This topic includes the following sections:
System Requirements for Installing the JDK on macOS
The following are the system requirements for installing the JDK on macOS:
Installing Java 8 and Eclipse on Mac OS X. This page tells you how to download and install Java 8 and Eclipse on Mac OS X, and how to configure Eclipse. Installing Java 8. Go to the Oracle website. You'll see something like this. Download the latest version of Apache NetBeans for Mac. Java, C and Ruby application development from your Mac. NetBeans IDE is an integrated, multi-platform.
- Cross-play with Java Edition: Windows, Mac, and Linux Allows you to play with other Java edition players. Split screen multiplayer (online multiplayer requires subscription sold separately) Playing split screen allows up to four players to play on the screen at the same time.
- After installing Java for macOS 2012-006, can I continue to use Apple's Java 6 alongside the macOS JDK for Java 13? If you want to continue to develop with Java 6 using command-line, then you can modify the startup script for your favorite command environment.
Any Intel-based computer running macOS.
Administrator privileges.
You cannot install Java for a single user. Installing the JDK on macOS is performed on a systemwide basis for all users. Administrator privileges are required to install the JDK on macOS.
Determining the Default JDK Version on macOS
When starting a Java application through the command line, the system uses the default JDK.
You can determine which version of the JDK is the default by entering java -version
in a Terminal window. If the installed version is 14 Interim 0, Update 0, and Patch 0, then you see a string that includes the text 14
. For example:
To run a different version of Java, either specify the full path, or use the java_home
tool. For example:
$ /usr/libexec/java_home -v 14 --exec javac -version
Installing the JDK on macOS
- Download the JDK
.dmg
file,jdk-14.
interim.update.patch_osx-x64_bin.dmg
.Before the file can be downloaded, you must accept the license agreement.
- From either the browser Downloads window or from the file browser, double-click the
.dmg
file to start it.A Finder window appears that contains an icon of an open box and the name of the.pkg
file. - Double-click the
JDK 14.pkg
icon to start the installation application.The installation application displays the Introduction window. - Click Continue.
- Click Install. A window appears that displays the message: Installer is trying to install new software. Enter your password to allow this.
- Enter the Administrator user name and password and click Install Software.The software is installed and a confirmation window is displayed.
.dmg
file if you want to save disk space. Uninstalling the JDK on macOS
You must have Administrator privileges.Note:
Do not attempt to uninstall Java by removing the Java tools from /usr/bin
. This directory is part of the system software and any changes will be reset by Apple the next time that you perform an update of the OS.
- Go to
/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines
. - Remove the directory whose name matches the following format by executing the
rm
command as a root user or by using thesudo
tool:/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-14.interim.update.patch.jdk
For example, to uninstall 14 Interim 0 Update 0 Patch 0:
$ rm -rf jdk-14.jdk
Installation FAQ on macOS Platform
This topic provides answers for the following frequently asked questions about installing JDK on macOS computers.
1. How do I find out which version of Java is the system default?
When you run a Java application from the command line, it uses the default JDK. If you do not develop Java applications, then you do not need to worry about this. See Determining the Default JDK Version on macOS.
2. How do I uninstall Java?
See Uninstalling the JDK on macOS.
3. After installing Java for macOS 2012-006, can I continue to use Apple's Java 6 alongside the macOS JDK for Java 14?
If you want to continue to develop with Java 6 using command-line, then you can modify the startup script for your favorite command environment. For bash, use this:
$ export JAVA_HOME=`/usr/libexec/java_home -v 14`
Some applications use /usr/bin/java
to call Java. After installing Java for macOS 2012-006, /usr/bin/java
will find the newest JDK installed, and will use that for all of the Java-related command-line tools in /usr/bin
. You may need to modify those applications to find Java 6, or contact the developer for a newer version of the application.
4. What happened to the Java Preferences app in Application Utilities?
The Java Preferences app was part of the Apple Java installation and is not used by Oracle Java. Therefore, macOS releases from Apple that do not include Apple Java will not include Java Preferences.
I want to do some programming with the latest JavaFX, which requires Java 8. I’m using IntelliJ 13 CE and Mac OS X 9 Mavericks. I ran Oracle’s Java 8 installer, and the files look like they ended up at
but previous versions are at
Not sure why the latest installer puts this in /Library
instead of /System/Library
(nor what the difference is). But /usr/libexec/java_home
doesn’t find 1.8, so all the posts I’ve found on how to set your current java version don’t work. I’ve tried adding a symbolic link to make it look like 1.8 is in the /System/Library...
path, but it doesn’t help. /usr/libexec/java_home -V
still only lists the old java 1.6.
