Change zsh to bash mac. See article.

Change zsh to bash mac. bash_profile. sh>. 10. x has a GPL v3 license, Apple could not update the ancient Bash (v3. If you’d like to use zsh as the default shell in Terminal for Mac OS rather than bash, you can do so rather easily with taking the following steps: May 22, 2023 · How do i get rid of terminal message to change my interactive shell in Monterey? I’ve changed bash to zsh, but message remains. Add the below line line in the file and save and exit. May 24, 2023 · Whether you want to change colors, display helpful information, or experiment with different styles, personalize your Mac today. To change the default shell, you will need to modify the user’s configuration file, usually located at ~/. Run the following code, for instance, to change your shell to Zsh chsh -s /bin/zsh As described in the manpage, and by Lorin, if the shell is not known by the OS, you have to add it to its known list: /etc/shells. Cue the collective sighs and confusion. Oct 6, 2024 · I'm trying to change a custom name on the command line in the Terminal app or reset any suggestion? Mar 21, 2012 · Tired of bash? Prefer zsh, ksh, tcsh, fish, or sh? You can quickly change the default shell in Terminal app, in addition to changing a users default login shell for when logging in remotely with SS… Feb 15, 2023 · If you’ve just upgraded macOS and seen a message that says, 'The default interactive shell is now zsh', we’ll tell you why and what to do about it. 3. Jun 24, 2020 · Conclusion In Catalina Apple started warning us about the eventual demise of bash from macOS. But here’s the deal—if you’re doing any real terminal work on macOS, it’s worth knowing why that switch happened and whether you should care. Nov 23, 2021 · After upgrading to MacOS Monterey, I was stunned that Apple would switch my default shell to ZSH. Apple would essentially change everything about the Mac OS X system, including its underlying software, in order to place it on a non-compatible hardware. They haven’t said specifically why the change is occurring, but we can make some educated guesses. The current v5 bash is under the GPLv3 license that is poison to companies like Apple, so they cannot give you an up-to-date bash with bug fixes. Users & Groups System Settings > Ctrl-click on user and select Advanced Options… You can select the default shell from Jun 4, 2019 · Apple is moving away from the bash shell on macOS. 🚀You should see -bash now. × Dec 29, 2021 · Recent versions of macOS now use zsh as the default command line shell. If you want to just make your regular B Discover seamless ways to switch from bash to zsh and enhance your command line experience. Get ready to enhance productivity, streamline workflow, and make a statement with a customized Mac zsh terminal prompt. brew to the rescue! Just run: brew update brew install Dec 5, 2020 · If you want to change the default scripting language zsh to bash in terminal on Mac OS, I will teach you how to do it. Alternatively: Open Cygwin (in BASH) then type: Feb 2, 2025 · With zsh becoming the default shell in Terminal for MacOS, and a widely used shell in general thanks to Oh-My-Zsh, you may be wondering how to configure and use aliases with zsh shell. Actually, macOS used to default to bash a long time ago, but due to the change of bash’s license to GPLv3, Apple had to replace it. PDF and have a complete listing at your fingertips history -c networkQuality Numerous other commands that don't work in ZSH Why has Apple decided to Jun 8, 2019 · First, some important things: Bash isn't going away. The next time that you launch Terminal, when it spawns a default shell, that's when you'll be put into zsh. e. bashrc or ~/. That seems very odd, that if Apple wants to migrate from bash as a default to zsh as a default it doesn't happen in the operating system itself. 15 on 7th October 2019 Apple made zsh as the default shell. brew install bash manasys wrote: Why? Prior to Catalina, Apple’s default was Bash (v3. Jan 15, 2021 · Every new Mac uses the (Zsh) by default, but you can quickly and easily switch the default shell back to Bash. Since macOS Catalina, Apple has made Zsh the default shell, replacing Bash. Terminal will need a restart to take effect. COMMAND-1 input Dec 17, 2019 · Why is Apple Changing the Shell? Apple is changing from the Bash shell to the Zsh (Z Shell). To put that in perspective, the version of Bash used on your Mac was new when the Change the default shell in Terminal on Mac The default shell is zsh. bash_profile doesn't help; you either need to change your zsh profile through open ~/. Jan 11, 2017 · Explains how to set or change shell to bash (Bourne-again shell) on a Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, and Unix-like OS using the chsh command. Apr 25, 2025 · Starting with macOS Catalina, Apple ditched Bash as the default shell and gave Zsh the crown. 