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What is Does It ARM?
Does It ARM? is a community-maintained compatibility list for Mac software running on Apple Silicon (M-series chips, including the M5 Pro and M5 Max). It answers a narrow but practical question: does a given app or game run natively on Apple Silicon, run through Rosetta translation, or not work at all?
What the page shows
The site tracks thousands of titles (3,688 listed at the time of the snapshot) and sorts each into status categories:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Native | Reported to support Apple Silicon directly, often with the version where support arrived |
| Rosetta | Runs through Apple's translation layer, typically with a performance cost |
| In progress | Support announced or underway but not confirmed |
| Unsupported | Reported not to work; sometimes discontinued |
| Unreported | No one has submitted a result yet |
Each entry carries a date and a link to detail pages, and the homepage summary gives overall proportions (roughly 58% native, 7% Rosetta, 34% awaiting information, 1.4% unsupported in the snapshot). The site also has sections for devices, benchmarks, Homebrew and games, plus a tool to scan your own installed apps.
Who it's useful for
- Buyers before switching: someone moving from an Intel Mac who wants to confirm a critical tool—an audio plugin, a slicer for 3D printing, a VPN client, a proctoring browser—will run properly.
- Troubleshooting odd behaviour: if an app feels sluggish or crashes on an M-series machine, checking whether it's still on Rosetta explains a lot.
- IT and support staff: quickly checking niche utilities (ID software, printer updaters, SSH tools) before rolling out new hardware.
Trade-offs to keep in mind
The data is crowd-reported, so an "unreported" status means nobody has checked—not that the app fails. Version numbers and dates matter: an entry saying native support arrived in a specific version tells you to update rather than avoid the app. For a second opinion on well-known software, official vendor pages are more authoritative; for Mac-specific discussion, MacRumors forums often carry user reports.
Next step: search the app you depend on most, note the reported version and date, then confirm against the developer's release notes before you rely on it.
How can I check if a specific Mac app or game runs natively on Apple Silicon?
Use Does It ARM?: search the app or game name, then read its status label and the reported version. The site tracks thousands of titles and sorts them into Native, Rosetta, In Progress, Unsupported and Unreported, so you can see both whether native support exists and how current that report is.
Reading the result
- ✅ Native: a native Apple Silicon build has been reported, usually with a version number. Check that the version matches or is older than the one you plan to install.
- ✳️ Rosetta: it runs, but through translation, so expect lower performance and higher power use, which matters most for games, video work and long builds.
- 🔶 Unreported: no one has submitted a result. This is not a "no" — it means the listing is silent, so verify elsewhere.
- 🚫 Unsupported: reported as not working, sometimes because the app is discontinued.
A practical check
Before buying or upgrading, confirm the vendor's own system requirements page names Apple Silicon or a universal build, then compare with the site's latest report date. For a game, also check whether the Mac version exists at all — many titles are Windows-only regardless of chip.
A concrete case: someone setting up an M5 Pro MacBook for photo editing can look up each plug-in and utility, note which are Native versus Rosetta, and decide whether the Rosetta-only ones are tolerable for occasional use or worth replacing.
What does it mean if an app is listed as running under Rosetta instead of native, and how does that affect performance?
A "Rosetta" listing means the app was built for Intel Macs and runs on Apple Silicon through Rosetta 2, Apple's translation layer, rather than as a native ARM binary. Rosetta translates Intel instructions as the app runs, so the app works but doesn't get the direct path to the chip that native code does. Does It ARM? uses exactly this distinction: it marks apps as native, Rosetta, in progress, unsupported or unreported, and its summary counts show native support at roughly 57.6% and Rosetta at about 7% of listed apps.
What the difference means in practice
- Native apps are compiled for Apple Silicon and use the processor directly. This is the configuration Apple optimizes for.
- Rosetta apps are translated at runtime. They usually launch and behave normally, but translation adds overhead, so heavy computation, sustained workloads and some graphics paths can be slower than a native build would be.
- Rosetta is a bridge, not a permanent home. Developers typically ship native versions over time, so a Rosetta listing is often a "for now" status rather than a verdict.
Performance impact varies far more by app than by label. A small utility that barely uses the CPU may feel identical under Rosetta. A video encoder, 3D renderer, audio workstation or game that pushes the processor hard is where translation overhead becomes noticeable, and where a native build is worth waiting for.
A practical way to decide
Ask what the app does with the machine, not just how it's labeled:
| Your situation | Rosetta listing is probably fine | Native matters more |
|---|---|---|
| Light use: notes, small utilities, occasional editing | Yes | Less critical |
| Sustained heavy work: rendering, compiling, long audio sessions | Risky | Yes |
| Games and graphics-heavy tools | Depends on the title | Usually preferable |
| App is unsupported or discontinued | Not applicable | Look for an alternative |
If you're weighing a purchase or a migration, check the app's own listing on Does It ARM? for a reported version number and date, then confirm with the developer whether a native release is planned. A recent native report is a stronger signal than an old "in progress" entry.
How do I find benchmark or performance reports for an app on an M5 Pro or M5 Max before installing it?
