How to set or change the default Java JDK version on OS X

Question

How can you change the default version of Java on a mac

User · Answer

First find out where do you store the environment variables-

emacs
bash_profile
zshrc file

Steps to Set up the environment variable :-

Download the jdk from JAVA
install it by double click
Now set-up environment variables in your file

a. For emacs.profile you can use this link OR see the screenshot below

b. For ZSH profile setup -

1. export JAVA_HOME=/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_112.jdk/Contents/Home

2. source ~/.zshrc - Restart zshrc to reflect the changes.

3. echo $JAVA_HOME - make sure path is set up properly 
   ----> /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk1.8.0_112.jdk/Contents/Home

4. java -version 

   -->  java version "1.8.0_112"  Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_112-b16)Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.112-b16, mixed mode)

All set Now you can easily upgrade or degrade the JAVA version..

User · Answer

It is a little bit tricky  but try to follow the steps described in Installing Java on OS X 10 9  Mavericks   Basically  you gonna have to update your alias to java   Step by step   After installing JDK 1 7  you will need to do the sudo ln -snf in order to change the link to current java  To do so  open Terminal and issue the command   sudo ln -nsf  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 7 0 51 jdk Contents    System Library Frameworks JavaVM framework Versions CurrentJDK   Note that the directory jdk1 7 0 51 jdk may change depending on the SDK version you have installed   Now  you need to set JAVA HOME to point to where jdk 1 7 0 xx jdk was installed  Open again the Terminal and type   export JAVA HOME   Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 7 0 51 jdk Contents Home    You can add the export JAVA HOME line above in your  bashrc file to have java permanently in your Terminal

User · Answer

This answer is an attempt to address  how to control java version system-wide  not just in currently running shell  when several versions of JDK are installed for development purposes on macOS El Capitan or newer  Sierra  High Sierra  Mojave   As far as I can tell  none of the current answers do that       As a developer  I use several JDKs  and I want to switch from one to the other easily  Usually I have the latest stable one for general use  and others for tests  But I don t want the system  e g  when I start my IDE  to use the latest  early access  version I have for now  I want to control system s default  and that should be latest stable   The following approach works with Java 7 to 12 at least  early access at the time of this writing   with Oracle JDK or OpenJDK  including builds by AdoptOpenJDK produced after mid-October 2018    Solution without 3rd party tools    leave all JDKs at their default location  under  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines  The system will pick the highest version by default    To exclude a JDK from being picked by default  rename its Contents Info plist to Info plist disabled  That JDK can still be used when  JAVA HOME points to it  or explicitly referenced in a script or configuration  It will simply be ignored by system s java command    System launcher will use the JDK with highest version among those that have an Info plist file   When working in a shell with alternate JDK  pick your method among existing answers  jenv  or custom aliases scripts around  usr libexec java home  etc      Details of investigation in this gist         Current answers are either obsolete  no longer valid for macOS El Capitan or Sierra   or only address a single JDK  or do not address the system-wide aspect  Many explain how to change  JAVA HOME  but this only affects the current shell and what is launched from there  It won t affect an application started from OS launcher  unless you change the right file and logout login  which is tedious   Same for jenv  it s cool and all  but as far as I can tell it merely changes environment variables  so it has the same limitation

User · Answer

TOO EASY SOLUTION  What a headache - this was a quick easy solution that worked for me    Mac OS Sierra Version 10 12 13    Use the shortcut keys  CMD SHIFT G - type in   Library   Find the JAVA folder Right Click Java Folder   Move to Trash  Password Required  Install   Java SE Development Kit 8 jdk-8u131-macosx-x64 dmg   Download Javascript SDK Make sure the new JAVA folder appears in  LIBRARY  Install Eclipse   Install Eclipse IDE for Java Developers Boom Done

User · Answer

From the Apple s official java home 1  man page     USAGE        usr libexec java home  helps  users  set a  JAVA HOME in their login rc files  or provides a way for    command-line Java tools to use the most appropriate JVM which can satisfy a minimum version or archi-    tecture  requirement   The --exec argument can invoke tools in the selected  JAVA HOME bin directory     which is useful for starting Java command-line tools from launchd plists without hardcoding the  full    path to the Java command-line tool      Usage for bash-style shells              export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home      Usage for csh-style shells              setenv JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home