15+) Apple replaced bash with zsh as the default shell for new user accounts. I immediately switched it back to BASH. Jan 12, 2021 · As you can see above, I was on the bash shell ($) before and typing zsh switched me to Z Shell (%) ️ Since macOS Catalina Zsh is the default shell, you might see "The default interactive shell is now zsh. Since bash is getting old and moldy, Apple is switching to zsh which most of the bash features, plus some of its own, and none of the draconian licensing issues. However, you can switch to bash from zsh, if you prefer. What changes is the shell for interactive use, i. Dec 12, 2024 · As a programmer who spends a lot of time in the terminal, having a powerful and visually pleasing command line interface can greatly improve productivity and enjoyment. Aug 2, 2023 · How to Change Zsh to Bash on Mac? Change the default terminal shell in macOS using the CLI or the System Preferences GUI. Converting your existing bash scripts and workflows to zsh, sh, or bash v5 is an important first step. Follow the steps below to replace Zsh with Bash: 1. I don't see a reference to the PATH variable in my ~/. But by using Homebrew, you can install the latest version of Bash and use its features. To confirm, Last login: Mon Apr 17 13:26:21 on ttys000 Restored session: Mon Apr 17 13:26:18 PDT 2023 john@iMac28 ~ % ps PID TTY TIME CMD Note that instead of simply starting zsh (desired behavior) this instead starts bash and then spawns zsh from within bash (an anti-pattern sometimes called "nested shell invocation"). Apple has been using the Bash shell since OS X Jaguar but hasn’t updated Bash since version 3. zshrc Apr 30, 2021 · I have the command for editing my . In this comprehensive 2800+ word […] Jun 21, 2025 · Setting up your macOS shell environment properly is crucial for an efficient development workflow. Nov 24, 2024 · As a professional software engineer and coding instructor with over 15 years of experience, I‘ve come to master the art of customizing my terminal into a productive power tool. Apr 24, 2020 · Bash is standard on practically every Unix and Linux system in the known universe, and for many years was also the default on Apple macOS. Z shell (Zsh) is a Unix shell built on top of bash (the default shell for macOS) wi Jun 6, 2025 · The transition from Bash to Zsh: Apple decided to switch its default Unix shell in Terminal from Bash to Zsh. It includes 300+ plugins, themes, and tweaks to supercharge your terminal experience. Because Bash v4. Alternatively, you can change the default shell graphically in System Settings under Users & Groups by Ctrl-Clicking your profile picture and selecting "Advanced Change the default shell in Terminal on Mac The default shell is zsh. Why? Can I switch it back? If so, how? Does it make sense to do so? Any gotchas? Discover how to change from zsh to bash effortlessly. You can change the shell that new Terminal windows and tabs open with. This post is going to describe how to switch from the zsh shell to the bash shell. the shell in terminals (and also a few other things that use the login shell, such Jan 11, 2024 · macOS lets you customize the zsh prompt in Terminal to make it stand out and suit your preferences. If you wish to use bash, you can do this, and you can personally install a newer version using HomeBrew <https://brew. Apple includes a bash install with macOS, it's just an older version (tl;dr Apple doesn't want to deal with GPLv3 licensing and therefore switched to zsh by default rather than bundle newer versions of bash). The old Bash is still available for those that wish The Apple announcement is about the default. That is, Mac is depending on YOU to make the change, rather than them. bash has and will be around for a while, but is exceedingly unlikely to ever get anything past any critical or security fixes; to ever get any function or feature updates. The result is that Mac OS X now supports only one single input method: zsh. If you decide to use zsh instead, you need to know that, as would be expected, zsh uses different configuration files, and you need to act accordingly, using files like . Scripts are not affected. Mar 13, 2018 · By rajaraodv In this blog I’ll cover installing ITerm2, ZSH shell, “oh my ZSH”, Themes, ITerm2 color schemes, “oh my ZSH” plugins and enable “ligature” support to help create a beautiful and powerful Terminal. This is the default for licensing reasons. 