Ironically, the “Java” control panel under System Preferences shows only java 1.8!
Why doesn’t Oracle’s installer put it where it really goes? And how can I work around this problem?
Don’t rely on Oracle to install Java properly on your Mac.
Use Homebrew:
If you want to manage multiple versions of Java on your Mac, consider using jenv.
For El Capitan and Sierra
Download Java 8 Mac Os X
Install brew:
then update and install Java:
An option that I am starting to really like for running applications on my local computer is to use Docker. You can simply run your application within the official JDK container – meaning that you don’t have to worry about getting everything set up on your local machine (or worry about running multiple different versions of the JDK for different apps etc)
Although this might not help you with your current installation issues, it is a solution which means you can side-step the minefield of issues related with trying to get Java running correctly on your dev machine!
The benefits are:
- No need to set up any version of Java on your local machine (you’ll just run Java within a container which you pull from Docker Hub)
- Very easy to switch to different versions of Java by simply changing the tag on the container.
- Project dependencies are installed within the container – so if you mess up your config you can simply nuke the container and start again.
A very simple example:
Create a Dockerfile
:
- Here we are specifying the Java container running version 8 of the SDK (
java:8
– to use Java 7, you could just specify:java:7
) - We are mapping the local directory with the directory:
/usr/src/myapp
inside the container

Create a docker-compose.yml
file:
Now, assume we have this Java file:
Java Runtime Environment Jre 1.8
HelloWorld.java
So we have the following file structure:
You can do various Java things like:
compile:
- You should note that the HelloWorld.class shows up in your current directory (this is cause we’ve mapped the current directory to the location inside the container where our code exists
run:
- Note: the first time you run this it will fetch the image etc. This will take a while – it only happens the first time
docker-compose run
– runs a command from within the container-rm
tells docker to remove the container once the command is finished runningjava
is the name of the service/container (from our docker-compose file) against which this command will run- the rest of the line is the command to run inside the container.
This is quite a cool way of dealing with running different versions of Java for different apps without making a complete mess of your local setup :).
Here is a slightly more complex example which has Maven and a simple Spring app
Disclaimer:
- I haven’t really tried this within an IDE like IntelliJ – so not entirely sure how that aspect of things would work. Though it looks like docker support is coming
- Here is a significantly more complex example running Microservices with Spring Boot, Zuul and Docker
I just did this on my MBP, and had to use
in order to get java8 to install.
I have applications that use both Java 7 and 8 and have to go back and forth all the time.
I use this script written by Johan:
You can now set it at startup or call the script afterwards.
Install the JDK for Mac.
Java 7
Java 8
I’m having the same problem to solve, because I need to install JDK8 to run Android SDK Manager (because it seems that don’t work well with JDK9).
However, I tell you how I solve all problems on a Mac (Sierra).
First, you need brew with cask and jenv.
- You can find an useful guide here,Homebrew Cask Installation Guide.
Remember to tap ‘caskroom/versions’ running in the terminal:brew tap caskroom/versions
- After that, install jenv with:
brew install jenv
- Install whatever version you want with cask
brew cask install java8
(orjava7
orjava
if you want to install the latest version, jdk9) - The last step is to configure which version to run (and let jenv to manage your JAVA_HOME)
jenv versions
to list all versions installed on your machine and then activate the one you want withjenv global [JDK_NAME_OF_LIST]
You could find other useful informations here on this Github Gist brew-java-and-jenv.md, on this blog Install multiple JDK on a Mac and on Jenv Website
Easiest way –
P.S – What is brew-cask ? Homebrew-Cask extends Homebrew , and solves the hassle of executing an extra command – “To install, drag this icon…” after installing a Application using Homebrew.
Below steps worked for me.
1) Uninstall all jdks
In the Terminal window Copy and Paste the command below:
2) Install APPLE jdk.
3) Download latest JDK from Oracle and install it , for me it was JDK 1.82
Thats all it will work like a charm.
I also had the same problem. But after little hit and trial, I was able to resolve the issue.
Try removing 1.6 sdk by sudo rm and restart your mac.
Download again the .dmg file. Chances are that the .dmg installer you downloaded, might be corrupt. Install again.
Run following command after installation. It gives path for jdk 8.
/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.8
Also you can run and see jdk 8 folder. The files may be hidden.
ls -al /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/
How To Download Java 8 On Mac
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