User · Answer

Use jenv is an easy way  1 Install jenv curl -s get jenv io   bash  2 Config jenv cd    jenv candidates  mkdir java cd java mkdir 1 7 mkdir 1 8  3 Symlink the jdk path ln -s  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 7 0 79 jdk Contents Home bin    jenv candidates java 1 7 ln -s  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 8 0 45 jdk Contents Home bin    jenv candidates java 1 8  4 You are all set switch command   jenv use java 1 8  set default   jenv default java 1 7

User · Answer

Based on  markhellewell answer I created a couple of alias functions that will do it for you  Just add these to your shell startup file   list available jdks alias jdks   usr libexec java home -V    jdk version switching - e g   jdk 6  will switch to version 1 6 function jdk        echo  Switching java version      export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -v 1  1      java -version       https   gist github com Noyabronok 0a90e1f3c52d1aaa941013d3caa8d0e4

User · Answer

tl dr  Add the line    export JAVA HOME   Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 8 0 144 jdk Contents Home   to the file     bash profile   replace jdk1 8 0 144 jdk with your downloaded version   then  source    bash profile

User · Answer

I have done it for the local terminal with   export JAVA 8 HOME   Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 8 0 221 jdk Contents Home   export JAVA 13 HOME   Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk-13 0 1 jdk Contents Home    alias java8  export JAVA HOME  JAVA 8 HOME  alias java   JAVA 8 HOME bin java    JAVA 8 HOME bin java -version  alias java13  export JAVA HOME  JAVA 13 HOME  alias java   JAVA 13 HOME bin java    JAVA 13 HOME bin java -version   export JAVA HOME  JAVA 13 HOME

User · Answer

Add the following line of code to your  zshrc  or bash profile     alias j  f    export JAVA HOME  usr libexec java home -v  1   f    Save to session      source  zshrc   Run command  e g  j 13  j14  j1 8         j 1 8  Explanation This is parameterised so you do not need to update the script like other solutions posted  If you do not have the JVM installed you are told  Sample cases below   Users user IDE project   j 1 8  Users user IDE project   java -version openjdk version  quot 1 8 0 265 quot  OpenJDK Runtime Environment  AdoptOpenJDK  build 1 8 0 265-b01  OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM  AdoptOpenJDK  build 25 265-b01  mixed mode   Users user IDE project   j 13  Users user IDE project   java -version openjdk version  quot 13 0 2 quot  2020-01-14 OpenJDK Runtime Environment  build 13 0 2 8  OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM  build 13 0 2 8  mixed mode  sharing   Users user IDE project   j 1 7 Unable to find any JVMs matching version  quot 1 7 quot

User · Answer

macOS El Capitan or newer will choose the higher version of the JDK available in  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines  so in order to downgrade you may rename the file Info plist to something else like Info plist disabled so that the OS will choose a previous version

User · Answer

First run  usr libexec java home -V which will output something like the following  Matching Java Virtual Machines  3   1 8 0 05  x86 64     quot Java SE 8 quot   Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 8 0 05 jdk Contents Home 1 6 0 65-b14-462  x86 64     quot Java SE 6 quot   System Library Java JavaVirtualMachines 1 6 0 jdk Contents Home 1 6 0 65-b14-462  i386   quot Java SE 6 quot   System Library Java JavaVirtualMachines 1 6 0 jdk Contents Home   Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 8 0 05 jdk Contents Home  Pick the version you want to be the default  1 6 0 65-b14-462 for arguments sake  then  export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -v 1 6 0 65-b14-462   or you can specify just the major version  like  export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -v 1 8   Now when you run java -version you will see  java version  quot 1 6 0 65 quot  Java TM  SE Runtime Environment  build 1 6 0 65-b14-462-11M4609  Java HotSpot TM  64-Bit Server VM  build 20 65-b04-462  mixed mode   Add the export JAVA HOME    line to your shell   s init file  For Bash  as stated by antonyh   export JAVA HOME    usr libexec java home -v 1 8   For Fish  as stated by ormurin  set -x JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -d64 -v1 8   Updating the  zshrc file should work  nano    zshrc  export JAVA HOME    usr libexec java home -v 1 8 0   Press CTRL X to exit the editor Press Y to save your changes source    zshrc echo  JAVA HOME java -version