30 using Homebrew (why is Apple shipping Yosemite with an old bash version?). What Is the Difference Between Bash and Zsh on Mac? Mar 5, 2024 · change from bash to zsh i am trying to change from bash to zsh on the termnal. Each user account has its own default shell preference. Zsh a more capable shell with a MIT license. What are Aliases? Aliases in a shell are user-defined shortcuts or abbreviations for longer commands. However, you may be feeling limited by Zsh or simply missing the familiarity of Bash from previous Linux or coding experience. This comprehensive guide will walk you through configuring environment variables, managing shell profiles, and setting up aliases for optimal productivity. 2). Regardless, since the adoption, Terminal would display a short warning and a method to switch over to zsh. Change the default shell in Terminal on Mac The default shell is zsh. Before Starting You should be familiar with using the macOS Terminal command line. Nov 19, 2021 · zsh has a friendly to Apple software license and is mostly compatible with bash, and zsh is not controlled by the Free Software Foundation as founded by Richard Stallman and creator of the GPLv3 license. Jan 17, 2022 · What is an easy way to change terminal from zsh to bash, powershell or preferably node? If this change is made will it in any way corrupt or constrict my Apple native apps? I need to run an app called Visual Studio Code for NFT creation. Mar 27, 2009 · To recognize better the start and the end of output on a commandline, I want to change the color of my prompt, so that it is visibly different from the programs output. Some benefits of Bash: Press ESC twice to get a list of every Bash command, then issue a print to save as . Search for "Edit Environment variables for your account" to bring up the environment variables window, create a new variable named "SHELL" and give it the value "/usr/bin/zsh/". Newer versions of bash are licensed with GPL v3. It covers an overview of both shells, the steps for setting them up, Nov 30, 2021 · 271 you can try chsh -s /bin/bash to set the bash as the default, or chsh -s /bin/zsh to set the zsh as the default. Apr 19, 2023 · If you’re ready to swap bash for zsh, or zsh for dash, then here’s how to change the default Terminal shell on Mac. Now, close the terminal window and reopen it (you will still get -zsh if you don’t reopen), execute the command echo $0 again. In this extensive guide, I‘ll explain in detail how to install Zsh, set it as the default shell, customize it to your needs, and troubleshoot any issues. Apr 13, 2023 · Open the Mac terminal window by command ⌘ + spaceand search for terminal, or use Launchpad and search for terminal. This guide simplifies the transition while spotlighting zsh's powerful features. How-to: Terminal/profile startup files in macOS There are two default shells commonly used with macOS: zsh (Z shell) is the default shell for all newly created user accounts, starting with macOS Catalina. Jul 10, 2023 · For more information about this file and other zsh configuration files, see this post. Now I think my command to change shell didn’t worked - it seems stuck with a key lock symbol. Now type nano ~/. Apr 26, 2025 · The latest macOS systems comes with Z Shell (Zsh) as default shell, but who still preferred to use bash can still use it by switching the default shell. zshrc file under the alias edit. Dec 15, 2020 · Apple has dropped support for bash, which is widely used in Linux systems, due to licensing issues. The following sections explain both methods. I prefer editing the file in VS Code* so I have this in my file: alias edit="code ~/. As I use zsh, can anyone giv Sep 7, 2023 · If you want to change the way the prompt looks, you can do that by adding the PROMPT details in the . 