Mavis Beacon for Mac: Editions, macOS Requirements and Installation

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Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing has been made for Macintosh computers since its early releases, and current editions still come in Mac versions. On a Mac, what decides whether a copy works is the macOS version and the age of the edition, so check both before you install.

Mac Editions You Are Likely to Find

  • Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 2020 from Encore Software. It is listed on the Mac App Store as Mavis Beacon 2020, which says it requires macOS 10.13 or later. The Steam listing for the same course gives Mac OS X 10.15 or later.
  • Mavis Beacon Keyboarding Kidz, Encore's version for children, whose Steam listing also asks for Mac OS X 10.15 or later.
  • Ultimate Mac Edition (2011) from Software MacKiev, which added two-player network games and typing practice with song lyrics and classic novels.
  • Family Edition powered by UltraKey, whose Steam listing names Mac OS X 10.6 to 10.8 on an Intel processor.

Because the two listings for the 2020 edition give different minimum versions, check the store page of the copy you buy for its current requirement.

Requirements and macOS Compatibility

For the 2020 edition, the Steam listing asks for an Intel Core i3 processor or better, 2 GB of RAM, 1 GB of free space, a graphics card with 512 MB of video memory, a 1500x960 display and a broadband internet connection. To see your macOS version, open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac.

Two macOS changes affect older editions:

  • 32-bit apps stopped working with macOS Catalina 10.15. Apple says Mojave 10.14 was the last version to run them. In Finder, an app that cannot open shows a crossed-out symbol over its icon. Many older Mac releases were 32-bit, so they will not open on a current Mac.
  • Macs with Apple silicon run Intel apps through Rosetta. If an edition was built only for Intel Macs, macOS offers to install Rosetta the first time you open it; click Install and enter your user name and password. The store listings name an Intel processor and do not say whether the app runs natively on Apple silicon. Apple has said Rosetta stays fully available up to macOS 27 and will be limited to certain older games from macOS 28.

Installing on a Mac or MacBook

  1. If you buy through the Mac App Store, click Get or the price button, and the app appears in Launchpad and the Applications folder.
  2. If you download it elsewhere, open the downloaded file. For a disk image, drag the app into Applications; for an installer package, follow the steps on screen.
  3. Open the app from Applications. If macOS blocks the app with a security warning, open System Settings, choose Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway. Apple notes that this button appears for about an hour after the warning, and it advises doing this only for software you trust.
  4. Create a profile and start with the first lesson. The install guide explains the first launch in more detail.

No Supported macOS Version?

A MacBook works the same way as a desktop Mac here: the macOS version matters, not the model. If your Mac cannot run any current edition, the page on using Mavis Beacon online explains which browser-based option exists and what it covers.

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