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How to install wget in macOS?

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Quick answer

macOS does not include wget — it ships curl instead. The simplest way to install it is with Homebrew: run `brew install wget`. If you do not have Homebrew, install it first from brew.sh, then run the same command. Verify the install with `wget --version`.

macOS does not ship with wget. It includes curl instead, so a clean system returns:

zsh: command not found: wget

That is expected, not a broken install.

Install with Homebrew (recommended)

brew install wget

If you don't have Homebrew yet, install it first using the official command published at brew.sh, then run the line above.

Verify:

wget --version

Common mistakes

brew cask install wget does not work. Casks package GUI applications (.app bundles). wget is a command-line program, so it is a normal formula. The brew cask subcommand is deprecated anyway — current Homebrew uses brew install --cask for casks.

wget will not appear in Applications or Utilities. It is a terminal program with no graphical interface. You run it from the shell, not by double-clicking.

Never install it by piping a script from an unknown host. Only use a trusted package manager or the official GNU source at ftp.gnu.org/gnu/wget. Downloading and executing an installer from an unverified third-party domain is a real supply-chain risk.

If the shell still can't find it

Homebrew's install location depends on your CPU:

MacHomebrew bin
Apple Silicon (M1–M4)/opt/homebrew/bin
Intel/usr/local/bin

Make sure that directory is on your PATH:

eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"   # Apple Silicon

Add that line to ~/.zshrc to make it permanent.

Alternatives to Homebrew

MacPorts:

sudo port install wget

Or build from the official GNU source:

curl -O https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/wget/wget-1.21.4.tar.gz
tar -xzf wget-1.21.4.tar.gz && cd wget-1.21.4
./configure --with-ssl=openssl && make && sudo make install

Basic usage

wget https://example.com/file.zip       # download a file
wget -i urls.txt                        # download every URL in a file
wget -c https://example.com/big.iso     # resume an interrupted download

Key takeaways

  • •macOS ships curl, not wget — `wget: command not found` is expected on a clean system.
  • •`brew install wget` is the correct command. wget is a Homebrew formula, not a cask.
  • •Casks are for GUI applications; wget is a command-line tool, so `brew install --cask wget` will not work.
  • •wget is CLI-only — it never appears in your Applications or Utilities folder.
  • •Verify with `wget --version`; if the shell cannot find it, check that Homebrew's bin directory is on your PATH.
  • •On Apple Silicon, Homebrew installs to /opt/homebrew/bin; on Intel Macs it is /usr/local/bin.

Frequently asked questions

Does macOS come with wget?

No. macOS ships with curl, which covers most of the same use cases. Running wget on a clean macOS install returns 'wget: command not found', which is expected rather than a sign of a broken system.

How do I install wget on a Mac?

Use Homebrew: run `brew install wget` in Terminal. If Homebrew is not installed, get it from brew.sh first by running the official install command shown on that site, then run `brew install wget`.

Why does 'brew cask install wget' fail?

Casks are for GUI applications distributed as .app bundles. wget is a command-line program, so it is packaged as a normal Homebrew formula. Use `brew install wget`. The `brew cask` syntax itself is also deprecated — modern Homebrew uses `brew install --cask` for casks.

Where is wget installed and why can't my shell find it?

Homebrew installs it to /opt/homebrew/bin on Apple Silicon or /usr/local/bin on Intel Macs. If the shell cannot find it, that directory is not on your PATH — run `eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"` and add it to your ~/.zshrc.

Can I install wget without Homebrew?

Yes. MacPorts offers `sudo port install wget`, or you can build from source by downloading the official release from ftp.gnu.org/gnu/wget and running ./configure, make, and sudo make install. Only download wget from the official GNU site or a trusted package manager.

By Mohammad Wasi

Software Engineering Leader & Technical Author · Updated July 21, 2026

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