01 -bash iMac28:~ john$ chsh -s /bin/zsh Changing shell for john. As of macOS Catalina, though, the default shell on Macs is a closely related but not entirely compatible program called Z shell (or Zsh). This guide is filled with techniques, tips, and tricks to help you unleash your creativity and modify Mac Terminal as per your requirements. zsh is Not using a GPL license so Apple is free to include an up-to-date copy of zsh If you want to continue The easiest way to change the default shell is to set your SHELL user environment variable. Steps to Change macOS Terminal Prompt: Open Terminal App Type zsh and press enter to make sure to are in the ZSH Shell. When running bash scripts inside zsh-Terminal I want it to use the homebrew bash version 4 instead of the default 3 of OS X. Oct 10, 2021 · You don't have to change anything. Create a . Dec 27, 2023 · As a long-time Mac user, chances are you‘ve been using Zsh as your standard shell for interacting with macOS via the command line. But you also need to consider that the behavior of sh scripts will change when Apple replaces the sh interpreter. Your shell did not change. This guide provides simple steps and tips to make your shell transition smooth and swift. In this comprehensive, beginner-friendly guide, we‘ll walk through how to install Z shell (ZSH), customize it with Oh My ZSH, add useful plugins and beautiful themes, and enable […] Aug 28, 2024 · Change the Default Shell from zsh to bash on Mac To change the default shell from zsh to bash (or other) on Mac: Open the Terminal app on your Mac. In this tutorial we will learn to change default shell to bash on macOS Catalina 10. By the end, you‘ll be […] Jan 8, 2023 · Terminal Preferences are not required to set the default shell. Default shell in my mac was bash. zsh is highly compatible with the Bourne shell (sh) and mostly compatible with bash, with some differences. You want to go out of the ordinary, to add life to the boring terminal and improve your productivity. " message when you switch from zsh to bash. macOS Mojave and earlier (10. You can switch from zsh to bash on macOS Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, and Catalina after reading. This tutorial will help you for switching between Zsh and Bash on macOS systems. Mar 2, 2024 · Here is the message: The default shell for newly-created accounts switched from bash to zsh at macOS 10. Aug 5, 2025 · This post guide you to change the default shell from zsh to bash on Mac step by step. Aug 8, 2025 · How to Change Default Shell to Zsh by Rian Bash had been the staple of CLI shell for macOS until macOS Catalina in 2019. This can help reduce screen clutter and improve the clarity of your terminal sessions. With the release of macOS Catalina 10. There is an entire eco-system of configuration tools and themes called oh-my-zsh which is very popular. How do i rectify this? Aug 7, 2021 · I had a similar problem in doing the opposite on my system (OS X 10. This allows Apple to keep it current in Catalina and beyond. If you’ve made the switch and want to change back to Bash as the default shell whenever you open Terminal, it’s an easy change to make. 2) from 2007 to current. Oh My Zsh is a popular open-source Zsh configuration framework loved by developers worldwide. Jan 13, 2020 · In macOS Catalina, Apple changed the default shell to ZSH for this reason. All that changes is that zsh will be the default login shell for new accounts, and even then, you can select bash instead. Nov 18, 2023 · In this step-by-step tutorial, learn how to easily switch from the default ZSH (Z shell) to BASH (Bourne Again Shell) on your Mac. 14-) See Apple Support page, Use zsh as the default shell on your Mac Surprisingly this doesn't work with the command line tools as one would expect. Are you looking to enhance your terminal and command-line workflow on Mac? Then setting Zsh as the default shell is an impactful upgrade. Your login account is older, and has accordingly preserved use of bash. 🎨 That's all! 🎉 Customising the Terminal is a great place to start personalising your tooling, apparently you can do even From macOS, Big Sur Apple is shipping zsh as the default shell but there is still an option available to use the bash shell. If you're already using bash, nothing will change for you. zshrc into your home directory (without needing to know any editor). This post explain how to upgrade your Bash version on Mac from the command line. Feb 17, 2021 · Apple’s desire to remain a technology leader also drove their decision to develop an intuitive user interface. You can continue to use bash if you like. But, if you come from Linux and you're too accustomed to bash, you don't have to use zsh. Mar 30, 2025 · This Mac replaced an earlier Mac, and I have to suppose that Migration Assistant was responsible for preserving bash as a default. When i run the promt 'chsh -s /bin/zsh'; it