Java

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Download Java for Mac

How to download Java for Mac. Get a free version of the Java JDK from a recommended vendor, no account needed.

This guide helps you to download Java for installation on a Mac.

You can install Java using Homebrew, the macOS software package manager, or download Java and install it manually using a Java installer. In this article, you'll learn which distribution to choose, how to get it from a vendor, and how to verify your Java download to ensure it is secure. See Java on Mac for an overview.

Before you get started

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Homebrew or Manual Java Download

If you're not sure whether Java is already on your Mac, see Check Java Version on Mac.

You have two ways to get Java on macOS.

Homebrew is faster for most users. One command downloads and installs Java automatically. If you already use Homebrew for developer tools, this is the easier path.

For Homebrew, read next: Brew Install Java - Easy Cask Method

Manual download is an alternative is you don't want to use Homebrew. This guide gives details for the manual approach. You can download the installer directly and verify it yourself for security. It's free, compatible with your Mac, and requires no account.

Download Java for Mac

You'll need to know your Mac chip and disk space before downloading.

Know Your Chip

Older Macs relied on Intel processors. Starting in November 2020, Apple began shipping Macs with the M1 chip, then successor M2, M3, M4, and M5 chips. Before downloading Java, click Apple menu → About This Mac and look at the chip description.

If you see Apple M1, M2, M3, M4, or M5, you have an Apple Silicon Mac. You'll need the Java ARM64 version (labeled "aarch64" on download pages). Intel Mac users should download the x64 version instead. Downloading the wrong architecture will work—macOS uses Rosetta 2 to translate x64 code on Apple Silicon—but performance suffers. Always download the correct version for your chip. Read Java on Apple Silicon or Intel Macs for more details.

You can also check from a terminal application with uname -m. This command outputs arm64 for Apple Silicon or x86_64 for Intel.

Check Your macOS Version

Click Apple menu → About This Mac to confirm your macOS version. See the article Check macOS Version for more information. Unless you have an old (and slow) Mac, it's best to Upgrade macOS to the latest version. Java 25 requires macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later.

Do You Have Enough Disk Space?

A Java download is approximately 190 MB. Java needs about 500 MB of disk space after installation. Click System Settings in the top‑left corner, scroll to General, and click Storage to see available space and a usage bar.

Choose Your Java Vendor

Several vendors offer official Java downloads. All are built from the same OpenJDK source code, so the core functionality is identical. The differences are licensing, support timelines, and legal obligations. Take a look at whichjdk.com for detailed (and opinionated) advice about which vendor to choose.

  • Eclipse Temurin – Best for most users
  • Azul Zulu – Best to get the Java 8 legacy versions
  • Amazon Corretto – Best for AWS deployment
  • Microsoft OpenJDK – Best for Azure deployment
  • BellSoft Liberica – good for Spring and JavaFX
  • Oracle JDK – Best for companies with enterprise support contracts and lawyers

Many developers prefer Eclipse Temurin from Adoptium, which I also recommend. It's TCK-certified (meaning it passes Oracle's official compatibility tests) and backed by IBM, Microsoft, Red Hat, and Google. The vendor requires no account, unlike Oracle, which requires an account for some versions. Read Install JDK on Mac for comparison of Oracle JDK, Amazon Corretto, Azul Zulu, and other distributions.

If you want a different vendor's distribution, visit a vendor's website to download a JDK:

Which Java Version to Download

Get the Java Latest Version, Java 25. This is the current LTS version, released on September 16, 2025. LTS stands for Long-Term Support, meaning Java 25 receives security updates and bug fixes for years rather than months. Java 25 is your best choice for new projects.

Java 21 remains available as the previous LTS release. If your project specifically requires Java 21, download that version instead and Install Java 21. See the article Compare Java 21 to Java 25 for a detailed look at the two newest LTS versions.

Download the Recommended Java

Here's how to download Java for your Mac from Adoptium, the supplier of Eclipse Temurin.

Open the Download Page

Go to https://adoptium.net/temurin/releases in your web browser. Look for the correct download:

  1. Operating System: macOS
  2. Architecture: aarch64 (for Apple Silicon) or x64 (for Intel)
  3. Package Type: JDK
  4. Version: 25 - LTS

Choose PKG or DMG

For most Java setups on macOS: choose the PKG for a clean, system‑wide install in /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines, discovered by java_home, IDEs, and tools. The .pkg file is the native macOS installer format. It provides a guided installation wizard and properly registers Java with your system.

Choose the DMG only if you explicitly want to mount, inspect, or extract manually, or if some custom workflow or admin tool requires DMG‑based deployment.

Click the Download Button

Click the .pkg download. The download begins immediately. No account is needed.

Locate the Downloaded File

Find the downloaded .pkg file in your Downloads folder. The filename looks like this:

OpenJDK25U-jdk_aarch64_mac_hotspot_25.0.1_8.pkg

This tells you it's OpenJDK 25, the JDK package, for aarch64 (Apple Silicon), on macOS.

Read next: Install Java on Mac

Optionally Verify the Download

This step confirms your download wasn't corrupted or tampered with during transfer. It's optional but recommended if you want extra assurance. Skip ahead to "What's Next" if you prefer.

Get the Expected Checksum

On the Adoptium download page, click the Checksum link next to your download. This opens a file containing the SHA256 hash—a unique fingerprint for the legitimate file.

Calculate Your File's Checksum

Learn How to Open Terminal in Mac and run:

$ cd ~/Downloads
$ shasum -a 256 OpenJDK25U-jdk_aarch64_mac_hotspot_25.0.1_8.pkg

Replace the filename with your actual downloaded file if different.

Compare the Results

The output shows a long string of letters and numbers. Compare it to the checksum from Adoptium. They must match exactly.

If they match, your download is verified. If not, delete the file and download again.

Troubleshooting

Download Issues

  • Download stuck or slow — Try a different browser or disable your VPN
  • Download failed — Clear browser cache and try again
  • Wrong architecture — Delete the file, return to the download page, and select the correct architecture

What's Next

You've downloaded the Java installer. Now you're ready to install it.

Read next: Install Java on Mac

If you prefer the Homebrew approach instead, you can delete the downloaded file and follow the Homebrew guide:

Read next: Brew Install Java - Easy Cask Method

My mac.install.guide is a trusted source of installation guides for professional developers. Take a look at the Mac Install Guide home page for tips and trends and see what to install next.