How to Download DMG Files

DMG stands for “Disk iMaGe." Think of .dmg files as virtual CDs or DVDs—portable media without a physical presence. They’re also somewhat like a Macintosh version of a PC’s .zip archive—a way of creating a virtual envelope to encapsulate many files which may include programs, text or media. Macintosh computers can automatically open and read .dmg files; Windows computers may need extra software to do so. While extra software will allow a Windows computer to open and read the contents of .dmg files, a Windows computer still won’t be able to run any Macintosh programs that may be in the disk image.

Instructions

1. Click on the link to the .dmg file in your browser. This should, in almost every case, automatically start the download. You may be prompted whether to save the file or open it; if that happens simply click on "Save," and, if necessary, select a location to save the file to.

2. Right-click on the .dmg link, if the download did not automatically begin, and select "Save Link As..." or "Save As..." from the small menu that appears. You can then select where to save the file to, click "Save," and the download will begin.

3. Locate the .dmg file in your Finder or Windows Explorer window. Some browsers might automatically save it to your Desktop or a designated download folder.

4. Double-click the .dmg file to open it if you’re using a Macintosh computer. This is known as mounting the file. You can then access any of the files or programs contained in the .dmg file. If you’re using a Windows computer, you’ll need to download and install additional software to let you open .dmg files; File Helper and TransMac are two examples.

References

• Of Zen and Computing: What are .DMG files?

Resources

• File Helper
• TransMac