returns, 'no changes made'. So changing ~/. By following this comprehensive guide on how to change shell to bash mac, you can seamlessly transition from Zsh to Bash, customize your environment, and utilize the many powerful features Bash offers. Apr 18, 2020 · 0 Since macOS Catalina, zsh is the default shell instead of bash. Now when I am trying to check the shell type, I am getting different responses. Mar 26, 2024 · Zsh is the default login and interactive shell on Mac. The default zsh prompt, also known as PS1, typically Dec 29, 2018 · Zsh, or z shell, is a popular shell alternative to bash and tcsh, complete with many improvements and customization options offered through the Oh-My-ZSH project. But Catalina replaced it with zsh. zshrc Since you seem to be unaware of this, I suggest you keep things as they are. May 8, 2024 · Changing the Default Shell Once you have Bash installed, the next step is to change your default shell. I'm using zsh terminal, and I'm trying to add a new entry (/home/david/pear/bin) to the PATH variable. I have tried this code: sudo chsh -s $(which zsh) I've also tried: sudo chsh -s /bin/zsh Also tried these co Jul 3, 2020 · Apple will not ship the most recent bash versions because of some draconian Free Software Foundation Licensing issues. See article. Actually, it doesn't set the default shell, just the one you use for that session. 53 to 4. May 20, 2021 · If you already performed the change shell command, running it again would tell you no changes made. Sep 6, 2023 · I felt comfortable using bash shell on MacOS. You can ignore Apr 17, 2023 · 14679 ttys000 0:00. Vivek Gite is an expert IT Consultant with over 25 years of experience, specializing in Linux and open source solutions. macOS Catalina and later (10. Oct 9, 2019 · The version of bash shipped with macOS is VERY OLD (v3. Change the default shell to Bash by running the command in your terminal chsh -s /bin/bash Change the default shell back to Zsh by using chsh -s /bin/zsh Apr 26, 2025 · Editing the PATH environment variable on macOS is essential for users who want to manage the accessibility of command-line tools and scripts from the terminal. 5. Customizing the zsh prompt on macOS allows for a more personalized and efficient terminal experience. While macOS ships with the reliable bash shell, Zsh offers advanced functionality and customization options that make it worth upgrading to. zshrc: May 5, 2012 · I am trying to set ZSH as my default shell, however it keeps reverting back to bash. But I’m the admin, no line to enter password. Feb 15, 2024 · So if you were in bash when you entered it, you'll still be in bash afterwards. When it comes to using the command line on macOS, the default shell is often a matter of personal preference. 2. Via Terminal Using the terminal to switch from Zsh to Bash on macOS is a short and straightforward procedure. macOS has transitioned from using the bash shell as its default to zsh (Z Shell) in recent versions, so it’s important to know how to edit the PATH in both shells. You could try setting the default shell in your user account. bashrc) you cannot simply copy customized bash settings over to zsh. You can use chsh to change a user's shell. Aug 23, 2023 · A 5 minutes guide to customizing your macOS terminal to increase productivity and improve the interface. bash_profile or . 15. For example, you may need to be using the bash shell to . zshrc file. Sep 26, 2020 · MacOS comes with an outdated version Bash which can be limiting in shell scripts. I just want to run a command to reset my bluetooth module. Apple already ships Z shell with macOS (as well as the sh shell interpreter) along with bash. Follow step by step instructions to get started using ZSH on Mac OS X. zshrc to open this fine in Nano text editor. 2 was released in 2007. Nov 21, 2022 · Note: Zsh is only the default shell on newly created user accounts, so any existing accounts you have on an upgraded Mac will still use Bash by default unless you change it. Active the zsh changes For your changes to take effect either restart your terminal window or run this command to force zsh to reload its sources in . Password for john: iMac28:~ john$ Then, quit the Terminal app, and open it again. How can I do that? I installed bash 4 on my MacBook. Dec 3, 2023 · How to Change Zsh to Bash on Mac? Change the default terminal shell in macOS using the CLI or the System Preferences GUI. The new macOS Catalina update will include zsh as the default shell, and