Do you want to update MAMP and worry to loose your data like your localhost websites and database? Read along, I updated my MAMP a few days ago, using Yosemite Mac OS. It should work with newest Mac OS version.
This post is for the free version users. For pro version, you can visit their official documentation.
Actually, I used MAMP server quite a long time ago, basically since I knew how to install WordPress locally on a Mac OS X.
I am a typical curious person, even my older MAMP was not broken, works seamlessly, but I was too curious to see how the latest version of this app looks like.
Therefore I decided to update MAMP.
To Find Out Which Version Your MAMP Has
Before we begin, I will show you quick how you can check which version your app has.
While you have your app active or running go to the top bar of your Mac desktop.
Click MAMP – About MAMP. You should see your version. Mine was version 2.2. The newest when this post is written is 4.1. Apparently mine is quite old!
MAMP 4.1 has newer PHP and MySQL, so consider this before you upgrade.
Yep, I experienced it.
Backup Your Database and Files Folders.
To upgrade or update MAMP to version 4.1, we don’t actually need to backup those, but I still recommend you to do the same.
Who knows the update process fails? Just to be safe. Read and watch how I edit my Mac hosts file in this page too if you are interested.
To backup;
1. Go to your Finder – Applications folder.
2. In Applications, find MAMP folder.
3. Inside MAMP folder, you should see, “db” and “htdocs“. Copy these both folders somewhere.
I copied mine to my external Hard Drive.
You can hold your ALT key while selecting the folders and drag then drop them to desktop to copy.
How To Update MAMP
After back up, you need to download MAMP newer version you like from their website, and install it on your machine as usual, I am logged in with Administrator right, so you will need to enter your Mac password later on.
STEPS:
Quit your current opened MAMP app.
1. Download the newer MAMP. When this post was written, the newest version was 4.1.
2. Double click the .pkg file .
Depends on your security preference you might be asked something like “this file is downloaded from the internet do you want to open it?
Choose “open”
3. Introduction – Continue.
4. Read Me – very important, so please read.
5. License – Please read the agreement.
6. Destination Select – Select the location where you want to install it.
Choose on which Hard Drive you want to install. I chose “Macintosh HD”.
7. Installation Type – when you are on this step, click on “Customize” when you are in “Installation Type” of the installation process and uncheck MAMP Pro checkbox.
Enter your Mac password when it prompts you to and hit “Enter” key.
5. Installation process was successful. It will notice you that “MAMP / MAMP PRO 4.1 uses MySQL 5.6 as its default database server”.
After Installation
1. Now you can check the new MAMP. Go to Applications, and you should see 2 folders MAMP and MAMP with numbers.
So go inside the “MAMP” folders (without the number) and double click MAMP.app, and depends on your security preference, it may ask you that “..mysqld to accept incoming network connections”, click “Allow”.
2. You’ll also be prompted to upgrade your older database. Click “OK”.
Click “Upgrade”
3. When MAMP 4.1 is running, I would click “Preferences” to alter my preferred preferences, because I notice, the new version DOES NOT keep my older version’s preferences, especially in “Ports” tab. I do not like the localhost:8888 on the URL, so what I did was, re-click the “Set Web & MySQL ports to 80 & 3306”.
When things go well, you will be able to access your URL only with localhost/yourfile.
I really like the new appearance of MAMP 4.1 it looks clean and smoother than the older version, I am glad I did update MAMP application.
