Origin is a Windows software, optimized for the Windows GUI. To install and run Origin or OriginPro on a Mac, you need use a virtualization software, as explained below.

OriginLab has made available a free Native Mac Version of the Origin Viewer. The Mac Viewer is a portable, standalone application that can be run without installation. Use it to open Origin files in the Mac environment (Mac OS 10.10 or newer) so that you can view and copy data to other applications, including the copying and pasting of Origin's publication-quality graphs and layout pages as PNG or PDF images.

Running Origin on Mac using Virtualization Software

OriginLab recommends running Origin from Boot Camp, if dual-booting is an option. For those who prefer to run Origin as an application on your Mac desktop without a reboot of the Mac OS, we suggest the following virtualization software:

• Parallels^® Desktop for Mac
• VMWare^® Fusion
• VirtualBox

System Requirements:

• An Intel^®-based Mac^®.
• Mac OS X 10.7.0 or later
• 2GB of RAM, 750 MB free hard disk space for the virtualization software, 20GB free hard disk space for each virtual machine.
• Additional system requirements: Parallels^® Desktop for Mac Requirements, VMWare^® Fusion Requirements, VirtualBox Requirements
• Origin System requirements
• Known issues

Note about M1 Macbook : Origin can run on M1 cpu, using Parallels and Windows 11. For any issues that are outside of OriginLab's control, please check Microsoft's Windows ARM-based PCs FAQ.

Steps to install Origin/OriginPro:

1. Install the virtualization software on your Mac computer.
2. Using the virtualization software, create a new virtual computer and install Windows on the virtual computer.
3. Run the virtual computer on which Windows is installed. When Windows is ready, install Origin.

Note: Other options for running Origin on a Mac such as using CrossOver or WineBottler are currently not recommended by OriginLab.

FAQs

• Can I install Origin on M1 MacBook?
• Can I run Origin on a MacBook Retina display?
• How do I exchange files between Mac and Windows when running Origin on Mac?
• When running Origin on Mac, can I paste an Origin graph to Word as an OLE embedded object?
• When running Origin on a Mac through Virtualization Software, why can't I use some shortcut keys from a Mac keyboard?
• Is there a comparison table for hot keys from Mac keyboard?
• Why can't I use right button when runing virtualized Win 7 on Mac?
• What can I do if the virtual machine is slow on Mac?
• What license types are supported when run Origin on Mac?