How to Install MT5 on Mac OS
Last updated
Last updated
The trading platform can be installed and used on computers that run Mac OS using Wine. Wine is a free and open source software application that aims to allow applications designed for Microsoft Windows to run on Unix-like operating systems. One of the Wine versions is designed for Mac OS.
Note that Wine is not a fully stable application. This means that some functions in the applications you start under it may work improperly or not work at all.
The easiest way to install the trading platform is download the ready-made package from the official MetaQuotes website. Install the platform similarly to any other application — drag the platform icon to Applications and wait for the installation to complete.
The trading platform for Mac OS supports the Apple M1 chip and works reliably on any system version including Big Sur.
The installation package is compiled using CrossOver technology. This platform is based on Wine, but unlike other projects and Wine itself, CrossOver is a commercial product. Therefore, its development is much faster: the environment is optimized for better performance of Windows applications, while detected errors are quickly fixed. In contrast to "pure" Wine, CrossOver has more specialized nature as it is aimed at supporting the most popular office and other Windows applications. Compatibility with these applications is extensively tested and debugged, so they tend to run more stable than in Wine. The trading platform is among these applications.
You do not need to have CrossOver on your computer to install the platform from the ready-made DMG package. Accordingly, its use is absolutely free. You do not need to download any additional components or make any complex adjustments. The platform is immediately ready to go after being installed from the package.
Download the trading platform for Mac OS
When installing the platform on Mac OS Catalina and older OS versions, open the DMG file via the context menu instead of double-clicking. Older versions of operating systems cannot verify the package developer and display a relevant warning. For the Open button to appear in this dialog, the package must be launched via the context menu.
If this does not suit you for some reason, below is an alternative way to launch the platform on your Mac.
PlayOnMac is a Wine-based free software providing easy installation and use of Windows applications on Mac OS.
To install PlayOnMac, go to its official website, open the Downloads section and click the link to download the latest version.
Run the downloaded DMG package from the Downloads section of your system:
This opens the PlayOnMac first launch window. Upon clicking "Next" the installer starts checking and installing various components required for operation.
The first required component is XQuartz. This is a software tool for using X Window System on Mac OS. X Window System provides standard tools and protocols for building a graphical user interface on UNIX-like OS.
If you have already installed XQuartz or want to install it later, select "Don't install XQuartz for the moment" or "I've downloaded file by myself", respectively.
XQuartz is installed in several stages. First of all, read the important information (Read Me) and accept the license terms.
Before the installation, Mac OS security system requests your account password:
Wait for the installation to complete. For the changes to take effect, restart your computer.
After system restart, launch PlayOnMac from the setup file in the Downloads folder. The first launch window will appear again. This time, the installer will offer to install MS Windows fonts required for proper operation.
Accept the license agreement terms and complete the installation. After that, PlayOnMac is ready for use:
Wine is installed together with PlayOnMac.
To update Wine to the latest version, open the top menu of PlayOnMac and select "Manage Wine Versions":
The window with Wine versions available for installation will open. Select the latest version.
Move the latest Wine version to the right side of the window. The installation process starts after that.
After installation, the new version of Wine will appear in the left pane of PlayOnMac Wine versions manager. You can then close the window and install the trading platform.
To install the platform, download its installer "mt5setup.exe". When the download completes, run the setup file. The file is automatically opened by PlayOnMac.
This will launch the standard MT5 installation process, go through all its stages.
PlayOnMac creates a separate virtual logical drive with necessary environment for each installed program. The default path of the installed platform's data folder is as follows:
Source of content metatrader5.com
