how do I create a user folder that I can install apps to?

[pax-eterna]

Just been installing some and they (including all system files) are going to something called Macintosh...

How do I select an alternate location? Al the apps I have installed did not give me an option, just Macintosh...I sorta thought the MAC would automatically create new folder.

Secondly, can I now move all those installed files to a new location, or should I uninstall and start over?

Thanks

 

[allan.nyholm]

Macintosh HD is your main operating system disk. It's where your current Apple applications like Safari, Preview, Mail, Pages and so on live. Just to name a few.

You usually install via dragging to the Applications folder on the Macintosh HD or in the installers that you might use, you can change the location at some point. Usually after accepting an agreement of sorts. Most often I would encourage all applications to live in the macOS's Applications folder.

You ought to leave the apps be where they are. You can however move the applications around should you wish to.

Can you bring some examples of apps that you're installing that you'd like to move. Just so that we and I know how to better help you going forward?

p.s you can create an Applications (ignore the bold text) folder inside your Users-folder where you already have your Downloads and Pictures folders. This is what Google Chrome and Brave uses when you create an app from a website via the little icon in the address bar in both Google Chrome and Brave Browser.

 

[Gregg2]

You ought to leave the apps be where they are,

because when you update them, the installer will look in the Applications folder. If you move apps, you could end up with different versions in two places.

 

[Fishrrman]

For the least trouble, applications should go into the "Applications" folder.
If it's a utility app, it should go into the "Utilities" folder.

Just do it this way -- it will make things easier, particularly software upgrades.
It also makes it easier to FIND an app when you need it.

Having said that...
If you must do otherwise, you could create a folder just about anywhere you wish.
HOWEVER...
In tinkering with my experimental copy of Monterey (on a 2018 Mini), I find that the OS (at least as it's configured now) won't let me create a new folder at the "top level" on my "user drive". By "user drive" I think the regular name for it is "Macintosh HD Data" (but I've renamed it).

It -might- be possible to over-ride this by changing permissions on the "Macintosh HD Data" drive (using get info), but I haven't tried that.

 

[KALLT]

In tinkering with my experimental copy of Monterey (on a 2018 Mini), I find that the OS (at least as it's configured now) won't let me create a new folder at the "top level" on my "user drive". By "user drive" I think the regular name for it is "Macintosh HD Data" (but I've renamed it).

It -might- be possible to over-ride this by changing permissions on the "Macintosh HD Data" drive (using get info), but I haven't tried that.

Macintosh HD and Macintosh HD – Data belong together. The system mounts Macintosh HD (or a snapshot of it) as the root volume (basically /) and then mounts Macintosh HD – Data under /System/Volumes and creates so-called firmlinks during boot to merge them at runtime. To the user this looks as if it were one root volume. So technically /Applications is actually located under /System/Volumes/<Macintosh HD – Data>/Applications.

You can create root level directories by creating your own firmlinks, es explained here (though if this still works like that in other versions of macOS as described there, I do not know).

In general, I agree that applications should be placed in Macintosh HD → Applications (or /Applications) or Macintosh HD → Users → <username> → Applications. macOS usually handles this flawlessly.

 

[pax-eterna]

Thanks folks - I think the error I made was double clicking (single clicking?) the pkg/dmg instead of just dragging it to Applications - I am happy to leave the default configuration, however I was thinking as I am only a tiny bit into setting it up, I could start again following the advice received here.

 

[KALLT]

Thanks folks - I think the error I made was double clicking (single clicking?) the pkg/dmg instead of just dragging it to Applications - I am happy to leave the default configuration, however I was thinking as I am only a tiny bit into setting it up, I could start again following the advice received here.

Packages (pkg) are not apps, they are installers. If the program is installed with a package installer then you need to double-click on it. Depending on how the developer configured it, it is likely that it wont let you choose the destination.

Disk images can contain apps directly or they can contain installer packages. You should not move the disk image or the package to the applications directory.