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How to set or change the default Java (JDK) version on macOS? [duplicate]

stackoverflow.com › questions › 21964709 › how-to-set-or-change-the-default-java-jdk-version-on-macos

First run /usr/libexec/java_home -V which will output something like the following:

Matching Java Virtual Machines (3):
1.8.0_05, x86_64:   "Java SE 8" /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_05.jdk/Contents/Home
1.6.0_65-b14-462, x86_64:   "Java SE 6" /System/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.6.0.jdk/Contents/Home
1.6.0_65-b14-462, i386: "Java SE 6" /System/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/1.6.0.jdk/Contents/Home

/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_05.jdk/Contents/Home

Pick the version you want to be the default (1.6.0_65-b14-462 for arguments sake) then:

export JAVA_HOME=`/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.6.0_65-b14-462`

or you can specify just the major version, like:

export JAVA_HOME=`/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.8`

Now when you run java -version you will see:

java version "1.6.0_65"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_65-b14-462-11M4609)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 20.65-b04-462, mixed mode)

Add the export JAVA_HOME… line to your shell’s init file.

For Bash (as stated by antonyh):

export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.8)

For Fish (as stated by ormurin)

set -x JAVA_HOME (/usr/libexec/java_home -d64 -v1.8)

Updating the .zshrc file should work:

nano ~/.zshrc

export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.8.0)

Press CTRL+X to exit the editor Press Y to save your changes

source ~/.zshrc
echo $JAVA_HOME
java -version

Answer from markhellewell on Stack Overflow

Stack Overflow

stackoverflow.com › questions › 21964709 › how-to-set-or-change-the-default-java-jdk-version-on-macos

How to set or change the default Java (JDK) version on macOS? - Stack Overflow

Solution without 3rd party tools:

leave all JDKs at their default location, under /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines. The system will pick the highest version by default.
To exclude a JDK from being picked by default, rename its Contents/Info.plist to Info.plist.disabled. That JDK can still be used when $JAVA_HOME points to it, or explicitly referenced in a script or configuration. It will simply be ignored by system's java command.

System launcher will use the JDK with highest version among those that have an Info.plist file.

When working in a shell with alternate JDK, pick your method among existing answers (jenv, or custom aliases/scripts around /usr/libexec/java_home, etc).

Details of investigation in this gist.

(*) Current answers are either obsolete (no longer valid for macOS El Capitan or Sierra), or only address a single JDK, or do not address the system-wide aspect. Many explain how to change $JAVA_HOME, but this only affects the current shell and what is launched from there. It won't affect an application started from OS launcher (unless you change the right file and logout/login, which is tedious). Same for jenv, it's cool and all, but as far as I can tell it merely changes environment variables, so it has the same limitation.

DEV Community

dev.to › rithvik78 › change-the-default-java-version-on-macos-3jee

Change the default Java Version on macOS - DEV Community

February 19, 2022 - Matching Java Virtual Machines (3): 16.0.2 (x86_64) "Oracle Corporation" - "Java SE 16.0.2" /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-16.0.2.jdk/Contents/Home 1.8.202.08 (x86_64) "Oracle Corporation" - "Java" /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/JavaAppletPlugin.plugin/Contents/Home 1.8.0_202 (x86_64) "Oracle Corporation" - "Java SE 8" /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_202.jdk/Contents/Home /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-16.0.2.jdk/Contents/Home · Pick the version you want to be the default (1.8.0_202) then:

Discussions

Java Configuration Environment in macOS - Apple Community

If you have multiple versions of ... $JAVA_HOME to point to the version you want to use. The specifics on how to do that may vary depending on the version of MacOS you're running and your preferred shell. The default shell in recent OS versions is zsh, so adding: ... to ~/.zshrc would set the default ... More on discussions.apple.com

discussions.apple.com

August 20, 2025

Switching versions of Java on Mac OSX

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