Install LibreSprite on a Mac

#Which Mac do I have?

Apple menu → About This Mac. If it says Chip: Apple M1 (M2, M3, M4…), take libresprite-v1.3-macos-arm64.dmg. If it says Processor: Intel, take libresprite-v1.3-macos-x86_64.dmg. Each DMG contains a single-architecture app (we checked with lipo), so the wrong one will not run; there is no universal build.

#Install from the DMG

1. Download the DMG for your Mac

   From the download page (22.5 MB for Apple Silicon, 25.2 MB for Intel).

2. Open it and drag libresprite to Applications

   The disk image mounts as LibreSprite and shows libresprite.app next to an Applications shortcut. Drag one onto the other, then eject the disk image.

3. Open it once: macOS blocks it

   Double-click libresprite in Applications. On macOS 15 you get this:

   

   Click Done, not Move to Trash. Nothing is wrong with the file: macOS shows this for any downloaded app that is not signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarized, and LibreSprite’s builds are ad-hoc signed only.

4. Remove the quarantine flag

   Open Terminal (Applications → Utilities) and run:

   xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/libresprite.appCopy

   This removes the “downloaded from the internet” mark that triggers the check. It changes nothing else.

5. Open LibreSprite

   Double-click it again. It now starts normally, on Apple Silicon and on Intel.

   

#“libresprite is damaged and can’t be opened. You should move it to the Trash.”

This is the same situation with a different message. Depending on the macOS version and how the file was downloaded, macOS says the app is “damaged” instead of “Not Opened”. Many LibreSprite users have reported it (GitHub issues #557, #579, #531, #540). It is not real damage and not a malware detection: the app is unsigned by Apple and carries the quarantine flag. The fix is identical: the xattr command above. If you downloaded LibreSprite from somewhere other than GitHub, delete it and get the official DMG first.

#The alternative without Terminal: Open Anyway

On macOS 15 you can also allow it in System Settings: after the blocked attempt, open System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll to the Security section, and click Open Anyway next to the message about libresprite. Confirm with your password, and open the app again. (On older macOS versions, right-click the app → Open gave the same option.) We used the Terminal route in our tests because it is the same on every version.

#What we checked on the Mac builds

“Rejected” stays after the fix: removing the flag does not sign the app, it only stops macOS from treating it as a fresh download. Version 1.3 added a signing step for the Apple Silicon DMG in the release workflow, but it is still an ad-hoc signature, not Apple notarization.

#It crashes on launch

Older Mac builds (1.1 and 1.2) were the source of many “crashes on launch” reports on Apple Silicon, macOS Sequoia and Tahoe (#230, #506, #552, #650, #673). Version 1.3 launched cleanly on both our Macs. If you still have an old copy, delete it and install 1.3. If 1.3 crashes for you, reset its settings (below) and report it upstream with your macOS version and chip.

#Homebrew?

There is no official Homebrew formula or cask for LibreSprite (formulae.brew.sh has none). Unofficial taps exist; they are maintained by individuals, so we recommend the DMG.

#Settings folder

In Finder press Cmd+Shift+G and paste that path (~/Library is hidden). It holds libresprite.ini, palettes/default.ase, scripts/, sessions/ and user.aseprite-brushes. Quit LibreSprite and delete libresprite.ini to reset all preferences.

#Command line on macOS

The program inside the bundle accepts the same command-line options as on Linux and Windows; we exported a sprite sheet this way on both Macs:

/Applications/libresprite.app/Contents/MacOS/libresprite --version
/Applications/libresprite.app/Contents/MacOS/libresprite -b walk.ase --sheet walk.png --data walk.json

#Uninstall

Drag libresprite.app from Applications to the Trash, and delete ~/Library/Application Support/LibreSprite to remove its settings.

#FAQ

Found something wrong or out of date? Tell us: hello@libresprite.dev. We fix mistakes within a day.