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OS X 10.7 Or Later Does Not Support Rosetta / PowerPC Software

Article ID = 2
Article Title = OS X 10.7 Or Later Does Not Support Rosetta / PowerPC Software
Article Author(s) = Graham Needham (BH)
Article Created On = 30th March 2011
Article Last Updated = 12th March 2019
Article URL = https://www.macstrategy.com/article.php?2

Article Brief Description:
Starting with OS X 10.7 Lion, OS X does not support the "Rosetta" environment for running PowerPC based applications. This is a list of common PowerPC applications with information on upgrades and alternatives.

Virtualise Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (Server)

It is possible to legally virtualise Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard on your computer using the server version of Mac OS X 10.6. This enables you to run Rosetta/PowerPC based applications on a modern Macintosh computer. We have an article detailing how to do this.

How to check for PowerPC software on your computer

The really easy way:

Download and run Appsolete
or download and run ArchDetect

The easy way:

  1. Make sure Spotlight is turned on (go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Spotlight > Privacy tab and make sure your boot hard disk is not in the list OR use Spotless to check).
  2. Go to Apple menu > About This Mac > click the "More Info…" button.
  3. When System Profiler opens select "Applications" under the 'Software' heading in the list on the left.
  4. Click on the "Kind" column heading to sort by kind.
  5. Click (to select) the first PowerPC type application.
  6. Locate the last PowerPC type application om the list and shift+click on it (this will select all the PowerPC applications).
  7. A full list of PowerPC type applications will appear in the text pane below the upper list of applications.
  8. Click anywhere in the text pane and press Command+A to 'Select All'.
  9. Press Command+C to 'Copy'.
  10. Go to your favourite text editor e.g. Microsoft Word or TextEdit.
  11. Press Command+V to 'Paste'.
  12. Save the document for later analysis if required.

The Terminal/command line way:

  1. Go to Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
  2. Paste the following command into the Terminal window:
    3. system_profiler SPApplicationsDataType | sed -e 's/ *//' | grep -A4 "Kind: PowerPC" | grep Location | sort
  3. This will produce a simple list (with hard disk location) in the Terminal window.
  4. This simple list can be copied and pasted into your favourite text editor e.g. Microsoft Word or TextEdit (and saved for later analysis if required).

List of PowerPC Apps likely to still be in use

Adobe Creative Suite 2 (CS2) and 1 (CS1)
Third party alternatives to Adobe software are available in our Alternative Products To Adobe Creative Suite/Creative Cloud article.
Adobe Acrobat Pro/Standard v7 or earlier
  • Upgrade to Acrobat v8/v9/vX(10) Pro, vXI(11) Pro [no longer supported] or DC/2015/2017:
    • Acrobat Pro DC for Mac (1 month subscription) Buy it now at Amazon USA
    • Acrobat Pro DC for Mac (1 year subscription) Buy it now at Amazon UK Buy it now at Amazon USA
    • Acrobat Pro DC for Mac (3 year subscription) Buy it now at Amazon UK
    • Acrobat Pro 2020 for Mac (full retail version - no subscription) Buy it now at Amazon USA
    • Acrobat Pro 2020 for Mac (full retail version - no subscription - Student and Teacher edition) Buy it now at Amazon USA
    • Acrobat Pro 2017 for Mac (full retail version - no subscription) Buy it now at Amazon UK
      • NOTE: Upgrade licences for non-subscription, retail editions of Acrobat Pro 2020 are available to buy from Adobe's web site in your region. On their site go to PDF & E-signatures > Acrobat plans & pricing > "Questions? We have answers." heading > click "Is there a non-subscription version of Acrobat available? > click the revealed link to purchase online > click "Acrobat Pro 2020 - Buy now" > change 'Type' to "License upgrade" > complete the rest of the form and make your purchase online (if you already have an Adobe ID, use that email address/those details to login and make the purchase, otherwise you will end up with multiple Adobe accounts).
Adobe (Macromedia) Freehand MX and earlier
    NOTE: For more information about using Freehand see this really useful Free Freehand web site
Adobe Illustrator v12 (CS2) and earlier
Third party alternatives to Adobe software are available in our Alternative Products To Adobe Creative Suite/Creative Cloud article.
Adobe InDesign v4 (CS2), v3 (CS1), v2 or v1
Third party alternatives to Adobe software are available in our Alternative Products To Adobe Creative Suite/Creative Cloud article.
Adobe Photoshop v9 (CS2) and earlier
Third party alternatives to Adobe software are available in our Alternative Products To Adobe Creative Suite/Creative Cloud article.
Adobe Acrobat Reader v7 or earlier
QuarkXPress v6.5 and earlier
AppleWorks v6 and earlier (including ClarisWorks)
Panergy Software's docXConverter version 3.2 or later purports to convert AppleWorks 5/6 word processing, spreadsheet and database documents (and is OS X 10.7 or later compatible).
  • Alternative Exchange server client software:
    NOTE: Appleworks 'database' and 'paint' documents cannot be directly imported into other products. You need to export the documents into a usable format first or you could try Panergy Software's docXConverter version 3.2 or later as it purports to convert AppleWorks 5/6 database documents (but not Paint documents).
  • Alternative database software:
NOTE: Apple's iWork suite will usually only import AppleWorks v6 documents. Older versions of Appleworks/ClarisWorks may need to have their documents opened first and exported to a useable format or if you can, update to AppleWorks 6.2.9 first.
NOTE: For more information about transitioning from AppleWorks see this really useful Abandoning AppleWorks web site.
Microsoft Office 2004 (including XML document converters), vX or earlier
  • Upgrade to Microsoft Office 2011, 2016 or Office 365

