What Homebrew is and where to find it

Homebrew is a package manager for Mac — a tool that downloads and installs command-line programs and libraries directly from the internet. Once installed, it lives in your Applications folder and in your system's command-line interface. You locate it by opening Terminal (the built-in Mac app that lets you type commands) and typing brew followed by what you want to do.

Homebrew itself is free and open-source. It does not appear as a clickable icon on your desktop or in Launchpad the way most Mac apps do. Instead, you interact with it through Terminal by typing commands. This is why many people wonder where it went after they install it — it is working in the background, not sitting visibly in your Applications folder.

Key Takeaways

  • Homebrew installs into your Mac's system directories, not your Applications folder, so you will not see it as a regular app icon.
  • You access Homebrew by opening Terminal and typing brew followed by a command, such as brew install wget.
  • To check whether Homebrew is already installed, open Terminal and type brew --version.
  • If Homebrew is not installed, you can download and install it by pasting a single command into Terminal from the official Homebrew website.
  • On newer Macs with Apple Silicon chips, Homebrew installs to a different location than on Intel Macs, but you use it the same way.

Checking if Homebrew is already on your Mac

Before you install Homebrew, find out whether it is already there. Open Terminal (search for it in Spotlight by pressing Command + Space, typing "Terminal", and pressing Enter). Type this command and press Enter:

brew --version

If Homebrew is installed, Terminal will print a version number, such as "Homebrew 4.0.1". If it is not installed, you will see a message saying the command is not found. This tells you whether you need to install it or whether it is ready to use.

Where Homebrew actually lives on your Mac

Homebrew does not install to your Applications folder. Instead, it installs to system directories that are hidden from normal view. On Intel Macs, the main Homebrew folder is at /usr/local/Cellar. On newer Macs with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3 chips), it is at /opt/homebrew/Cellar. You do not need to navigate to these folders to use Homebrew — you just type commands in Terminal.

The reason Homebrew hides itself is that it manages many small programs and libraries that other software depends on. Keeping them in a dedicated system folder prevents them from cluttering your Applications folder and makes it easier for Homebrew to track what it has installed.

Opening Terminal to use Homebrew

Every time you want to use Homebrew, you open Terminal. Press Command + Space to open Spotlight search, type "Terminal", and press Enter. A black or white window will open with a command prompt (usually ending in a dollar sign or percent sign).

From here, you type brew followed by a command. For example, to install a program called wget, you would type brew install wget and press Enter. Homebrew will download and install it automatically. To see what you have already installed, type brew list and press Enter.

Finding what programs are available through Homebrew

Homebrew has thousands of programs available. To search for a specific one, type brew search followed by the name. For example, brew search python will show you all Python-related packages Homebrew can install. The official Homebrew website (brew.sh) also has a searchable directory where you can browse by category.

Not every Mac program is available through Homebrew — only command-line tools and libraries. If you are looking for a regular Mac app like Slack or Chrome, you will not find it in Homebrew. Those install from the App Store or their own websites.

Keeping Homebrew updated

Homebrew itself updates regularly, and the programs it manages do too. To update Homebrew and see what updates are available for your installed programs, type brew update in Terminal. To upgrade all your installed programs to their latest versions, type brew upgrade.

You do not have to update immediately — Homebrew will continue to work with older versions. But updating keeps your programs secure and gives you access to new features. Most people run these commands once a month or whenever they think about it.

Uninstalling Homebrew or removing programs

If you want to remove a single program that Homebrew installed, type brew uninstall followed by the program name. For example, brew uninstall wget removes wget but leaves Homebrew itself intact.

If you want to remove Homebrew entirely from your Mac, you can uninstall it by pasting a command into Terminal. The exact command is on the official Homebrew website. After uninstalling, all the programs Homebrew installed will stop working, but your Mac will not be harmed — you are just removing software you added.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Homebrew not show up in my Applications folder?

Homebrew is a command-line tool, not a graphical app. It installs to hidden system directories instead of Applications because it manages many small libraries that other programs depend on. You use it by typing commands in Terminal, not by clicking an icon.

Can I use Homebrew on an M1 or M2 Mac?

Yes. Homebrew works on Apple Silicon Macs, but it installs to a different location than on Intel Macs. You use it exactly the same way — by typing commands in Terminal. Homebrew automatically handles the differences between Intel and Apple Silicon.

What if I type a brew command and get "command not found"?

This means Homebrew is not installed or not in your system's search path. Open Terminal and type brew --version to confirm. If that also says "command not found", Homebrew is not installed. Visit brew.sh and follow the installation instructions to add it to your Mac.

Is Homebrew safe to install on my Mac?

Homebrew is open-source and widely used by developers. The installation process requires you to enter your Mac password, which is normal for software that modifies system directories. If you are uncomfortable with command-line tools, Homebrew may not be the right choice for you.

Can I install regular Mac apps through Homebrew?

Homebrew has a separate tool called Cask that can install some graphical Mac apps, but most regular apps come from the App Store or the developer's website. Homebrew is designed for command-line programs and development tools, not everyday apps.