Does MP4tools work on macOS 28?
Short answer: no, not on its own. According to Homebrew’s package data (checked October 5, 2026), MP4tools is Intel-only and its current download has no Apple silicon build. Apple says Intel-only apps stop running on Apple silicon Macs after macOS 27, apart from some older games. Keep86 is built to keep apps like this running, but we haven’t tested MP4tools yet.
Key facts
- Architecture
- Intel-only · according to Homebrew’s package data, checked October 5, 2026
- Native Apple silicon version
- None listed
- Keep86 status
- Not tested yet
- Versions
- 3.7.2 — Intel-only
- Homebrew package
- mp4tools · version 3.7.2 · 346 installs in the last 365 days
- Website
- www.emmgunn.com
- Last verified
Create and edit MP4 videos
Your options
- Keep the version you own with Keep86: it runs in the hidden Keep86 virtual Mac (macOS 27 with Rosetta) and opens from your Dock as before. How it works
- Keep this Mac on macOS 27 for now. Note that a new Mac will come with macOS 28 or later.
- Check your copy: select it in Finder, choose File › Get Info and look at “Kind”. “Application (Intel)” means Intel-only.
Questions about MP4tools
Does MP4tools work on Apple silicon?
Only through Rosetta 2. MP4tools is Intel-only: an Apple silicon Mac runs it by translating its Intel code with Rosetta 2, which Apple supports in full until macOS 27.
Does MP4tools need Rosetta 2?
Yes, on every Apple silicon Mac. Apple has said that from macOS 28 Rosetta remains only for some older games, so Intel-only apps like MP4tools stop opening.
How can I keep using MP4tools after macOS 28?
Stay on macOS 27 on this Mac, switch to an alternative, or run MP4tools in a macOS 27 virtual machine (UTM, VirtualBuddy, Parallels). Keep86 runs that virtual Mac hidden and shows the app’s windows on your desktop; see the test status above.
Sources
- Homebrew Homebrew cask “mp4tools” 3.7.2 requires Rosetta (Intel-only build) · checked October 5, 2026
Guides
-
macOS 27 Golden Gate: the last macOS for Intel apps
macOS 27 Golden Gate came out on 14 September 2026. It runs only on Apple silicon and is the last macOS that runs Intel-only apps through Rosetta.
-
macOS 28 and Rosetta: what stops working
Apple ends Rosetta for apps after macOS 27. What stops working on Apple silicon Macs with macOS 28, what keeps working and what to do now — with sources.
-
How to find Intel-only apps on your Mac
Four ways to see which of your Mac apps are Intel-only and will stop working in macOS 28 — Finder, System Information, Activity Monitor and Terminal.
-
How to run Intel apps on Apple silicon after macOS 28
Your options once Rosetta is gone: a native version, an alternative, staying on macOS 27, or a VM — UTM, VirtualBuddy, Parallels and Keep86 compared.
App names are trademarks of their owners and are used only to describe compatibility. Keep86 is not affiliated with the developers of these apps. Architecture data partly from Homebrew (formulae.brew.sh), used under the BSD 2-Clause licence.