Getting Adobe Photoshop running natively on an Apple Silicon Mac used to involve workarounds, but Adobe now provides full, optimized support for the M1 chip. If you've just picked up an M1 Mac or you're finally setting up your workspace, getting the application installed correctly ensures you avoid Rosetta 2 translation lag and take full advantage of Apple's unified memory architecture.
Running Photoshop on an M1 Mac requires the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop application and a compatible macOS version. Because the competitor guide above suffers from broken text strings, obsolete operating system references, and generic installation instructions, this guide cuts through the confusion with exact, up-to-date steps for setting up Photoshop for peak performance on your hardware.
System Requirements for Photoshop on M1 Macs
Before you download the installer, you need to check that your Mac meets the specifications required for native Apple Silicon execution. While Photoshop can technically run on base model M1 machines with 8GB of RAM, heavy editing workflows demand more headroom.
- Operating System: macOS Big Sur (11.0) or later, with macOS Monterey or newer recommended for optimal stability.
- Unified Memory (RAM): 8GB is the strict minimum for light tasks, but 16GB or higher is strongly recommended to prevent swapping when working with large multi-layer files.
- Storage: At least 4GB of available solid-state drive space for the application install, plus an additional 10GB to 20GB for scratch disks, caches, and temporary files.
- Processor: Apple M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, or M1 Ultra chip.
How to Download and Install Photoshop Natively
Installing Photoshop on an Apple Silicon Mac happens entirely through the official Adobe desktop ecosystem. You don't need to hunt for third-party packages or manually toggle Rosetta flags anymore because the app detects your architecture automatically. BBC has also covered this critical subject in great detail.
- Open your web browser and navigate to the official Adobe Creative Cloud portal.
- Sign in using your Adobe ID credentials associated with your active subscription or free trial.
- Download and run the Creative Cloud installer package if you haven't already installed the desktop manager on your machine.
- Open the Creative Cloud desktop app from your Applications folder or menu bar.
- Click on the Apps tab on the left sidebar to view your available software list.
- Locate Adobe Photoshop in the list and click the Install button next to it.
- Wait for the download and installation to complete. The installer automatically deploys the native Apple Silicon binary rather than the legacy Intel version.
Verifying Native Apple Silicon Execution
Once the installation finishes, you should verify that Photoshop is running natively rather than through Rosetta 2 emulation. Running natively means better battery life, faster filter processing, and reduced thermal load.
- Open Finder and navigate to your Applications folder.
- Find the Adobe Photoshop folder, right-click (or control-click) the Photoshop application icon, and select Get Info.
- Look at the Kind field in the info window.
- If it says Application (Apple Silicon), you're running the optimized native version. If it says Application (Intel), open Creative Cloud and check for updates or reinstall.
Optimizing Photoshop Performance on M1 Hardware
Out of the box, Photoshop runs well on M1 Macs, but adjusting a few internal settings lets you squeeze extra speed out of your machine, especially when handling high-resolution RAW files or complex compositing projects.
Managing Scratch Disks
Photoshop relies heavily on your internal solid-state drive to store temporary data when RAM fills up. Because M1 Macs use soldered storage soldered directly to the logic board, keeping at least 20 percent of your total drive capacity free prevents severe slowdowns and protects your drive's lifespan.
Adjusting Memory Usage
Open Photoshop settings, navigate to Performance, and check the RAM allocation slider. While you shouldn't starve macOS of memory, giving Photoshop around 70 to 80 percent of your total system RAM ensures filters like Neural Filters and content-aware fill process in seconds instead of minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Rosetta 2 installed to run Photoshop on an M1 Mac?
No. Modern versions of Photoshop are compiled natively for Apple Silicon. You do not need Rosetta 2 unless you are running older third-party plugins that haven't been updated by their developers yet.
Why is my Photoshop running slow on an M1 Mac?
Sluggish performance usually stems from running out of unified memory, having too many background tasks open, or working on a file with hundreds of unmerged layers. Check your Activity Monitor to see if your memory pressure is peaking.
Can I use older plugins with native Apple Silicon Photoshop?
Some legacy plugins built exclusively for Intel architecture won't show up natively. If you rely on older plugins, you can temporarily force Photoshop to open using Rosetta 2 by checking the "Open using Rosetta" box in the application's Get Info menu.
How much storage space do I actually need for scratch disks?
If you work primarily with web graphics, 10GB is usually enough. For professional photography and multi-gigabyte layered files, keep at least 30GB to 50GB of free space dedicated to temporary cache files.