User · Answer

Previously I used alias es in  zshrc for easy switching between versions but today I use SDKMAN  SDKMAN can also handle setting default java for the system  and downloading and installing new java versions  Once sdkman is installed you can then do commands similar to what is possible with the nvm tool for handling node versions  sdk list java will list the java versions available on your system as well as available online for installation including their identifier that you can use in the sdk use  sdk default and sdk install commands  e g  to install Amazon Corretto 11 0 8 and ask if it should be the new default do this  sdk install java 11 0 8-amzn A feature I also use regularly is the  sdkmanrc file  If you place that in a directory on your machine and run the sdk env command in the directory then you can configure tool versions used only in that directory  It is also possible to make sdkman switch tool versions automatically using the sdkman auto env true configuration  sdkman also supports handling other tools for the JVM such as gradle  kotlin  maven and more  For more information check out https   sdkman io usage env

User · Answer

If you have multiple versions and you want to run something by using a specific version  use this example    usr libexec java home -v 1 7 0 75 --exec java -jar you-file jar

User · Answer

Here is how I do it on my Linux  Ubuntu   Mint mate   I guess Mac can do it similarly     Install  amp  config  Steps       Basic - part  Download jdk  the  tgz file  by hand    Uncompress  amp  rename properly  at a proper location  e g   mnt star program java jdk-1 8 Make a soft link  which will be changed to switch java version later  e g ln -s  mnt star program java jdk-1 8  mnt star program java java Thus  mnt star program java java is the soft link  Set JAVA HOME in a start script  Could use file like  etc profile d eric sh  or just use    bashrc  e g JAVA HOME  mnt star program java java Then open a new bash shell  java -version should print the java version   More version - part  Download  amp  install more Java version  as need  similar as above steps  e g  mnt star program java jdk-11  Switch - part  In    bashrc  define variable for various Java version  e g  E JAVA HOME 11   mnt star program java jdk-11   E JAVA HOME 8   mnt star program java jdk-8    dir of default version   E JAVA HOME D   E JAVA HOME 8 In    bashrc  define command to switch Java version  e g    switch java version  alias jv11  rm  JAVA HOME  ln -s   E JAVA HOME 11  JAVA HOME  alias jv8  rm  JAVA HOME  ln -s   E JAVA HOME 8  JAVA HOME    default java version  alias jvd  rm  JAVA HOME  ln -s   E JAVA HOME D  JAVA HOME  alias jv  java -version  In terminal  source    bashrc to make the changes take effect  Then could switch using the defined commands        Commands - from above config  Commands      jv11 Switch to Java 11 jv8 Switch to Java 8 jvd Switch to default Java version  which is denoted by  E JAVA HOME D defined above  jv Show java version    Example output     eric eric-pc    jv java version  1 8 0 191  Java TM  SE Runtime Environment  build 1 8 0 191-b12  Java HotSpot TM  64-Bit Server VM  build 25 191-b12  mixed mode   eric eric-pc    jv11 eric eric-pc    jv java version  11 0 1  2018-10-16 LTS Java TM  SE Runtime Environment 18 9  build 11 0 1 13-LTS  Java HotSpot TM  64-Bit Server VM 18 9  build 11 0 1 13-LTS  mixed mode   eric eric-pc    jvd eric eric-pc    jv java version  1 8 0 191  Java TM  SE Runtime Environment  build 1 8 0 191-b12  Java HotSpot TM  64-Bit Server VM  build 25 191-b12  mixed mode   eric eric-pc         Mechanism   It switch by changing the soft link  which is used as JAVA HOME      Tips   On my machine when install jdk by hand  I keep the minor version  then make a soft link with the major version but without the minor version  e g    this is the actual dir  jdk1 8 0 191       this is a soft link to jdk1 8 0 191 jdk-8       this is a soft link to jdk-8 or jdk-11 java   I define command alias in    bashrc  but define variable in a separate file  I am using    eric var to define the variables  and    bashrc will source it  e g source  HOME  eric var

