macos change java version

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

Switching versions of Java on Mac OSX

Not standard, but easier, try using sdkman. More on reddit.com

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It is build from OpenJDK as they state on their readme on GitHub. I also installed Liberica JDK 11 on a clean VM and I am getting the a silmilar output on version retrieval as yours. The difference is that mine is a the current version. openjdk version "11.0.12" 2021-07-20 LTS OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 11.0.12+7-LTS) OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 11.0.12+7-LTS, mixed mode) More on reddit.com

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How do I change the default version of Java that Curse uses to launch Minecraft?

You can't, it will download it again and again and again, I tricked it out by deleting the content of the folder located in Your documents folder\Curse\Minecraft\Install\runtime\jre-x64\1.8.0_25 delete the entire content of this folder not the folder itself and do not rename it cause it would redownload it again, just replace the content with the content of the folder located here : C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.8.0_91 This will trick the game and it works, but I got back to using MultiMC instead, Curse isn't good performance wise, only good for keeping mods up to date, and even sometimes its not up to date either. More on reddit.com

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support.azul.com › hc › en-us › articles › 17535521715476-Setting-the-default-Java-version-on-macOS

Setting the default Java version on macOS - Azul Systems

July 19, 2023 - While the JRE or JDK is not part anymore of macOS itself like it was in the past and stopped with Java 6, interfaces, commands and standards to make it simple to use are still integrated by default and continued to be maintained. The following Zulu documentation page explains how to select the default Java version to use in case you have multiple versions installed on your Mac.

Medium

medium.com › @devkosal › switching-java-jdk-versions-on-macos-80bc868e686a

Switching Java (JDK) Versions on MacOS | by Dev Sharma | Medium

January 10, 2025 - This tutorial will guide you on how to switch JAVA versions on your MAC device. This can be useful for working with apps which don’t work…

reddit.com › r/javahelp › switching versions of java on mac osx

r/javahelp on Reddit: Switching versions of Java on Mac OSX

January 7, 2023 -

Hello!

I'm currently using Java 8 on my Mac and i'm finally getting around to the latest Java. I just installed JDK 19, and i'm wondering how i'm suppose to switch to the new jdk on my machine.

One doc says I can run this command: /usr/libexec/java_home -v 19 --exec javac -version

But my output just shows:

javac 1.8.0_291

Is there a standard way of switching java versions on Mac?

Top answer

1 of 5

Not standard, but easier, try using sdkman.

2 of 5

The easiest way on any unix system is to use sdkman ( https://sdkman.io ). Install sdkman: curl -s "https://get.sdkman.io" | bash Install Java 19: sdk install java 19.0.1-open (this installs Oracle's OpenJDK build) If it asks you if you want to use it as the default just answer yes. If you prefer to use an sdk from a different vendor sdk list java will give you tons of options of vendors and versions. To switch java versions just do sdk use java where version is the identifier you used to install it. There is more extensive usage documentation available here: https://sdkman.io/usage

Medium

medium.com › @manvendrapsingh › installing-many-jdk-versions-on-macos-dfc177bc8c2b

Installing & switching between multiple JDK on macOS | by Manvendra P Singh | Medium

February 20, 2023 - alias java-17=”export JAVA_HOME=`/usr/libexec/java_home -v 17`; java -version” alias java-11=”export JAVA_HOME=`/usr/libexec/java_home -v 11`; java -version” · We are all done. Just type java-11 or java-17 on your Terminal or iTerm whenever ...

Medium

medium.com › @haroldfinch01 › step-by-step-guide-installing-and-switching-java-versions-on-mac-osx-f3896b9872f4

Step-by-Step Guide: Installing and Switching Java Versions on Mac OSX | by Harold Finch | Medium

May 21, 2024 - Step-by-Step Guide: Installing and Switching Java Versions on Mac OSX To install Java on macOS and allow for easy switching between different versions, you can use a version manager like jenv. Here's …

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Delft Stack

delftstack.com › home › howto › java › change java version mac

How to Change Java Version in MacOS | Delft Stack

February 2, 2024 - The command output shows all the versions of Java available in the jenv list. Here, 1.8 is the current default Java version. ... > system * 1.8 (set by /Users/Anju/.jenv/version) 1.8.0.202 14 14.0 14.0.1 oracle64-1.8.0.202 oracle64-14.0.1 · Change the Java version from 1.8 to 14.0 globally.

Oracle

java.com › en › download › help › mac_java_update.html

How do I Update Java for my Mac?

If you choose Skip This Version but later decide to check for an update, you can launch the Java Control Panel by clicking the Java icon in System Preferences. Go to the Update tab to initiate an update check. If you choose Remind Me Later you will be reminded of the update the next time you ...

