Rosetta May Be Removed From M1 Macs in Some Regions on macOS 11.3

Installing the upcoming macOS 11.3 software update on an M1 Mac may result in Rosetta 2 being removed in one or more regions around the world.

rosetta 2
In the third beta of macOS 11.3 seeded to developers for testing today, MacRumors contributor Steve Moser uncovered new strings in the beta's code indicating that "Rosetta will be removed upon installing this update." Another new string reads "Rosetta is no longer available in this region. Applications requiring Rosetta will no longer run."

Apple did not specify which regions where Rosetta 2 would be "no longer available," and no further details are known at this time.


Rosetta 2 enables Macs powered by Apple silicon like the M1 chip to run x86 apps built for an Intel-based Mac. The translation layer works in the background when a user opens an app compiled only for Mac computers with an Intel processor, and automatically translates the app for use with Apple silicon the first time the app is run.

It's unclear why macOS 11.3 might remove Rosetta 2 on M1 Macs in some regions, but perhaps there are legal or copyright reasons involved. Apple did not immediately respond to our request for comment, but we'll provide an update if we hear back.

The third beta of macOS 11.3 also adds some new settings with imagery for mapping game controller buttons to keyboard layouts, according to Moser's code-level findings, but we are not fully sure what this entails.

Tag: Rosetta
Related Forum: macOS Big Sur

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
Alleged iPhone 17 Pro Antenna Design

Two All-New iPhone 17 Colors Seemingly Confirmed

Monday August 25, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple will offer the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max in a new orange color, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman made the claim in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, adding that the new iPhone 17 Air – replacing the iPhone 16 Plus – will come in a new light blue color. We've heard multiple rumors about a new iPhone 17 Pro color being a shade of orange. The ...
Awe Dropping Apple Event Feature

Five Things to Expect From Apple's 'Awe Dropping' September 9 Event

Tuesday August 26, 2025 4:17 pm PDT by
Apple today announced its "Awe Dropping" iPhone-centric event, which is set to take place on Tuesday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. There are a long list of products that are coming, but we thought we'd pull out five feature highlights to look forward to. That Super Thin iPhone - Apple's September 9 event will see the unveiling of the first redesigned iPhone we've had in years, ...
awe dropping event

Apple Event Announced for September 9: 'Awe Dropping'

Tuesday August 26, 2025 9:01 am PDT by
Apple will hold its annual iPhone-centric event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, according to an announcement that went out today. The event will start at 10:00 a.m., with select members of the media invited to attend. At the September 2025 iPhone event, Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 lineup, which includes an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air. It...
Awe Dropping Apple Event Feature

Apple Event Logo Hints at Two iPhone 17 Pro Features

Wednesday August 27, 2025 6:36 am PDT by
Apple's logo for its upcoming September 9 event hints at two rumored iPhone 17 Pro features, including new color options and a vapor chamber cooling system. Of course, this is all just speculation for fun, as we count down the final days until the event. New Colors Last month, Macworld's Filipe Espósito reported that orange and dark blue would be two out of the five color options...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3: Four Key Design Changes Anticipated

Tuesday August 26, 2025 4:05 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022 other than a shift from Lightning to USB-C, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will launch AirPods Pro 3 later this year, and apart from new features like heart rate monitoring, we're also expecting a few design changes. The fourth‑generation AirPods offer useful clues to Apple's design cues for ...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 12 New Features

Sunday August 24, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max should be unveiled in a few more weeks, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman corroborated a rumor that iPhone 17 Pro models will be "available in an orange color." Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are...

Top Rated Comments

diamondsw Avatar
59 months ago
It they disable Rosetta then the whole Apple Silicon transition is dead in the water. No one will trust the platform to not vanish out from under them. Just knowing this codepath exists is horrifying.
Score: 53 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
59 months ago

Sounds like Intel's lawyers found something usable in the proverbial attic...
Nope. Then it would be the U.S., and it won’t be the U.S.

More likely it has to do with export controls - something about Rosetta is technology that can’t be exported to certain “hostile” countries. That’s my bet, anyway.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
calstanford Avatar
59 months ago
Hahaha. Good luck with those ARM chips then
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NexusUser Avatar
59 months ago
Wow, I just bought an M1 Mac Mini, if they remove Rosetta 2 then it's going back!
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
59 months ago
"How to kill Apple Silicon Macs before they really even get rolling"
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TouchMint.com Avatar
59 months ago
Umm this isn’t good at all..
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)