User · Answer

Use jenv  it is like a Java environment manager  It is super easy to use and clean  For Mac  follow the steps   brew install jenv  git clone https   github com gcuisinier jenv git    jenv   Installation  If you are using bash follow these steps     echo  export PATH   HOME  jenv bin  PATH    gt  gt     bash profile  echo  eval    jenv init -     gt  gt     bash profile    exec  SHELL -l   Add desired versions of JVM to jenv   jenv add  System Library Java JavaVirtualMachines 1 6 0 jdk Contents Home  jenv add  System Library Java JavaVirtualMachines 1 8 0 jdk Contents Home   Check the installed versions   jenv versions   Set the Java version you want to use by   jenv global oracle64-1 6 0

User · Answer

Adding to the above answers  I put the following lines in my  bash profile  or  zshrc for MacOS 10 15   which makes it really convenient to switch  including  elektromin s comment for java 9    alias j12  export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -v 12   java -version  alias j11  export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -v 11   java -version  alias j10  export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -v 10   java -version  alias j9  export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -v 9   java -version  alias j8  export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -v 1 8   java -version  alias j7  export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -v 1 7   java -version    After inserting  execute   source  bash profile  I can switch to Java 8 by typing the following     j8 java version  1 8 0 102  Java TM  SE Runtime Environment  build 1 8 0 102-b14  Java HotSpot TM  64-Bit Server VM  build 25 102-b14  mixed mode

User · Answer

You can add it to your  bash profile to have the version set by default     Open bash profile open    bash profile  export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -v 1 8      run bash profile source    bash profile

User · Answer

An easy way to include a separately installed JDK in the list given by  usr libexec java home -V is to symlink the directory as follows   sudo ln -s path to jdk  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk- some-identifier  jdk   For example  to register the JDK included with Android Studio  1 8 0 152 at the time of writing   use   sudo ln -s  Applications Android  Studio app Contents jre jdk  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk-android-studio jdk   Now java home will list the JDK under Matching Java Virtual Machines and you can select it as described above

User · Answer

function setjdk       if      -ne 0    then     removeFromPath   System Library Frameworks JavaVM framework Home bin      if   -n    JAVA HOME x      then       removeFromPath  JAVA HOME     fi     export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -v         export PATH  JAVA HOME bin  PATH   fi     put this in your    profile and use it in your terminal like so  setjdk 1 8  setjdk 1 7  setjdk 9 etc etc     If you don t have removeFromPath then it is     function removeFromPath       export PATH   echo  PATH   sed -E -e  s   1    -e  s  1

User · Answer

install JDK  not just JRE   usr libexec java home -v 1 8   gives   Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 8 0 111 jdk Contents Home   next  touch  bash profile  open -a TextEdit app  bash profile   TextEdit will show you a blank page which you can fill in   add to doc       export   JAVA HOME  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 8 0 111 jdk Contents Home  in terminal   export JAVA HOME     usr libexec java home -v 1 8     try the command   javac -version  should output   javac 1 8 0 111

User · Answer

add following command to the    zshenv file   export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -v 1 8

User · Answer

Consider the following approach only to change the JDK for each and specific tab of your terminal  i e  iTerm   Having in the  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines path the two following jdks  openjdk8u275-b01 openjdk-11 0 9 1 1  And in the  bash profile file the following  export JAVA HOME  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines openjdk-11 0 9 1 1 Contents Home export PATH  JAVA HOME bin  PATH  If you open Iterm with a first Tab A and execute the following  javac -version javac 11 0 9 1  java -version openjdk version  quot 11 0 9 1 quot  2020-11-04 OpenJDK Runtime Environment AdoptOpenJDK  build 11 0 9 1 1  OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM AdoptOpenJDK  build 11 0 9 1 1  mixed mode   The output is correct and expected But if you open a second Tab B and override that JDK do the following  export JAVA HOME  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines openjdk8u275-b01 Contents Home  export PATH  JAVA HOME bin  PATH  Then javac -version javac 1 8 0 275  java -version openjdk version  quot 1 8 0 275 quot  OpenJDK Runtime Environment  AdoptOpenJDK  build 1 8 0 275-b01  OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM  AdoptOpenJDK  build 25 275-b01  mixed mode   It works fine  Of course if the Tab B is closed or you open a new Tab C all work according the  bash profile settings

