Why are some Mac application icons crossed out??

If you see application icons on your Mac with a crossed-out symbol above it, means that macOS cannot run the application. Although there may be several causes, most likely you have recently updated macOS and it is no longer compatible with apps from 32 bits. Here's why and what you can do about it.

First: the other reasons why an app won't run

Simply, a crossed out app icon means something is preventing macOS from running the app. There may be several reasons for this, including that the application package is damaged or invalid, the application was written for a different architecture (as an example, a PowerPC application on an Intel Mac) or the app is not trusted and permission has not been granted. to run yet.

In those cases, your best bet is to make sure you are running the latest version of the app (check the developer web portal for updates), and you might want to try reinstalling the app from a clean source if it is corrupted. But these are generally rare cases.

The recent problem: Apple stopped supporting Mac software from 32 bits

from macOS 10.15 Catalina (launched in october 2019), macOS no longer supports running apps from 32 bits. If you have an application 32 bits on your Mac in Catalina or later, you will see a crossed-out symbol over your icon in Finder, Launchpad and the Dock.

If you try to run one of these crossed out apps, you will see a message advising you to update.

But why? And what does it mean “application of 32 bits” in any case?

It is difficult to summarize the meaning of the terms “application of 32 bits” O “application of 64 bits” without writing a technical research post, but if we summarize it, both terms refer to the amount of memory (RAM) and computing power of an application. I can use. An application of 64 bits can use much more memory (allowing larger files to be uploaded) and, in theory, perform much more complex tasks than an application 32 bits.

Because Macs have applications of 64 bits supported for over a decade, Apple considers that the applications of 32 bits are legacy software that needs to be updated to take full advantage of the latest computer hardware. In Catalina, Apple decided to force the issue by completely rejecting the software from 32 bits.

Will I ever be able to use my crossed-out Mac apps again?

Because Apple wants to push technology, It is unlikely that you will ever be able to run Mac software from 32 bits natively in new versions of macOS again. Then, if you face crossed out apps, here are some strategies to deal with them.

• Check for an app update from 64 bits: If you have a favorite app from 32 bits that no longer work, visit the developer web portal to see if a version of 64 application bits. Alternatively, you can search for a newer version on the Mac App Store.
• Search and alternative application: If the developer hasn't updated an app from 32 bits, you can try to find a newer app that does the same. A good place to start is the Mac App Store.
• Use an older Mac: If you have a spare older Mac that's still running a pre-Catalina version of macOS, you could dedicate that machine to running legacy applications from 32 bits and never update macOS, but this implies certain security risks. At some time, security vulnerabilities will no longer be fixed in older applications or operating systems, making the machine a perfect target for malware in the future.
• Run an older version of macOS in a virtual machine: Thanks to virtualization software, como Parallels Lite, it is feasible to run an older version of macOS virtually within the latest version of macOS. That way, you can use your legacy apps from 32 bits in the future, as long as you have a virtual machine that supports them.
• Switch to macOS 10.14 Mojave: as a last resort, if you absolutely trust your apps 32 bits to get the job done and you don't have another Mac, it is feasible reinstall an older version of macOS like mojave, the latest version that supported apps from 32 bits. Despite this, it is a risky procedure, therefore first make a backup of your Mac.

Even so, better upgrade or move on

Just as we said goodbye to the applications of 16 bits long ago, as a last resort, time moves on and leaves behind certain technologies. Actually, It's something good, because newer applications can take advantage of more powerful computers and better development techniques. At the same time, you should continually update your software whenever feasible for security reasons. Good luck!