    • Office/Microsoft 365 subscription

    • Microsoft 365 "Personal" (1 user, non-commercial use - activation code via email or in box)
      Buy it now at Amazon UK Buy it now at Amazon USA
    • Microsoft 365 "Family" (6 users, 6 installs + 6 portable installs, non-commercial use - activation code via email or in box)
      Buy it now at Amazon UK Buy it now at Amazon USA
    • Microsoft 365 "Business Standard" (1 business/user - 5 installs - activation code via email or in box)
      Buy it now at Amazon UK Buy it now at Amazon USA

    Office 2019 perpetual license, boxed edition

    • Office 2019 Home & Student (1 user, 1 install, no Outlook - download/licence key card)
      Buy it now at Amazon UK
    • Office 2019 Home & Business (1 user, 1 install, with Outlook - download/licence key card)
      Buy it now at Amazon UK Buy it now at Amazon USA

    Office 2016 perpetual license, boxed edition

    • Office 2016 Home & Student (1 user, 1 install, no Outlook - download/licence key card)
      Buy it now at Amazon UK Buy it now at Amazon USA
    • Office 2016 Home & Business (1 user, 1 install, with Outlook - download)
      Buy it now at Amazon UK Buy it now at Amazon USA
    • Office 2016 Home & Business (1 user, 1 install, with Outlook - licence key card)
      Buy it now at Amazon UK Buy it now at Amazon USA
  • Alternative Office like suites:
  • Alternative Exchange server client software:
Microsoft Internet Explorer v5 for Mac
Microsoft Remote Desktop Client v1
  • Upgrade to Microsoft Remote Desktop Client v8 or later Buy it now on the Mac App Store [FREE]
Microsoft Virtual PC v7 and earlier
Omnipage Pro X and earlier
NOTE: See also, MacHow2's Best OCR Software For Mac.
Roxio Toast v6 and earlier
  • Upgrade to Toast v7 (specifically 7.1.3), v8, v9, v10, v11, v12, v14, v15 or v16 or switch to an alternative product:
    • Roxio Toast Titanium 19 (64-bit compatible) Buy it now at Amazon USA
    • Roxio Toast Titanium 18 (64-bit compatible) Buy it now at Amazon UK Buy it now at Amazon USA
    • Roxio Toast Titanium 17 (64-bit compatible) Buy it now at Amazon UK
    • Corel Toast Burn Buy it now on the Mac App Store
    • NTI Dragon Burn Buy it now on the Mac App Store
    • Burn (FREE - Open Source)
    • NCH Express Burn (FREE for home use or US$34.99)
    • Disco (FREE) - 32-bit software so not compatible with macOS 10.15 or later!
    • SimplyBurns (FREE) - 32-bit software so not compatible with macOS 10.15 or later!
ABBYY FineReader (also included with some scanners/the Fujitsu ScanSnap products)
Adobe GoLive (all versions)
BBEdit v6 and earlier
  • Upgrade to v8, v9, v10 or v11
Eudora
FileMaker v7 and earlier
Canvas X
NOTE: See also, MacHow2's Best CAD Software For Mac.
Retrospect 6
  • Upgrade to Retrospect v11 or later
  • For alternative products/solutions to Retrospect backup please see our backup article.
Quicken 2007 and earlier (US market only)
QuickBooks 2007 and earlier (US market only)
i1 / Eye-One Match (colour calibration software)
iView Media Pro 3.0.2 and earlier
iView Media Pro was purchased by Microsoft in July 2006 and renamed "Expression Media". It was then subsequently purchased by PhaseOne recently and renamed Media Pro 1. So your options are:
ZipIt
No direct replacement but you could use the basic zip facilities included with Mac OS X or try these alternatives:
Tex-Edit+
Update to v4.9.9 or later. Download from www.tex-edit.com.
MacLink Plus
No direct replacement but you could try the Zamzar online conversion tool/web site.
Palm / Palm Desktop
eBookfaces

Further List of additional PowerPC Applications with unknown options

Check back regularly as we update this article with more information.
  • Amadeus II
  • Dimage Scan Dual IV software (film scanner)
  • Emergency Records Organizer
  • FontLab Studio (also their other products such as Fontographer)
  • Inspiration 7
  • MacTheRipper
  • Merriam-Webster dictionary
  • Now Contact
  • Panorama 5
  • TurboTax 2005 and earlier (US market only)
  • Wake 550
  • Hemera Photo-Objects

Other PowerPC software that may be on your computer

  • Installer software (old VISE installers, etc).
  • Some Xerox printer drivers use a PowerPC installer application.
  • Old printer, camera, scanner and/or peripheral applications or drivers e.g. scanning software, multifunction printer utilities, camera image utilities.

Additions, Omissions or Errors

If you have any please use our Contact Form.
NOTE: The alternative software titles listed in this article are listed on the basis that they are Universal Binary or Intel compatible software. They are not necessarily OS X 10.7 or later compatible. Application software Lion or later compatibility information is available here.

Article Keywords: OS X OSX 107 108 109 1010 1011 macOS 1012 1013 1014 1015 1100 1200 1300 Panther Tiger Leopard Snow Leopard Lion Mountain Lion Mavericks Yosemite El Capitan Sierra High Sierra Mojave Catalina Big Sur Monterey Ventura Rosetta PowerPC PPC

This article is © MacStrategy » a trading name of Burning Helix. As an Amazon Associate, employees of MacStrategy's holding company (Burning Helix sro) may earn from qualifying purchases. Apple, the Apple logo, and Mac are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

Article Contributors/Thanks To: www.macintouch.com

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