RetroArch Metal Nightly
RetroArch/Libretro · A nightly macOS build of RetroArch using the Metal graphics API, providing a frontend for emulators, game engines, and media players.
RetroArch Metal Nightly is a Games app for Mac.
About
RetroArch Metal Nightly is a macOS nightly build of RetroArch that uses the Metal graphics API. RetroArch provides a graphical frontend for emulators, game engines, and media players, bringing supported programs together behind a shared interface and configuration system.
- Browse a game collection in a menu organized by system, with thumbnail support and animated backgrounds.
- Load programs as dynamically loadable cores; the official project describes cores for emulators, games, game engines, and multimedia programs.
- Configure display and gameplay options, apply graphical shaders, and set up controllers automatically or manually.
- Use features including netplay, session recording, and streaming, as described for RetroArch by its official site.
Install with brew install --cask retroarch-metal@nightly. The installed application is named RetroArch Nightly.. This is a nightly build, not a separate stable-release listing. The package is the Metal graphics API variant, and its cask specifies a macOS dependency.
RetroArch is a frontend; the available functionality depends on the cores and content used with it. The official site notes that some programs require original data files. It also describes playing original game discs, but this package information does not specify supported disc formats or setup steps.
Sources: RetroArch · Homebrew cask
New What’s new in latest OpenNavo editorial
- ChangesNot provided: exact changes for this version are unverified.
Install and uninstall
Homebrew installs the app in your Applications folder.
Install without Homebrew
Download the same file Homebrew uses: buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/apple/osx/universal/RetroArch_Metal.dmg
$ brew uninstall --cask \retroarch-metal@nightlyA regular uninstall removes the app and keeps its settings and caches.
$ brew uninstall --zap --cask \retroarch-metal@nightly--zap also deletes the settings, caches and other files listed in the Homebrew definition. They can include data shared with other apps and cannot be restored, and it does not guarantee that nothing is left.See which files are removed
Questions
Is RetroArch Metal Nightly safe?
RetroArch Metal Nightly is in Homebrew’s official catalog and has not been disabled. Since September 2026, Homebrew disables apps that fail macOS Gatekeeper checks. The download comes from buildbot.libretro.com; Homebrew does not verify a checksum for it. It was installed 10 times through Homebrew in the last 30 days.
How do I completely uninstall RetroArch Metal Nightly on a Mac?
Run brew uninstall --cask retroarch-metal@nightly. To delete its settings and caches as well, run brew uninstall --zap --cask retroarch-metal@nightly. That also deletes 3 files and folders, including ~/.
Does RetroArch Metal Nightly run on Apple silicon (M1 and later) Macs?
Homebrew installs it on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs, from the same download.
Where does RetroArch Metal Nightly store its settings and data?
Its data is in ~/. These locations come from Homebrew’s clean-up list.