Macs everywhere will soon lose the ability to run hundreds of apps when they begin updating to the next version of Apple’s software platform, called MacOS Catalina (coming in October). Precisely 235 apps will go dark, according to Cult of Mac. That’s because Apple will kill support for 32-bit apps and will run 64-bit apps only. Overall, this is a good thing because it means that apps will run faster and access more memory.
The move to 64-bit only apps for MacOS has been in the works for years, and Apple has been helping developers transition their 32-bit apps over to 64-bit. And as part of the transition, Apple last year started requiring all apps in the App Store to be 64-bit.
If you regularly update your apps or use ones just from the App Store, you’ll most likely be fine. But if you’re holding onto an old favorite that the developer isn’t looking to update — like Microsoft Office 11 for the Mac — you’ll want to start looking for replacements.
While you could skip the Catalina update and keep using the old software, we recommend updating your OS to stay on top of Apple’s security patches. Remember, there’s still a little time for developers to update their 32-bit apps to 64-bit, so you may not wind up losing them all.
Here’s how to check which of your apps won’t make the cut to Catalina.
How to check for 32-bit apps on your system
1. Click the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen.
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