How to download and install Podman Desktop on Mac
Podman Desktop is a free, open-source app for containers and Kubernetes, and on a Mac it runs them in a Linux virtual machine called the Podman machine. Here is which file to download, how to install it and how the first-start setup goes.
Podman Desktop
- macOS 12 or later
- Apple Silicon and Intel
- Free, open source
Or the installer straight from the developer’s server:
The links go to the developer’s website (podman-desktop.io, github.com). MacWashing is not affiliated with the developer and keeps no installers.
Open Terminal (Applications › Utilities) and run:
brew install --cask podman-desktopHomebrew downloads the app from the developer’s server, checks the file and puts the app in Applications.
No Homebrew yet? How to install Homebrew: one command from brew.sh.
Which file to download
The downloads page offers a universal .dmg that works on any Mac, and smaller ones for Apple Silicon and for Intel. Podman Desktop’s documentation recommends the universal one. If you want the smaller file, check your chip:
- Choose Apple menu › About This Mac.
- If you see Chip with Apple M1, M2 or later, take the file for Apple Silicon (arm64). If you see Processor with Intel, take the one for Intel (x64).
Podman Desktop’s documentation recommends the .dmg over Homebrew: it sets up Podman Desktop, Podman and its command-line tool together. Download it only from podman-desktop.io.
How to install Podman Desktop
- Open the downloaded
podman-desktop-….dmgin your Downloads folder and drag Podman Desktop to the Applications folder.
- Open Podman Desktop from Applications and click Open when macOS asks about an app downloaded from the internet.
- On the Get started with Podman Desktop screen, click Start Onboarding.
- Click Next, then Yes to install Podman. Follow the installer on the screen, enter your Mac password when asked and click Close at the end.
- Click Next, then Create to create the Podman machine. Then follow the screens to install the kubectl and compose command-line tools, and click Next to reach the Dashboard.
What to set up after the first launch
- Check the machine. Open Settings › Resources: the Podman machine should be running.
- Resources. The machine gets a set number of processor cores, memory and disk size. To change them, create a custom Podman machine in Settings › Resources.
- Disk usage. Images and containers live in the machine’s disk image, which grows as you add them.
- The installer. Move the
.dmgfrom Downloads to the Trash once Podman Desktop runs.
If Podman Desktop won’t install or start
- «Podman Desktop is damaged and can’t be opened». The download was incomplete. Delete the file and download it again from Podman Desktop’s website.
- You skipped the onboarding. Click Set up in the notification on the Dashboard, or Setup Podman on the Podman tile in Settings › Resources.
- Podman from Homebrew gets in the way. If you installed Podman with Homebrew earlier, uninstall it there before using the
.dmg, or install both with Homebrew only. - Nothing helps. Quit Podman Desktop, move it from Applications to the Trash and install it again from the downloads page.
Alternatives to Podman Desktop
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Questions and answers
Is Podman Desktop free?
Yes. Podman Desktop and Podman are free and open source.
Is Podman Desktop in the Mac App Store?
No. Download it from podman-desktop.io. Homebrew can install it too, but Podman Desktop’s documentation recommends the .dmg.
What is the Podman machine?
Containers need Linux, so on a Mac Podman runs them inside a Linux virtual machine. Podman Desktop creates one on the first start, and you can add more later.