software > Applications.

Go to the Apple logo in the top left of your screen and select About This Mac > System Report.

Here’s how to check whether the game or app you want to use is 32 or 64-bit compatible.

The same applies to some music production or DJ software for Mac that have lots of 32 bit plugins that will no longer work in the latest versions of macOS or on an M1/M2 Mac. The most notable program is Microsoft Office 2011 but there are also others like MetaTrader, Adobe CS5 and CS6, Aperture, older versions of iTunes, iBooks, iPhoto and some Steam games which are still 32-bit only. However, the problem for some Mac users is there are still some older applications and games that are still 32-bit only. If you try to run a 32 bit-app in Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina or an M1 Mac, you’ll get the following “App is not optimized for your Mac and needs to be updated” error message:

The latest Apple Silicon M1 chip Macs and M2 Macs are also incompatible with 32-bit games or apps and if you’re trying to run 32-bit an M1 Mac, we recommend you skip to the section on 32 bit games and apps on M1 & M2 Macs. You can only install 64-bit apps on Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur and Catalina which for most people isn’t a problem as almost all major software is now 64-bit. Apple dropped support for 32-bit applications in macOS Catalina and the last macOS to support them was Mojave. MacOS Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina and M1 Macs do not run 32-bit apps or games.

Free download games for macbook air