What is Rosetta 2 and how to install it on Mac? | Jobs Vox

With Apple abandoning Intel and migrating to its own processors, the question has arisen: What will happen to Intel-based apps? Well, Rosetta 2 is Apple’s answer to the question.

Apple released macOS Big Sur in 2020 and integrated Rosetta 2 as a component. Rosetta 2 helps Intel-based applications run smoothly on Apple’s silicon.

If you’re wondering what it is and how you can use it, we’ve helped you learn more about this valuable program.

Historically, the Rosetta Stone was an important artifact used by historians to decipher ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Inspired by its ancient namesake, Rosetta 2 software translates code for Apple’s new silicon processors to understand.

Essentially, Rosetta 2 is an emulator. It translates applications compiled exclusively for 64-bit Intel processors to run on Apple silicon processors. After macOS Big Sur, you can find or install Rosetta 2 on every subsequent macOS. Without it, you won’t be able to run Intel-based applications on your M1 or M2-powered Mac.

As you may have guessed, Apple’s silicon does not run on the x86 architecture. Instead, it uses the ARM CPU architecture. Rosetta 2 automatically takes commands from the Intel application you open and replaces them with Apple’s silicon processors.

A brief history of Rosetta 2

However, this is not the first time that Apple has used an emulator to facilitate the transition from one processor to another. In 2006, Apple switched from PowerPC to Intel when it announced Rosetta in Mac OS X Tiger, the predecessor to Rosetta 2. Fourteen years later, Tim Cook announced Rosetta 2 at Apple’s annual WWDC event in 2020.

Compared to its predecessor, Rosetta 2 is highly efficient and is not limited to applications with high computational needs. Apple advised that the original Rosetta should only be used on software such as word processors, and that we should avoid demanding applications such as games and CAD.

But Rosetta 2 works so well that some say it’s better to run apps on Apple’s silicon than natively.

How to install Rosetta 2 on your Mac

If you’re having trouble finding Rosetta 2 on your M1 or M2 Mac, you can easily do so by trying to launch any of your Intel applications (such as VLC). When prompted to install Rosetta 2, all you have to do is click Install.

Follow the instructions and enter your password or Touch ID. Once the installation is complete, you can now use it automatically. Once installed, you can’t manage it like other apps. It doesn’t have any app or any section in system settings.

Alternatively, you can install Rosetta 2 via the Terminal application. You can use this method if you don’t want any extra prompts:

1. Open it In the center of attention Press it Command + Space bar.
2. Write terminal and hit of return.
3. copying and paste the following line of code into the terminal application and press of return.

    softwareupdate  

4. type A When it asks if you agree to the terms and conditions, click of return.

Which Mac apps need Rosetta 2?

It can be a little tricky to figure out off the bat if an app needs Rosetta 2 to run. If you run an application that is not compatible with Apple’s silicon and it crashes without booting, then you must boot with Rosetta 2.

Applications are divided into two categories: Universal or Intel. Universal applications run on both Apple silicon and Intel, while Intel applications run only on Intel. You should use the Get Info tool if you want to know which category belongs to which.

Some apps with the Universal tag (especially Steam video games) may still require Rosetta to load. So run them through Rosetta if you crash. Also, some universal apps may have extensions or plug-ins that are Intel-based. For these add-ons to work, you need to run the app with Rosetta 2, even though you didn’t need to before.

Follow these steps to find out what type of app it is and run it through Rosetta 2 if possible:

1. Click on it finder from the dock.
2. Open it applications and find the program you want to run.
3. Control – Click app icon and select Get information.
4. in general section, side by side KetilYou will see what application category it belongs to (Universal or Intel).
5. Select Open using Rosetta checkbox.

For Steam games you should do this instead:

1. launch Steam and opening library located in the top menu.
2. Control – Click app icon and select Attributes.
3. Click on it local files and select view.
4. It will open the app location in Finder.
5. Control – Click app icon in the Finder and select Get information.
6. Select Open using Rosetta checkbox.

An emulator to ease the transition process

Significant changes in CPU architecture can make things difficult for users and developers. But Apple’s Rosetta 2 translation process doesn’t just make Apple’s move to silicon bearable; This makes it flawless.

All in all, it is unobtrusive, effective and, most importantly, efficient. Apple may have given up on Intel entirely, but Rosetta 2 is here to stay so we can continue to run apps built for Intel processors.