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MacTeX is the TeX Users Group (TUG) package that installs TeX Live, the standard LaTeX distribution, on a Mac. Researchers writing theses and manuscripts in LaTeX use it to compile documents locally. This guide covers what the 2026 release installs, how big it is, how it differs from TeX Live and BasicTeX, and how updates and the yearly-folder model work. Details below are from the TUG MacTeX pages, checked on 2026-11-07.
What MacTeX is
MacTeX is “a package which installs TeX Live on the Macintosh.” TeX Live is the standard distribution of TeX, LaTeX and related programs produced by the TeX Users Groups, and it runs on Mac, Windows, Linux and Unix with the same packages and fonts. MacTeX-2026 installs the full version of TeX Live. It requires macOS 11 Big Sur or later, runs natively on both Intel and Arm Macs, and its installer packages are developer-signed and notarized by Apple.
The project was conceived in 2005 by Wendy McKay and coded by Jonathan Kew. It is now maintained by Richard Koch, Herbert Schulz and Bruno Voisin.
Can you run LaTeX on a Mac?
Yes. Installing MacTeX (or one of the other TUG routes below) gives a Mac the full set of LaTeX engines, including pdfTeX, XeTeX and LuaTeX, so documents compile locally with no internet connection. If you prefer not to install anything, a browser-based editor is the alternative; see what Overleaf is.
MacTeX vs TeX Live vs BasicTeX
These are not rival programs. TeX Live is the distribution; MacTeX and BasicTeX are two ways of installing it on a Mac, and TUG lists a fourth route, the TeX Live Unix install script. TUG recommends the full MacTeX for most users, including beginners.
| Route | What it installs | Size or support stated by TUG |
|---|---|---|
| MacTeX | Full TeX Live 2026, GUI applications, Ghostscript, Ghostscript Extras | MacTeX.pkg 6.4G (as of 24 March 2026); macOS 11 or later |
| BasicTeX | TeX, LaTeX, pdfTeX, MetaFont, dvips, MetaPost, XeTeX, LuaTeX; no GUI programs, no Ghostscript | BasicTeX.pkg 134M (2 March 2026); macOS 11 or later |
| TeX Live Unix install script | TeX Live installed through the standard Unix script | Supports macOS 10.6 and later |
| Older MacTeX versions | Earlier TeX Live releases | For macOS 10.3 to 10.15 |
BasicTeX installs in /usr/local/texlive/2026basic, does not overwrite a full distribution, and can coexist with MacTeX.
Which is better, MacTeX or TeX Live?
The question mixes two levels. On a Mac, MacTeX is the TUG-recommended way to get TeX Live, because the package adds the Mac applications and Ghostscript on top of the distribution. The Unix install script is the alternative if you want to control the installation yourself, and BasicTeX is the small option when disk space matters and you will add packages as needed.
What is in the MacTeX package
The full MacTeX has four pieces: TeX Live 2026 (over 6 GB), the GUI applications, Ghostscript, and Ghostscript Extras. The GUI applications install in /Applications/TeX:
- TeXShop, a front end for writing and typesetting documents.
- TeX Live Utility, which updates and maintains TeX Live.
- LaTeXiT, which typesets equations that can be pasted into presentation software such as Keynote.
- BibDesk, for bibliographies (see also the BibTeX file format).
- hintView, also installed with the applications.
Is TeXShop only for Mac?
Yes, TeXShop is a Mac front end. Its home page lists version 5.57 (released 3 October 2025) for Intel and Arm Macs from High Sierra through Tahoe, with version 4.79 for Sierra and later and version 4.44 for Yosemite through Big Sur. A special TeXShop build for macOS 26 Tahoe is linked from the MacTeX GUI page. If you write on several operating systems, the TeX Live distribution is shared across platforms; for another editor see TeXstudio.
Installing and updating
- Download MacTeX.pkg from the TUG MacTeX download page.
- Double-click the package. It installs TeX Live into
/usr/local/texlive/2026and does not remove earlier TeX installations. TUG says installation on a recent Mac takes about ten minutes. - Use “Customize” in the installer to choose which of TeX Live, GUI Applications, Ghostscript and Ghostscript Extras to install. MacPorts and Homebrew users may disable Ghostscript.
- Read the “READ ME FIRST” file in
/Applications/TeX. A symlink at/Library/TeX/texbinpoints to the installed programs. - Open TeX Live Utility to see packages updated overnight and install them.
If the installer hangs on “Verifying…”, TUG reports that rebooting and reinstalling fixed it in all known cases.
The 24 March 2026 package change
TUG replaced the original MacTeX-2026 package on 24 March 2026, updating Ghostscript from 10.06.0 to 10.07.0 and removing ConTeXt from the installer because LuaMetaTeX is not developer-signed and fails Apple notarization. LuaTeX, the engine used with LaTeX, stays. To restore ConTeXt after installing, run TeX Live Utility, select the two “context” lines marked “forcibly removed”, and choose Actions, then Reinstall Selected Packages. The arara tool is also listed as forcibly removed.
Can I use pdflatex on a Mac?
Yes. pdfTeX, which provides pdflatex, is part of both MacTeX and BasicTeX, so either route gives you pdflatex once installed.
Yearly folders and reproducibility
Each MacTeX release installs into its own year folder (for example 2025, 2026 and 2026basic) and earlier years are kept. In TeX Live Utility, Configure, then “Change Default TeX Live Version” switches between installed distributions. In practice this lets an author re-compile an older thesis or manuscript against the TeX Live year it was originally built with, which supports reproducibility of the typeset output.
Strengths and limits
- Strengths: one installer for the full distribution plus Mac tools; native Intel and Arm support; signed and notarized packages; side-by-side yearly versions; a graphical updater.
- Limits: the full download is 6.4G and the TeX Live portion alone is over 6 GB; macOS 11 or later is required for the 2026 release; ConTeXt must be reinstalled separately after the March 2026 change; the GUI applications are Mac-specific.
Alternatives
| Option | When it fits (from the sources above) | Related reading |
|---|---|---|
| BasicTeX | Small install (134M) with core engines and no GUI tools; coexists with MacTeX | The MacTeX vs TeX Live vs BasicTeX section above |
| TeX Live Unix install script | Supports macOS 10.6 and later, including Macs too old for the 2026 package | TUG MacTeX home page |
| Browser-based LaTeX editor | No local install of any distribution | Overleaf alternatives |
| Other editors for the same distribution | Write in a cross-platform editor and compile with the installed TeX Live | TeXstudio |
For citations in a LaTeX workflow see LaTeX bibliography styles and the Zotero vs JabRef comparison.
FAQ
Can you run LaTeX on a Mac?
Yes, by installing MacTeX or BasicTeX, or TeX Live through the Unix script.
Which is better, MacTeX or TeX Live?
MacTeX installs TeX Live on a Mac with extra applications; TUG recommends the full package for most users, including beginners.
Is TeXShop only for Mac?
Yes, it is a Mac front end bundled with MacTeX.
Can I use pdflatex on a Mac?
Yes, pdfTeX is in both MacTeX and BasicTeX.
Sources
- TeX Users Group, MacTeX home page, checked 2026-11-07.
- TeX Users Group, MacTeX download page, checked 2026-11-07.
- TeX Users Group, MacTeX package contents, checked 2026-11-07.
- TeX Users Group, TeX Live, checked 2026-11-07.
- Richard Koch, TeXShop home page, checked 2026-11-07.
