Finding Programs On Mac

by

Where are the Program Files located? The actual files that make up the program? Yep, and the best part are that the Mac programs are self contained, there is no. Mar 6, 2005 - Yep, and the best part are that the Mac programs are self contained. To find out where that goes. I don't where the program files of mac like.

Do you have tons of apps installed on your Mac, some of which you’ve totally forgotten about? You can take stock of them and keep a reference list of every program on your system in just a few moments.

Today we’ll cover four ways you can generate a list of installed apps on your Mac.

Why Would I Want a List of Installed Apps?

There are several reasons why it’s a good idea to create a list of your apps:

  • You bought a new Mac and need to set it up. Before getting rid of your old Mac, you should generate a list of the programs on it so you know what to install on your new computer.
  • Your Mac is misbehaving and you need to reinstall macOS4 Reasons Why You Might Want to Reinstall macOS4 Reasons Why You Might Want to Reinstall macOSAre there any good reasons to reinstall macOS on a MacBook or iMac? Yes! Here's when you should reinstall macOS.Read More. Perhaps your aging Mac is still running slowly even after you’ve tried the tricks to speed up your MacHow to Make an Old Mac, MacBook, or iMac FasterHow to Make an Old Mac, MacBook, or iMac FasterWant to make your old Mac run faster? Here are some tips on how to make your Mac feel faster, even if it's super old.Read More. Generate a list of installed apps before reinstalling the system so you know what which apps to reinstall once you load the fresh OS.
  • You want to downgrade macOS. If you own an older Mac, the newer releases of macOS may not run well on your machine. The only option for downgrading is a fresh installation of macOS (or OS X). Having a list of installed apps before downgrading is useful so you know which apps to reinstall, if those apps work on the older system.

Let’s look at the best ways to make this list.

1. List All Apps Using Finder and TextEdit

All apps that come bundled with a new MacA Complete Guide to Default Mac Apps and What They DoA Complete Guide to Default Mac Apps and What They DoYour Mac comes with a lot of apps for all sorts of tasks, but you may still be confused by what they do or whether you actually need some of themRead More, plus apps you installed both through the App Store and most package managers, are in the Applications folder.

You can easily generate a list of all apps in the Applications folder using Finder and TextEdit. To begin, open Finder and hit Cmd + Shift + A to jump to the Applications folder.

If you’re not currently viewing the contents of the Applications folder as a list, press Cmd + 2, or go to View > as List.

Some apps are in subfolders in the Applications folder. To display apps in subfolders, expand the folders you’d like to include by clicking on the triangle icon to the left of the folder.

Once you’ve expanded all the folders you want, hit Cmd + A to select all the items in the Applications folder. Then press Cmd + C to copy the list.

Open a new document in TextEdit. Then go to Edit > Paste and Match Style, or hit Cmd + Option + Shift + V.

All the apps in Finder’s Applications folder, including apps in expanded folders, are pasted into the TextEdit file. Some of the files in the subfolders may not be apps. You can go through the list and delete any files that do not end in .app.

Hit Cmd + S to save this file as either a TXT or RTF file. You should copy this file to an external or network drive so it’s available for use once you’re no longer using your current machine.

2. List All Apps Using the Terminal

If you like using the Terminal, rather than Finder, you can generate a list of the apps in the Applications folder using a command. Launch a Terminal window (from Applications > Utilities) and type the following command at the prompt:

This generates a detailed directory listing of the Applications folder and writes it to a text file at the path specified. Make sure to replace USERNAME with yours, and feel free to change the path and file name if you like.

The -la attributes tells the system to show a detailed list of all files in the folder (-l), including hidden files (-a). This provides a more detailed list than the Finder and TextEdit method discussed in the previous section.

3. List All APP Files Everywhere Using Terminal

Sometimes apps are installed in locations other than the Applications folder, especially if you download apps from outside the App Store. In this case, you can generate a list of apps installed anywhere for any user and in any folder using a command in the Terminal.

Launch a Terminal window (Applications > Utilities) and type the following command at the prompt:

This finds any APP file on your system, ignoring case (-iname), and sends the results to the specified text file. Remember to replace USERNAME with yours and change the path and file name if you wish.

You can also limit the results to a specific folder by replacing the slash (/) after find with the path to the folder to search.

Wireless key viewer free download. Wireless KeyView from Nirsoft Freeware is a free encryption software for Windows-based PCs. This freeware lets users view passwords stored by the WiFi Manager. Its spreadsheet-like main window displays all WEP/WPA that are stored in the computer. Wireless key viewer free download - Wireless Key Generator, Windows Product Key Viewer and Changer, Windows Product Key Viewer/Changer, and many more programs Navigation open search.

There’s a chance you’ll see some Operation not permitted messages. This is because the find command searches the entire system, and some areas of the system don’t allow access. You may also see the Not a directory message. Don’t worry about either of these—you’ll still get a list of the APP files on your system.

The list includes the full path to each file.

4. List All Mac App Store Apps Using Terminal

You might want to know which apps you’ve installed just from the Mac App Store. To generate this list, launch a Terminal window (Applications > Utilities) and type the following command at the prompt:

This command looks in the Applications folder, then goes into the receipts folder for each app (which is in the package contents of every app) to see which apps have a receipt from the Mac App Store. Hopefully, you didn’t purchase any apps that are a waste of money.

The results of the search are listed in the Terminal window. I tried to redirect the results to a text file, but that didn’t work with this command. However, you can easily select the list of APP files and copy it (Cmd + C). Then you can paste it into a document in TextEdit, or another document app, and save the list.

Back Up Your Mac App Lists

With the four methods we discussed, you could get up to four different lists of apps. So it’s probably a good idea to use multiple methods to generate more than one list of apps to be sure you know all the apps installed on your Mac.

Remember to store your lists of apps on an external or network drive so you have it when setting up your new Mac or the reinstalled system on your current Mac. Text files are a good choice of format for your lists. Since TextEdit or any other text editor can read them, you won’t need to install special software.

Whatever the situation, it’s a good idea to back up your lists manually or include them in your Mac backup solution5 Local Mac Backup Solutions That Aren't Time Machine5 Local Mac Backup Solutions That Aren't Time MachineThere are lots of Mac backup options out there, and many of them have features that Apple's default backup app just can't compete with.Read More.

Explore more about: Data Backup, Mac App Store, Mac Tips.

  1. Great piece, and just what I was looking for as I'm preparing for a re-format, re-install and am trying cover all the bases. A couple of observations: Methods #1 and #4 worked like a charm, but methods #2 and #3 both returned the following string:
    -bash: /Users/useskle/InstalledApps/InstalledAppsTerminal.txt: No such file or directory
    ..not sure if Ms. Kaufman, or others, have any suggestions, but either way, appreciate the article.

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Risks are inherent in the use of the Internet.

For additional information. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.