--- title: Install Couchbase Server on macOS description: Couchbase Server can be installed on macOS for development use-cases. pubDate: 2026-08-17T09:53:44.266Z antora: editUrl: https://github.com/couchbase/docs-server/edit/release/7.2/modules/install/pages/macos-install.adoc xref: xref:7.2@server:install:macos-install.adoc[] --- [Consult the llms.txt file for a full list of contents](/llms.txt) [View original HTML](/server/7.2/install/macos-install.html) # Install Couchbase Server on macOS > Couchbase Server can be installed on macOS for development use-cases. Use the instructions on this page to install Couchbase Server on macOS platforms using Couchbase-provided application packages. The instructions support both Enterprise and Community [editions](https://www.couchbase.com/products/editions). If you're upgrading an existing installation of Couchbase Server, refer to [Upgrading Couchbase Server](upgrade.md). ## [](#before-you-install)Before You Install Couchbase Server works out-of-the-box with most OS configurations. However, the procedures on this page assume the following: * Your system meets the [minimum requirements](pre-install.md) and that your operating system version is [supported](install-platforms.md). * You're working from a clean system and that you've [uninstalled](install-uninstalling.md) any previous versions of Couchbase Server. If you're upgrading an existing installation of Couchbase Server, refer to [Upgrading Couchbase Server](upgrade.md). Although macOS is not supported for production deployments, you should still review the [deployment guidelines](install-production-deployment.md) for more information about best practices. ## [](#basic-installation)Basic Installation 1. Download the appropriate package from the Couchbase [downloads page](https://www.couchbase.com/downloads). Couchbase Server for macOS is packaged as a standalone application in a compressed disk image. 2. Mount the the downloaded `.dmg` file. Locate the downloaded Couchbase Server `.dmg` file (typically located in the default `~/Downloads` folder) and double-click it. Opening the file will automatically mount a volume in Finder containing the `Couchbase Server.app` application file. 3. Drag-and-drop the `Couchbase Server.app` file into the system `/Applications` folder. > [!NOTE] > macOS has a security policy that requires downloaded software to be run directly from the `/Applications` folder. Attempting to open `Couchbase Server.app` from any other folder or sub-folder will result in a "Problem Running Couchbase" error. > > ![Problem Running Couchbase](_images/error-macos-problem-running.png) 4. Double-click `Couchbase Server.app` to start Couchbase Server. A macOS Gatekeeper [dialogue](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202491) will appear asking if you want to open `Couchbase Server.app`. Click **Open** to continue. Couchbase Server runs as a background application. When Couchbase Server starts, the Couchbase Server icon ![Couchbase Server menu bar icon](_images/macos-menu-bar-icon-light.png) will appear in the menu bar. 5. Open a web browser and access the Couchbase Web Console to [verify](testing.md) that the installation was successful and the node is available. You can open the Couchbase Web Console by clicking ![Couchbase Server menu bar icon](_images/macos-menu-bar-icon-light.png) and then selecting **Open Admin Console**. Although the Couchbase Server software resides in the `/Applications` folder, the Couchbase data files are stored in other folders. For more information, refer to [Uninstalling Couchbase Server](install-uninstalling.md). ### [](#terminal-based-installation)Terminal-based Installation As an alternative to the UI-based installation, you can install Couchbase Server using the Terminal. 1. Download the appropriate package from the Couchbase [downloads page](https://www.couchbase.com/downloads). Couchbase Server for macOS is packaged as a standalone application in a compressed disk image. 2. Mount the the downloaded `.dmg` file. ```console hdiutil attach couchbase-download.dmg ``` The image will mount a volume in containing the `Couchbase Server.app` application file. 3. Copy the `Couchbase Server.app` file into the system `/Applications` folder. ```console cp -R /Volumes/volume-name/Couchbase\ Server.app /Applications ``` 4. Remove the Gatekeeper [quarantine flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatekeeper%5F%28macOS%29#Quarantine) from `Couchbase Server.app`. ```console sudo xattr -d -r com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Couchbase\ Server.app ``` 5. Start Couchbase Server. ```console open -a Couchbase\ Server.app ``` Couchbase Server runs as a background application. When Couchbase Server starts, the Couchbase Server icon ![Couchbase Server menu bar icon](_images/macos-menu-bar-icon-light.png) will appear in the menu bar of the macOS UI. 6. Open a web browser and access the Couchbase Web Console to [verify](testing.md) that the installation was successful and the node is available. Although the Couchbase Server software resides in the `/Applications` folder, the Couchbase data files are stored in other folders. For more information, refer to [Uninstalling Couchbase Server](install-uninstalling.md). ## [](#accessing-the-cli-tools)Accessing the CLI Tools On macOS, the Couchbase Server command line interface (CLI) tools are included in the `Couchbase Server.app` application directory: /Applications/Couchbase\ Server.app/Contents/Resources/couchbase-core/bin To browse the commands in Finder, right-click on `Couchbase Server.app`, select **Show Package Contents**, and then go to `/Contents/Resources/couchbase-core/bin`. ## [](#next-steps)Next Steps Following installation and start-up of Couchbase Server, a node must be _initialized_ and _provisioned_. * If it is the first node in a deployment, initialization and provisioning happens all at once when you create a _cluster of one_. Refer to [Create a Cluster](../manage/manage-nodes/create-cluster.md) * If you already have an existing cluster, the node is initialized and provisioned when you add it to the cluster. Refer to [Add a Node and Rebalance](../manage/manage-nodes/add-node-and-rebalance.md) * Optionally, initialization can be performed explicitly and independently of provisioning, as a prior process, in order to establish certain configurations, such as custom disk-paths. Refer to [Initialize a Node](../manage/manage-nodes/initialize-node.md)