The "App is not optimized for your Mac and needs updating" pop up

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The message pops up these days on Mac users for those with macOS Sierra 10.13.x and or Mojave 10.14.x (“x” being the installed version one has in one’s Mac): “App is not optimized for your Mac and needs updating“. That warning is showing up because Apple is requiring that all developers upgrade their 32-bit versions to 64 bit, if they have not done that yet.

One probably has to click “OK”, although this is not something I have found anywhere stated as such. In any case, clicking “OK” makes the pop up go away.

For more details, this is a link to where they can be found them:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208436

It also says there that one can continue to use the 32-bit version if one wishes to do so. But the developers might provide 64-bit updates, so I imagine that when installing them they will replace the old 32-bit ones.

It would be nice if someone with more knowledge of this would explain what clicking “OK” in the pop up actually does and what happens when getting 64 bit upgrades when one still has the 32-bit version of some application. Or comment on any other points that might need further elaboration.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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Nathan Parker

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The prompt will appear when users occasionally launch apps on High Sierra (not Sierra) and Mojave. Clicking OK does dismiss the prompt, although on Mojave, the prompt can still occasionally appear (I think it only appears once per app on High Sierra, or it may still appear occasionally, I can’t 100% remember).

Basically, here’s what you need to know:

1. macOS Mojave will be the last OS to support 32 Bit apps. If you upgrade to the next major release of macOS coming this fall, any 32 Bit apps you have simply won’t launch until you upgrade to their 64 Bit variants. You can continue to use Mojave until all of your apps have been upgraded to 64 Bit variants if need be.
2. 99% of your apps should already be 64 Bit. You can check to see which ones are 64 Bit and which ones are 32 Bit by going to the System Information app, selecting Applications under Software, then check the 64-Bit (Intel) column. If it says Yes, the app is OK. If it says No, the app needs an upgrade. Most of my apps have been upgraded to 64 Bit. The only apps that haven’t are a couple of WINE-based Windows ports to Mac, which will be upgraded to 64 Bit before this fall, and my work’s VPN.
3. Ignore InkServer and quicklookd32 in the System Information list. Those are two macOS services that will be removed in the next major release of macOS and honestly haven’t been used for years.
4. I highly recommend upgrading any apps you use that are currently 32 Bit only to 64 Bit. Some 64 Bit upgrades come in free app updates, others may require a paid upgrade, and if you use any legacy apps, you may need to find a 64 Bit replacement. With every modern Mac using more than 4GB of RAM these days, ensuring all your apps are 64 Bit simply provides you way better performance over 32 Bit variants. It’s long overdue to ensure all the apps you use are 64 Bit and taking full advantage of your Mac’s performance, so I highly recommend it.

Nathan Parker

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Nathan, I have checked already this morning and all but three apps were 64 bit, and those three x32, two were the ones that you mention. Although I got momentarily worried when I saw one of those unexpected pop ups with the cryptic name of some application that was up for updating, but I’ve never heard of and that was not even listed in System Information/Applications/Software. So I decided to investigate, and the result was this thread. But I do have a related question:

How does one update a 3rd party application in a Mac, not only, as in this case from x32 to x64, but also in general? Is there somewhere a button, with the application’s name, to right-click and then select “update”? (as one can do in IE 11 with its add-ons, for example)?

The “first-party” applications from the Apple store have their updates brought to the attention of the users and can be updated by pointing and clicking, so with those we are already covered.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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What was the other one that was 32 Bit? I may be able to assist with figuring out what you need to do with it.

What was the cryptic name that popped up? I may also be able to assist with that one.

There are numerous ways to update apps on a Mac, depending on the app and where you got it, but here are some of the ways to update apps:

• Mac App Store apps will be updated through the Mac App Store.
• macOS updates are delivered through Software Update (Mojave or Later) or the Mac App Store (High Sierra or earlier)
• Some apps offer automatic updates, or at least prompt you when there’s an update available.
• Some apps have a “Check for Updates” command either in the Application menu (when you launch the app, it’s the menu with the app’s name next to the Apple logo), or an update command under the app’s preferences, or a “Check for Updates” command in the Help menu.
• Some apps you’ll just need to download the latest version from the developer’s website, and when you either re-run the installer or drag/drop the app to the Applications folder in the Finder, it’ll automatically replace the previous version of the app with the new version, leaving your preferences in check (unless it’s a really major new release and a whole new app).
• A good number of third-party apps use Sparkle to update: https://sparkle-project.org

Nathan Parker

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Nathan, The third 32-bit application in that list was “QuickTime Player 7”, that I seem to remember is now obsolete. I use regularly plain “QuickTime Player”, that works OK. The “crypto” one was not all that cryptic, actually, merely written in an strange way that made it hard for my eye to figure out what was there and made me consequently suspicious. It then turned out that it is an application that is part of my Webroot AV. The AV is listed as being 64-bit. While I was checking this “cryptic” pop up on the Web, the pop up disappeared. That left me wondering if, by not clicking the blue button on it, I had lost a chance of upgrading the AV.

So I started this thread, in part, to have this clarified. Now you have explained that the button is merely there to turn off the pop up. Thanks.

 

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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QuickTime Player 7 will be removed in the next major release of macOS. It was the legacy version of QuickTime. The regular QuickTime Player (also known as QuickTime X) is the replacement and what you’ll be using exclusively moving forward (the only reason Apple kept QuickTime Player 7 around was when QuickTime X was first launched, it didn’t have all of the functionality of QuickTime Player 7. It has enough functionality now to warrant sunsetting QuickTime Player 7).

In terms of Webroot, it should already be fully 64 Bit, but you can reach out to Webroot Support and ask for the latest installer to Webroot. Running it will ensure you’re fully up-to-date. My copy is fully 64 Bit.

Nathan Parker

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