MATLAB R2020a won't even install on macOS Catalina

Hey! After experiencing some problems with version R2019b on my MacBook (macOS Catalina), and knowing that these issues are well known, I tried to replace that version with the newest R2020a, but I couldn't even install it. After downloading and unzipping it, I try to execute the file InstallForMacOSX, I enter my computer's password and then the MATLAB logo appears and won't do anything more. Could anyone help me? Thanks in advance.

Javier

[Joe Zhang]

Same issue here, can't activate my 2020a

[Gordon Brown]

Same issue here with Catalina 10.15.4 on MacBook, even in safe boot, firewall off, many restarts, tried eveything in the "accepted answer". But installed fine on an iMac with same OS. MATLAB becoming less and less usable on Macs over the last six months.

[Guy Nir]

I'm using the current version of Catalina. Tried installing Matlab 2020a, and not matter what I did (disabling Firewall, etc.), it didn't work.

[Elie Shammas]

After several back and forth with Mathworks support they figured it out. I was finally able to install Matlab R2020a and R2020b on a Macbook Pro 16" which is running macOS Catalina 10.15.6.

The solution was to use Silent Install method (https://www.mathworks.com/help/install/ug/install-noninteractively-silent-installation.html) as the Graphical Installer does not work.

Modify the "installer_input.txt" to specify the destination folder, the license number, and the packages to be installed. Then make sure that when you run the command in Terminal to specify the entire path. For instance, I used the follwoing command:

/Users/xxx/Downloads/MathWorks/R2020b/install -inputFile /Users/xxx/Downloads/MathWorks/R2020b/installer_input.txt

Answer 1

[Sai Bhargav Avula]

Hi,

There are a few reasons the MATLAB installer might fail to run on MacOS,

System Requirements

Ensure that the release of MATLAB that you are attempting to install is compatible with the version of MacOS that is installed on your Mac:

System Requirements for MATLAB: Current Release

To determine the version of MacOS that you are running:

• Click on the Apple Menu in the upper left-hand corner of the screen
• Click "About This Mac"

Permissions

Your account must have administrative permissions to install MATLAB. If you do not have administrative permissions on your Mac, contact your system administrator.

Multiple installers

On MacOS, the installer folder contains two installers:

• InstallForMacOSX.app
• install

The first option is the standard graphical MATLAB installer. The second option is only for installing MATLAB from the Terminal. These are not interchangeable: if installing graphically, use InstallForMacOSX.app, if installing from the Terminal, use install. For more information on installing from the Terminal, see the MATLAB documentation:Install Noninteractively (Silent Installation)

4. Security software

Security and antivirus software may prevent you from installing MATLAB. Temporarily disable your security software, or add MATLAB to your security software's whitelist, to launch the installer.

5. Third-party archive tool

If you have installed third-party archive tools such as The Unarchiver or WinZip for Mac, make sure you extract the installer before running it. The installer cannot be run from inside the zip archive it was downloaded in, and must be extracted to a folder before it will run.

4. Security software

Security and antivirus software may prevent you from installing MATLAB. Temporarily disable your security software, or add MATLAB to your security software's whitelist, to launch the installer.

5. Third-party archive tool

If you have installed third-party archive tools such as The Unarchiver or WinZip for Mac, make sure you extract the installer before running it. The installer cannot be run from inside the zip archive it was downloaded in, and must be extracted to a folder before it will run.

Hope this helps!

[JAVIER QUESADA FUNES]

Thank you very much! Disabling the antivirus worked!

[seckin kurkcuoglu]

I have the same issue with Matlab2020a and MacOSX Catalina 10.15.4. The .dmg file is verified after a while and InstallForMacOSX window comes up. But it simply does not start after the Matlab logo jumps for a while in the task bar and becomes non-responding. I have disabled the firewall, disabled all accesibility stuff from the Settings menu, but no luck. Looked also at the package contents, and saw that maci64 folder is there as unzipped. What can I do to install?

[Roger Mamer]

checked all the above and it still fails. I click on it and it open then closes.

running Mac OS Catalina 10.5.6

iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, 2017)

Processor: 3 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5

Memory: 16 GB 2400 MHz DDR4

No reason it should not run. Vary weird. I downloaded the Trial copy and it installed, but the verions we licensed did not install. Is there some trick this yearl tha tis different than verion 2019a?

[Louise Craig]

I am have the same issue as Roger Mamer. I am trying to install Kubio Standard which included R2020a. Unzip and then try to install and a .matlab hidden folder is placed the in \Users\louisecraig directory. This folder has all both the installer and the InstallForMacOSX.app file. I checked all the requirments.

clicking on the InstallForMacOSX.asp launces but doesn't appear to do anything. By the way the instrcutions say there will be a matlab folder and a kubios folder in "applicaiton" folder but this never get's past a hiddent .matlab forlder in the \Users\louisecraig (main user) folder.

MacOS Catalina (10.15.6)

16GB Ram

64GB space

Admin permissions

etc.

[Jonathan smith]

This is obviously a Mac problem.

I've tried running several finite element model (FEM) applications that are MACOSX specific and not one of them seem to launch properly. I have been running version R2020a on my MacBookPro (macOS Catalina) for more that a month now with no faults and now it's stopped working. WTF MAC?

#Getthesebugsfixed!

[Sai Bhargav Avula]

MathWorks provide download/installation support. Please contact MathWorks Support: http://www.mathworks.com/support/contact_us/

[Benjamin Bartelle]

I have a new Mac with OSX Catalina. I installed 2020a and now I can't do anything. Even typing "x = 2" triggers a cascade of error messages.

[Andrew Poje]

Same issue here - installer spins its wheels at: 'Performing Post Installatioon tasks,. This may take a few minutes' ... its been 4.5 hours.

Any chance someone at Math Works can fix this? Or did I just spend $2K on a machine that cant run Matlab?

[Steven Lord]

Benjamin Bartelle and Andrew Poje,

Please contact Technical Support using the telephone icon in the upper-right corner of this page or the link Sai Bhargav Avula posted as a comment on this answer and work with the support staff to determine why MATLAB is not functioning correctly (Benjamin) or not installing successfully (Andrew.)

[Andrew Poje]

Thanks - The good news is that Matlab DID install successfully on new IMac (10.15.5) ... the installer DID NOT exit gracefully ... it hung and spun until I manually killed it. But Matlab 2020a is/was available in Apps, and it appears to run fine.

Whew.

[Eric Prandovsky]

"The installer DID NOT exit gracefully ... it hung and spun until I manually killed it."

Same for me: I waited about 2 hrs before giving up and restarting the machine. To my surprise, Matlab seems to be installed and is working fine.

[Donald Wu]

The R2020b has the similar issue on Catalina (macOS 10.14.x) and Big Sur (macOS 11.x.x).

I first have the full installer downloaded to the local computer.

Double clicking installer InstallForMacOSX has not response (or start and close very quickly). Right click and select Open does not work neither. Lower the security to any app does not fix it neither.

The following do not work neither:

1. run "install" on terminal
2. run bin/maci64/install_unix on terminal

Finally I get the installer start by running bin/maci64/install_unix_legacy on terminal.

However the last step of activation process got stuck. Run the Activate in the installed MATLAB_R2020b took long time to start, but it works at the end.

Anyone comes across the same issue.