What the Native, Rosetta, Unsupported, and Unreported Labels on Does It ARM? Mean

Updated

On Does It ARM?, each app's label tells you how it is reported to run on Apple Silicon. Native means a version with Apple Silicon support has been reported; Rosetta means the app is reported to run through Apple's translation layer; Unsupported means it is reported not working or discontinued; Unreported means no compatibility report has been submitted yet. The labels are community reports tied to a version and date, not a guarantee for every release or Mac.

The four labels at a glance

Label What it means on the site What to check before relying on it
✅ Native Support A native Apple Silicon version has been reported, often with the version number and how recently it was reported The reported version matches the one you plan to install
✳️ Rosetta The app is reported to run through Rosetta translation rather than natively Whether a native version has appeared since the report
🚫 Unsupported Reported not working on Apple Silicon, or marked discontinued Whether the report is recent and applies to your model
🔶 Unreported No compatibility report has been submitted yet Treat as unknown, not as a failure

The site also shows an In Progress state (⏹) in its legend, for apps reported as being worked on. The homepage summary at the time of writing lists 3,688 apps: about 57.6% Native, 7% Rosetta, 34% needing info, and 1.4% unsupported.

How to read a label in practice

Native Support

A listing like "SSH Config Editor — Yes, Native Apple Silicon Support reported as of v2.6.12, 7 days ago" tells you two things: which version was reported, and how fresh the report is. A recent report for a version you are about to install is the strongest signal the site offers. An older report for an earlier version is weaker — the app may have changed since.

Rosetta

Rosetta is Apple's translation layer that lets apps built for Intel Macs run on Apple Silicon. A Rosetta label means the app is reported to work, but not natively. That is usually acceptable for occasional use; for heavy or sustained workloads, check whether a native release has been reported since.

Unsupported

This covers two different situations: an app reported not working on Apple Silicon, and an app marked discontinued. For example, True-Fi is listed as "Reported not working on Apple Silicon; discontinued." Before ruling an app out, confirm the report is recent and refers to the version you need — an old report may no longer reflect the current release.

Unreported

Many listings simply say the app "has not yet been reported to be native to Apple Silicon" — for example Epson FastFoto, MacPass alternatives like DiffMerge, or LockDown Browser in the recent list. Unreported is not the same as broken. It means nobody has submitted a report yet, so the site has nothing to show. If you use the app, submitting a report improves the listing for everyone.

A concrete example

Suppose you need an SSH config editor. The listing shows Native support reported as of v2.6.12, seven days ago. You install that version or later, and the label matches your situation. Now suppose you need a diff tool and see DiffMerge marked Unreported. The label does not tell you it fails — only that no one has reported either way. You would test it yourself, or look for an app with a Native or Rosetta report if you want a documented starting point.

Limits worth knowing

  • Reports are user-submitted and version-specific. A Native label for one version does not automatically cover a later major release.
  • "Unreported" is a gap in data, not a verdict. The site's own summary counts 34% of listings as needing info.
  • Device coverage varies. The site covers Apple Silicon broadly, including the M5 Max and M5 Pro, but a report may not name your exact chip.
  • Check the date. Each listing shows how long ago it was reported; a months-old report deserves more caution than a recent one.

The practical rule: match the label to the version you will actually install, check the report date, and treat Unreported as "test it yourself" rather than "avoid it."