User · Answer

If still u are not able to set it  using this command   export JAVA HOME  usr libexec java home -v 1 8  then you have to use this one   export JAVA HOME    usr libexec java home -v 1 8   it will surely work

User · Answer

If you are using fish and you are using mac and you want to be able to switch between JDK s  then below works for me on mac    kenglxn s answer didn t work for me and I figured out it bcos didn t set -g which is global    Put below under    config fish config fish  alias j8  jhome  -v 1 8 0 162  alias j9  jhome  -v 9 0 1   function jhome     set -g -x JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home  argv      echo  JAVA HOME    JAVA HOME     echo  java -version       java -version end  funcsave jhome   To know which version  minor version you have installed  you can do     usr libexec java home -V                                                                              579ms   Wed 14 Feb 11 44 01 2018 Matching Java Virtual Machines  3       9 0 1  x86 64    Java SE 9 0 1   Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk-9 0 1 jdk Contents Home     1 8 0 162  x86 64    Java SE 8   Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 8 0 162 jdk Contents Home     1 8 0 121  x86 64    Java SE 8   Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 8 0 121 jdk Contents Home

User · Answer

This tool will do the work for you    http   www guigarage com 2013 02 change-java-version-on-mac-os   It s a simple JavaOne that can be used to define the current Java Version  The version can be used in a shell that is opened after a version was selected in the tool

User · Answer

Four easy steps using terminal for people who uses the default process        echo  JAVA HOME gives you current java home  For eg   Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 8 0 191 jdk Contents Home  cd  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines  will take you to the folder where u normally install jdks  It might be different for your machines  ls shows you available folders  normally it will have the version numbers  for eg  jdk1 8 0 191 jdk        openjdk-11 0 2 jdk  export JAVA HOME   Library Java JavaVirtualMachines openjdk-11 0 2 jdk Contents Home  will change the java home

User · Answer

JDK Switch Script  I have adapted the answer from  Alex above and wrote the following to fix the code for Java 9     cat    jdk    bin bash   list available jdks alias jdks   usr libexec java home -V    jdk version switching - e g   jdk 6  will switch to version 1 6 function jdk       echo  Switching java version  1      requestedVersion  1   oldStyleVersion 8     Set the version   if    requestedVersion -gt  oldStyleVersion    then     export JAVA HOME    usr libexec java home -v  1     else     export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home -v 1  1     fi    echo  Setting JAVA HOME  JAVA HOME     which java   java -version      Switch to Java 8    jdk 8 Switching java version 8 Setting JAVA HOME  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk1 8 0 131 jdk Contents Home  usr bin java java version  1 8 0 131  Java TM  SE Runtime Environment  build 1 8 0 131-b11  Java HotSpot TM  64-Bit Server VM  build 25 131-b11  mixed mode    Switch to Java 9    jdk 9 Switching java version 9 Setting JAVA HOME  Library Java JavaVirtualMachines jdk-9 0 1 jdk Contents Home  usr bin java java version  9 0 1  Java TM  SE Runtime Environment  build 9 0 1 11  Java HotSpot TM  64-Bit Server VM  build 9 0 1 11  mixed mode

User · Answer

A small fish function based on  usr libexec java home  function jhome     set JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home  argv      echo  JAVA HOME    JAVA HOME     echo  java -version       java -version end   If you don t use fish  you can do something similar in bash      bin bash  jhome        export JAVA HOME   usr libexec java home       echo  JAVA HOME    JAVA HOME   echo  java -version     java -version     Then to switch between javas do     gt  jhome            switches to latest java   gt  jhome -v 1 7     switches to java 1 7   gt  jhome -v 1 6     switches to java 1 6   ref  https   gist github com kenglxn 1843d552dff4d4233271

[java] How to set or change the default Java (JDK) version on OS X?

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