Lotharschulz

lotharschulz.info › 2021 › 11 › 30 › how-to-switch-between-java-lts-versions-8-11-and-17-on-mac

How to switch between Java LTS versions 8, 11 and 17 on Mac – Lothar Schulz

javahome() { unset JAVA_HOME export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v "$1"); java -version } alias j1.8='javahome 1.8' alias j11='javahome 11' alias j17='javahome 17' Make sure to add the javahome function to your shell init file (.zshrc for me) so it is available in all terminal sessions. Now you can change the java version on the terminal using the respective alias:

W3Docs

w3docs.com › java

How to set or change the default Java (JDK) version on macOS? | W3Docs

To set the default Java (JDK) version on macOS, you can use the /usr/libexec/java_home command line tool to locate the installation path, then configure your shell to use it permanently.

JetBrains

intellij-support.jetbrains.com › hc › en-us › community › posts › 14515375889170-How-to-Switch-Java-Versions-on-MacOS

How to Switch Java Versions on MacOS – IDEs Support (IntelliJ Platform) | JetBrains

October 18, 2023 - Some information on how to change the Java version in IntelliJ (might be useful for other users finding this post): - Set up the project JDK: https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/sdk.html#set-up-jdk - Set java compiler version: https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/java-compiler.html#compiler - Set java version for Maven runner: https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/maven-support.html#maven_runner_jdk - Set java version for Gradle: https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/gradle-jvm-selection.html

DevQA

devqa.io › switch-between-different-java-versions-mac

How to Switch Between Different Java Versions on Mac

July 4, 2023 - That’s it! You have successfully switched between different versions of Java using jenv. You can set a different version as the default or configure Java version per directory using jenv local command.

Medium

medium.com › towardsdev › how-to-change-java-jdk-versions-on-macos-erselan-khan-fb04abf57a6a

How to change Java (JDK) Versions on MacOS | Erselan Khan | by Erselan Khan | Towards Dev

May 27, 2024 - Set the JAVA_HOME variable to the desired version by using the path from the previous command: export JAVA_HOME=/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-11.0.10.jdk/Contents/Home ...

JavaForge

javaforge.com › home › how to change java version mac

How to change Java version Mac

March 28, 2024 - 3. Apply Changes: Save and exit the editor (in nano, press Ctrl+X), then apply the changes with: ... While the above steps provide a basic framework for switching Java versions, modern development may require more nuanced control. Tools like SDKMAN! or jEnv offer advanced Java version management capabilities, allowing developers to specify Java versions on a per-project basis, enhancing flexibility and reducing the risk of compatibility issues. Effectively managing Java versions on macOS ensures that you can meet the diverse requirements of different applications without compromising on performance or security.

Kodejava

kodejava.org › how-do-i-set-the-default-java-jdk-version-on-mac-os-x

How do I set the default Java (JDK) version on Mac OS X? - Learn Java by Examples

To make this change permanent you need to set it in your shell init file. For example if you are using bash then you can set the command in the .bash_profile. Add the following lines at the end of the file. # Setting default JDK to version 1.8. export JAVA_HOME=`/usr/libexec/java_home -v 1.8`

Ninniku IT Hub

ninniku.tw › 首頁 › apple › java version shuffle: how to switch java versions on macos with ease

Java Version Shuffle: How to Switch Java Versions on MacOS with Ease - Ninniku IT Hub

December 14, 2023 - In this article, we’ll provide ... keep things light-hearted! On macOS, you can switch the default Java version by using the java_home command....

Khuong Dev

dev.ngockhuong.com › posts › change-the-default-java-jdk-version-on-macos

Change the default Java (JDK) version on macOS | Khuong Dev

February 23, 2026 - How to switch between multiple Java JDK versions on macOS using java_home and environment variables. ... Press CTRL+X to exit the editor, Press Y to save your changes.

GitHub

gist.github.com › krutilin › b32091a785b955e6bd9b6b0ea7bfcc57

How to set or change the default Java (JDK) version on OSX (Mac)? · GitHub

Matching Java Virtual Machines (2): 9, x86_64: "Java SE 9" /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-9.jdk/Contents/Home 1.8.0_152, x86_64: "Java SE 8" /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_152.jdk/Contents/Home · Choose the version you want to be the default (1.8.0_152 for example) then put following in to your .bash_profile:

Snyk

snyk.io › blog › installing-and-managing-java-on-macos

Installing and managing Java on macOS | Snyk

October 12, 2023 - Running sdk use instructs SDKMAN! ... or employ a versatile tool like SDKMAN!. To set or change the Java path, edit the environment variable, JAVA_HOME....