Tutorial How to Run a Ren'Py Game on Mac (Even If It’s a Windows/Linux Version)

[acolops]

For anyone asking how to get a Ren'Py game working on Mac, here's how I do it:

1. Download Ren'Py for Mac
   Go to:
   You must be registered to see the links
   
   Click the green button that says "Download SDK DMG" (that’s the Mac version).
2. Install Ren'Py
   Once the download finishes, open the .dmg file.
   Inside, you’ll see a folder that starts with "renpy" (something like renpy-8.x.x).
   Drag that folder to your Desktop or somewhere easy to find — this is your main Ren'Py folder.
3. Download the Game
   Grab the game you want to play. Doesn’t matter if it says it’s for Windows or Linux — it still works.
4. Find the Game’s game Folder
   • Open the downloaded game folder directly.
   • You should see a folder named game inside it — that’s the one you need.
5. Set Up the Game in Ren'Py
   • Go back to the Ren'Py folder you put on your Desktop.
   • Inside it, create a new folder and name it mygame (you can name it anything, but let’s use mygame here).
   • Paste the game folder you found earlier into this mygame folder.
   • So now the structure should look like this:
     renpy-8.x.x > mygame > game
     
     
6. Run the Game
   • Open the Ren'Py app (inside the renpy folder called only "renpy", not exe, py or sh).
   • You should see the mygame folder show up as a project.
   • Click it, then click "Launch Project" — and the game should run just fine!

 

[frodoneo]

I saw this somewhere earlier here. This has been my go to way to run things on Mac for past 2+ years. Far simpler, don't need to wait for mac version, games are better organized in the ren'py app.

I slightly do it differently. I grab the whole folder from the windows version and paste it. That way I know the game's name.
I might have adjusted the projects default folder. Not fully sure. Its been so long ago.

Folder structure

Ren'Py

Preferences

 

[acolops]

I saw this somewhere earlier here. This has been my go to way to run things on Mac for past 2+ years. Far simpler, don't need to wait for mac version, games are better organized in the ren'py app.

If you copy the whole folder, you won't be able to change the Ren'Py settings. But if you copy only the "game" folder like I did, you can use developer tools — like debugging, cheating, checking variables, and making changes while playing. Thanks for sharing!