TeXShop for MAC
Free, open-source TeX and LaTeX front end for Mac: write source, typeset to PDF and preview it. Needs a separate TeX distribution such as MacTeX.
TeXShop Overview
TeXShop is a Mac app for writing and typesetting TeX and LaTeX documents. It gives you a source window and a preview window, and in its default setup it typesets with pdfTeX and pdfLaTeX, so the result is a PDF you can read straight away. It is a long-running project, first released in 2000, and it is written natively for the Mac in Cocoa.
TeXShop is only a front end: when it typesets, it calls command-line programs in a TeX distribution that you must install separately. The project recommends the full MacTeX package, a download of about six gigabytes, or the much smaller BasicTeX for beginners who want to try TeX. TeXShop is written by Richard Koch with contributions from many others and is free under the GNU GPL version 2. Version 5.57 is a small bug-fix release. It is a universal app for Apple Silicon and Intel and needs macOS 10.13 or later. It was built on Sequoia and the developer says it works fine on Tahoe. Older versions remain available for older systems.
Key Features
TeXShop covers the everyday TeX writing cycle.
- Source and preview: edit in one window and read the PDF in another.
- Single window mode: keep source and preview side by side in one window.
- Typesetting engines: choose an engine per document, and add your own engine files.
- Sync: jump between a place in the source and the same place in the PDF.
- Tags menu: go straight to a chapter, section or subsection in the source.
- Macros: run ready-made macros and change them in the Macro Editor.
- Syntax coloring: themes with separate colors for brackets and other symbols.
- PDF annotations: annotate the preview and save the result as a new PDF.
What’s New in Version 5.57
TeXShop 5.57 fixes a small number of problems from version 5.56.
- Fixes a syntax coloring problem.
- Fixes a defective Themes tab in the Spanish localization of Settings.
- Removes a gap below the title of the Themes section in the English localization.
- Slightly improves the Themes chapter of the manual.
TeXShop FAQ
Is TeXShop free?
Yes. TeXShop is free and distributed under the GNU GPL version 2.
Does TeXShop include TeX?
No. TeXShop is a front end and calls the programs of a TeX distribution, which you must install separately. MacTeX is the full package and BasicTeX is a small one for beginners.
How big is the MacTeX download?
The developer describes MacTeX as a large download of about six gigabytes. BasicTeX is a much smaller alternative that is adequate for beginners.
Which macOS version does TeXShop need?
TeXShop 5.57 needs macOS 10.13 or later. Versions 4.79 and 4.44 remain available for older systems.
Does TeXShop run on Apple Silicon?
Yes. TeXShop 5.57 is a universal app for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
Does TeXShop work on macOS Tahoe?
Yes. The developer says version 5.57 was built on Sequoia and works fine on Tahoe.
What file does TeXShop produce?
In its default setup TeXShop typesets with pdfTeX and pdfLaTeX, which produce a PDF instead of a DVI file.
Is there a manual for TeXShop?
Yes. The Help menu has a manual of about two hundred pages. Its first pages hold the essentials and later chapters cover special features.
Can I install TeXShop with Homebrew?
Yes. Run brew install --cask texshop.
Where does the TeXShop download on texshop.FULLMAC.app come from?
The download button leads to the official TeXShop download page at https://pages.uoregon.edu/koch/texshop/obtaining.html. texshop.FULLMAC.app does not change or repackage the app.
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FULLMAC.app does not host this app. Download buttons lead to the developer’s own pages.