Start with the app's own entry on Does It ARM?, then check whether the status you see is a compatibility label or an actual performance report. The site's main list reports native support, Rosetta translation, in-progress, unsupported and unreported status, and it also has a Benchmarks section. Those are different questions: "runs natively" tells you the app was built for Apple Silicon, not how fast it is on an M5 Pro or M5 Max.
A practical lookup path
- Search the app by name on the site and open its details page. Look for the reported version and how recently it was updated—the listing shows entries like "Native Apple Silicon Support reported as of v2.6.12" with timestamps.
- Read the status carefully. Native means the app has an Apple Silicon build; Rosetta means it runs through translation; "need info" or unreported means nobody has confirmed it yet. Treat unreported as unknown, not as broken.
- Check the Benchmarks section for performance numbers or user-submitted reports. If there is nothing for your exact app, look for the same category of software—video export, 3D rendering, audio plug-ins—to get a rough sense of how native versus translated builds behave.
- Use the App Test and Scan Apps tools if you want to check what is installed on your own Mac rather than relying on the list.
- Confirm the developer's own release notes for the specific version, since a native build can still have feature gaps in its first releases.
What the status labels do and do not tell you
| Status | What it usually means | What to verify before installing |
|---|---|---|
| Native | An Apple Silicon build exists | Whether your must-have features or plug-ins are supported in that build |
| Rosetta | Runs under translation | Memory use and speed on heavy workloads; some tools behave differently |
| In progress / unreported | No confirmed report yet | Test on a copy of your project, or ask the developer |
| Unsupported | Reported not working, sometimes discontinued | Whether an alternative app covers the same job |
A concrete scenario
Suppose you edit video and are deciding whether to move a project to an M5 Max machine. You find the editor listed as native, but its companion plug-ins are listed as unreported. Before installing, open a duplicate of the project, render a short sequence, and compare export time and stability against your current machine. That tells you more about your real workflow than a single compatibility badge.
As a general rule—not a claim about this site—treat any benchmark as a starting point: check the app version, the macOS version and the task being measured, because results for a native build of one release may not carry over to the next.
What should I do if the app I need is listed as unreported or unsupported on Apple Silicon?
First, check whether the listing is "unreported" (🔶) or "unsupported" (🚫), because they call for different responses. "Unreported" means no one has submitted a compatibility report yet; it is not a verdict. "Unsupported" means someone reported it as not working, or the app is discontinued. On Does It ARM?, the two are separate states, and the site's own summary shows a large unreported share alongside a small unsupported share.
If the app is unreported
- Try it yourself. Install the current version and check whether it launches natively or runs through Rosetta. Many apps work fine before anyone files a report.
- Submit a report. The site has a "Request an App" route via GitHub and an app-scanning option, so your finding can move the entry from unreported to native or Rosetta.
- Check the vendor's release notes. Developers usually state Apple Silicon support and the version where it arrived; the site's entries often cite a specific version, which you can match against the vendor's changelog.
- Look at the app's category page. Similar tools in the same category are often already confirmed native, which gives you a working substitute while you wait.
If the app is unsupported
- Confirm it is current. A "discontinued" note, as with True-Fi, means no fix is coming; an older negative report may simply predate a native release.
- Run it under Rosetta 2 if it still installs. Performance and battery life suffer, but for occasional or utility use that trade-off is often acceptable. Test your actual workload rather than assuming.
- Check for a native alternative in the same category before committing to a workaround.
- Ask the vendor directly whether a native build is planned, especially for line-of-business or academic software where switching costs are high.
A quick decision guide
| Situation | Best first step | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Unreported, actively developed app | Install and test the latest version | Small time cost; result may vary by version |
| Unreported, niche or old app | Check vendor notes, then test | Higher chance of Rosetta dependence |
| Unsupported but still installable | Run under Rosetta 2 for light use | Slower performance, more heat and battery drain |
| Unsupported and discontinued | Switch to a native alternative | Migration effort and possible data export work |
For a concrete case: a designer who needs an older plug-in host listed as unreported should install it, confirm it launches, and file a report with the version number. If it turns out to need Rosetta, that is worth knowing before a deadline rather than during one.
How do I submit or request a new app to be added to the compatibility list?
Use the Request an App with Github link on the site. It appears near the bottom of the page, next to Scan Apps, and sends you to the project's GitHub area for app requests. You will need a GitHub account to open or comment on an issue there.
What to include in your request
- App name and developer — enough to identify the exact product, not a similarly named tool.
- Official download or product page — so the app can be verified.
- Version you tested, and whether it is a Mac App Store or direct download build.
- Your result — native Apple Silicon, running under Rosetta, or not working.
- How you checked — for example, Activity Monitor's Kind column showing "Apple" versus "Intel", or the app's own About window.
- Hardware and macOS version — an M-series chip model and the OS release.
Before you post
Search existing requests first; the list already covers thousands of apps, and duplicate requests slow things down. If the app is already listed as Unreported, add your version and result as a comment rather than starting a new entry.
A practical example: if you use an older audio editor that runs under Rosetta, report the exact version and the Rosetta behaviour you observed. That gives the maintainers something checkable, and it helps other users on Does It ARM? decide whether to migrate yet.
For a quick decision rule: request a new entry when the app is missing entirely; comment with evidence when it exists but is marked unreported or outdated.
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