This topic includes the following sections:
Mac users installing or updating to the latest version Java are finding their shinies infected with the 'much loved' Ask Toolbar. This thing returns poor, ad-infested results, and silently changes. If problems occur with an app, Apple can revoke its authorization. MacOS checks the app before it opens the first time to be certain it hasn’t been modified since the developer shipped it. In addition to apps, other types of files may not be safe. Scripts, web archives, and Java archives have the potential to cause harm to your system. Apple worked on a new process that would eventually lead to a release of a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) for Mac OS X at the same time it would be available for Windows, Linux, and Solaris users. As of January 9, 2014, about 22,000 Macs were still infected with the Flashback trojan. Mac Defender; Leap (computer worm). After installing Java for macOS 2012-006, can I continue to use Apple's Java 6 alongside the macOS JDK for Java 13? If you want to continue to develop with Java 6 using command-line, then you can modify the startup script for your favorite command environment.
System Requirements for Installing the JDK on macOS
The following are the system requirements for installing the JDK on macOS:
- Any Intel-based computer running macOS.
- Administrator privileges.You cannot install Java for a single user. Installing the JDK on macOS is performed on a systemwide basis for all users. Administrator privileges are required to install the JDK on macOS.
Determining the Default JDK Version on macOS
When starting a Java application through the command line, the system uses the default JDK.
There can be multiple JDKs installed on the macOS system.
You can determine which version of the JDK is the default by entering
java -version
in a Terminal window. If the installed version is 13 Interim 0, Update 0, and Patch 0, then you see a string that includes the text 13
. For example: To run a different version of Java, either specify the full path, or use the
java_home
tool. For example: $ /usr/libexec/java_home -v 13 --exec javac -version
Installing the JDK on macOS
- Download the JDK
.dmg
file,jdk-13.
interim.update.patch_osx-x64_bin.dmg
.Before the file can be downloaded, you must accept the license agreement. - From either the browser Downloads window or from the file browser, double-click the
.dmg
file to start it.A Finder window appears that contains an icon of an open box and the name of the.pkg
file. - Double-click the
JDK 13.pkg
icon to start the installation application.The installation application displays the Introduction window. - Click Continue.
- Click Install. A window appears that displays the message: Installer is trying to install new software. Enter your password to allow this.
- Enter the Administrator user name and password and click Install Software.The software is installed and a confirmation window is displayed.
Install Java For Mac
After the software is installed, you can delete the
.dmg
file if you want to save disk space. Uninstalling the JDK on macOS
You must have Administrator privileges.Note:
Do not attempt to uninstall Java by removing the Java tools from
/usr/bin
. This directory is part of the system software and any changes will be reset by Apple the next time that you perform an update of the OS. Java For Mac Computer
- Go to
/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines
. - Remove the directory whose name matches the following format by executing the
rm
command as a root user or by using thesudo
tool:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-13.interim.update.patch.jdk
For example, to uninstall 13 Interim 0 Update 0 Patch 0:$ rm -rf jdk-13.jdk
Installation FAQ on macOS Platform
This topic provides answers for the following frequently asked questions about installing JDK on macOS computers.
1. How do I find out which version of Java is the system default?
When you run a Java application from the command line, it uses the default JDK. If you do not develop Java applications, then you do not need to worry about this. See Determining the Default JDK Version on macOS.
2. How do I uninstall Java?
See Uninstalling the JDK on macOS.
3. After installing Java for macOS 2012-006, can I continue to use Apple's Java 6 alongside the macOS JDK for Java 13?
If you want to continue to develop with Java 6 using command-line, then you can modify the startup script for your favorite command environment. For bash, use this:
$ export JAVA_HOME=`/usr/libexec/java_home -v 13`
Some applications use
/usr/bin/java
to call Java. After installing Java for macOS 2012-006, /usr/bin/java
will find the newest JDK installed, and will use that for all of the Java-related command-line tools in /usr/bin
. You may need to modify those applications to find Java 6, or contact the developer for a newer version of the application. 4. What happened to the Java Preferences app in Application Utilities?
The Java Preferences app was part of the Apple Java installation and is not used by Oracle Java. Therefore, macOS releases from Apple that do not include Apple Java will not include Java Preferences.
I had a recent customer, ask a question on a website I make supplemental income, as a computer technician. This platform has the ability for us technicians to provide remote support. However, their integrated remote support software requires Java, for customers that use Apple Macintosh operating systems.
This customer was using an Apple Macintosh and was having difficulty installing Java. Below are detailed instructions on how you can install Java on your Apple Macintosh computer. Do you happen to know what version of MAC OS X is installed?
I checked Java.com and you would need MAC OS X 10.7.3 or newer. You can find out what version of MAC operating system is installed by clicking on the Apple icon and choosing “About this MAC”. Also, you could try to just download and install Java for Apple Macintosh from this direct Java download for MAC link.
Need Online Computer Technical Support? Ask a Computer Technician and Solve Your Computer Problem Now.
Macintosh OS 10.7.3 is also referred to as Macintosh OS X Lion. This individual was able to successfully install Java from the download link I provided. Now they were able to obtain remote support from one of the technicians available.
I am NOT a big fan of Oracle’s Java. However, quite a few applications require it. Also, there is some confusion as to how and where to obtain this software.
Java For Macs
I went directly to Oracle’s Java websites’ downloads section and found out that at the time of this blog post creation, you must have Apple Macintosh 10.7.3 or newer installed. There could still be a few Apple Macintosh computers with older OS X operating systems installed. You could possibly find an older archived version of Java to download or install.
Free Java Download For Mac
Also, you could try to upgrade your Macintosh OS X operating system to a newer version that will support Java. Java run time environment is used in applications ranging from games to remote technical support.