older macOS versions can also move to the new shell too Apr 15, 2017 · Bash comes pre-installed on most terminals, but its not the best shell out there. After the change goes into effect, Bash will still be installed and you can still change the default back to Bash. zshrc profile to store all the changes and settings you want in the zsh prompt. I typically use the bash shell on Linux servers, so I prefer using it on my Mac. The version of zsh is likely obsolete. This needs to be done with Sep 24, 2023 · What is ZSH? ZSH, also called the Z shell, is an extended version of the Bourne Shell (sh), with new features and support for plugins and themes. zshrc" *The instructions to set up launching files in VS Code from the command line can be found here for macOS. If the change shell command didn't work, something is blocking it. I managed to get a command line by clicking 2 fingers on mousepad. Click Terminal in the top menu bar. To be clear: to set up Homebrew, you do not need to install bash manually or anything. For many users, the default shell that comes with macOS, zsh, is perfectly adequate for their needs. This will ensure that every time you open a terminal, Bash is launched instead of Zsh. According to How To Change Your Default Shell From Zsh To Bash on Mac, this change likely started with macOS Catalina: With macOS Catalina, Apple switched from using bash as the default terminal shell to Zsh. To change your default shell from Zsh to Bash, simply run the "chsh -s /bin/bash" command in Terminal and reopen it. For unpublished reason, which is speculated to be Bash’s license, Apple has decided to change the default shell to zsh. Dec 29, 2019 · Why the change to zsh? How does setting default shell affect shell in use? How do I choose the shell in use? What are the long-term consequences of silencing the bash warning? How do I test whether the zsh shell will meet my needs?. Sep 5, 2025 · However, for those who still have Bash on their Macs, we will present today multiple ways to install and use zsh as well as Oh My Zsh on Mac. 57), but that version is still GPLv2 license and Apple is allowed to distribute it. bash is the default shell in macOS Nov 15, 2018 · By Chiamaka Ikeanyi Sometimes, using the default terminal sucks. There are several reasons you might want to do this. zshrc change your default shell to bash through chsh -s /bin/bash It's also possible to do this via the GUI but if you're already in Terminal, this is quicker. The Zsh shell does not read any previous existing Bash shell dotfiles, which is why I provided the HEREDOC to write a new . Jul 22, 2019 · You have to run a command to actually make the change and many think that Zsh is better. 🥺 Was this helpful? Please add a comment to show your appreciation or feedback. Modify the zsh prompt by adding your desired values for variables like %n (username), %m (Mac's model name), %W (date), and %T (time). You can verify the default shell by typing echo $0 in the terminal. zsh has much more options and points to change zsh configuration and behavior. This change boosts security and offers newer features, such as interactive auto-completion, themable prompts, and path expansion. 1): making bash the default login shell again after I had installed oh-my-zsh, which made zsh the default, and then upgrading bash from 3. If you prefer the classic BASH terminal experience or need it for Jun 5, 2019 · Since zsh ignores the bash configuration files (. Thanks! Change the default shell in Terminal on Mac The default shell is zsh. By modifying the prompt, you can display key information such as your username, machine name, or current directory in a way that suits your workflow. But prompts are not compatible. Thankfully, switching your Mac‘s default shell from Zsh to Bash is […] Jun 8, 2023 · You learned how to set and use bash as the default shell on your Mac Catalina/Ventura or above as Apple changed the default from bash to zsh. 0 which is more restrictive (basically it doesn't allow to be packaged with other non-free software). Since it's based on the same shell as Bash, ZSH has many of the same features, and switching over is a breeze. However, for those who prefer the bash shell, changing the default shell on macOS is a relatively simple process. I have tried to change it into ZSH by command chsh -s /bin/zsh. Aug 29, 2023 · Apple now uses Zsh as the default shell on macOS, but the old Bash shell is still included and easily switchable. gia7 ro jsmup 57e7s n3r pb cjs ze hg9medv4 yph