How to Turn Off DOS Mode on Mac | Easy Guide

If you are trying to run a program on your Mac device but it says “This program cannot be run in DOS mode” then it simply means that the program you’re trying to run is a Windows OS program. Because iOS devices such as a MacBook do not support DOS mode. This means you were never in DOS mode.

Since there is no DOS mode on Mac, the question of how you can turn the DOS mode off is out of the equation. However, there are some exceptions and it is also possible to run a DOS program on a Mac device.

So, without further ado, let’s see what could cause the issue and how you can turn off DOS mode on your Mac. But first, let’s learn a bit more about what the DOS mode is.

What Is Disk Operating System?

A type of operating system that runs from a disk drive rather than punch cards, which is a paper-based medium, is known as DOS (Disk Operating System). It can also refer to a family of disk operating systems commonly known as MS-DOS or Microsoft DOS. And this tech was used to run personal computers from floppy disks and hard drives.

DOS was command-line-based and it was used to access, manage, and control a computer’s hardware components and hard drive. Nowadays the most popular operating systems use something called GUI (Graphical User Interface). One thing however is common between GUI and DOS-based operating systems is that they are the most essential part of running a computer.

How Can You Turn Off Dos Mode on Mac?

As stated before, DOS mode is unavailable for iOS devices including Mac computers. But if you somehow installed a program called DOSBox, then you will simply need to uninstall that program.

Note that with DOSBox, you can run DOS programs. And if you were trying to run a DOS or Windows program, you can run them with DOSBox. This program could also be the reason why you were seeing the “This program cannot be run in DOS mode” error. So, it is best if you uninstall it first and see if that fixes the issue.

To uninstall the program, follow the process below:

1. If the DOSBox has a dedicated uninstaller, use it to uninstall the software.
2. If it doesn’t have an uninstaller, drag the DOSBox app and drop it on Trash.

This will uninstall the program.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is DOS still used today?

No, DOS aka MS-DOS is not used in modern computers. However, many users still use the command shell which is commonly known as Windows Command Line.

Can you run Windows and DOS software on Mac?

Yes, some programs can be used to run Windows apps and other DOS programs on Mac.

Conclusion

In brief, Mac does not support DOS mode. Hence, there is no need to turn it off. And if you need to run a .exe file on your mac, we would recommend installing Windows on your Mac via Boot Camp. We hope we were able to help you find the answer to how you can turn off DOS mode on Mac. If you need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us in the comments section.