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How to Open an App as Root on a Mac

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  1. How to Open an App as Root on a Mac, Disclaimer and Risks: crwdns2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0

    • Most graphical applications are not designed for root access.

    • Limit yourself to specific tasks you need to execute, understand well, or you can experiment (if you don't care about your data).

    • One wrong move can cost you: inaccessible files, application crashes, or security vulnerabilities.

    • You will need an administrator account!

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  2. How to Open an App as Root on a Mac, Open Terminal: crwdns2935265:02crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0

    • Open Terminal.

    • Log into an administrator account on your computer. Go to Applications → Utilities and launch Terminal.

    • This administrator account must have a non-blank password, or Terminal will not allow you to access root privileges.

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  4. How to Open an App as Root on a Mac, Open the app's package contents: crwdns2935265:03crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0

    • Open the application's package contents.

    • Locate the application in Finder. Right-click (or Control-click) its icon and select Show Package Contents from the drop-down menu.

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  5. How to Open an App as Root on a Mac, Find the EXEC file: crwdns2935265:04crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0

    • You should now see one or more folders inside the application. Locate the executable file inside this folder.

    • This is usually inside /Contents/MacOS.

    • The executable often has the same name as the application, but it could have another name, such as "run.sh."

    • The executable file icon is usually a black square with the word "exec" in small letters.

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  6. How to Open an App as Root on a Mac, Type sudo into terminal: crwdns2935265:05crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0

    • Type sudo followed by a space. Do not enter the command yet.

    • Make sure to enter a space after sudo

    • Do not enter the command until the next step.

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  7. How to Open an App as Root on a Mac, Drag the EXEC file: crwdns2935265:06crwdnd2935265:01crwdnd2935265:01crwdne2935265:0

    • Drag the executable file into the Terminal line.

    • This should automatically insert the file path to the executable file.

    • You will need to enter your password to complete the operation.

    • When you type your password, it will not show! This is for security purposes. Be assured, your password is being registered even if nothing is being displayed on screen.

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If you have questions, please leave a comment below. I will try to get to as many questions as I can.

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