The ritual is familiar to anyone who has installed software on a Mac outside the App Store: download a DMG file, double-click to mount a virtual disk, drag the application into the Applications folder, then unmount the disk and delete the DMG. According to WIRED, this installation dance has been the main method for installing third-party software on macOS since it became standard on Mac OS X in 2001 — a quarter-century ago, as WIRED's Justin Pot put it, and a process he called "convoluted."
Developer Jeff Schumann built a tool to fix it: EasyDMG. The application is completely free, features a hamster mascot, and carries the slogan "Created out of spite." As WIRED reported, EasyDMG lets users double-click DMG files to install software "the way it always should have worked."
How EasyDMG Works
Getting started involves a familiar irony: the user must download EasyDMG and install it using the same installation dance the tool is designed to avoid. After that, a button in the settings sets EasyDMG as the default application for opening DMG files. Once configured, the next DMG file users open triggers EasyDMG instead of a mounted virtual disk. A progress window shows the process moving through three stages: mounting the virtual disk, verifying the application, and performing the actual installation.
By default, EasyDMG automatically deletes the DMG file after installation and opens a Finder window revealing the newly installed application in the Applications folder. The tool does not run in the background — it launches only when a DMG file is opened, then closes itself after the installation completes. WIRED also noted that EasyDMG contains no telemetry; its only network request is a check for updates.
| Step | Traditional DMG Installation | EasyDMG Installation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Download DMG file | Download DMG file |
| 2 | Double-click to mount virtual disk | Double-click DMG (EasyDMG handles mounting) |
| 3 | Drag app to Applications folder | EasyDMG verifies and installs the app |
| 4 | Unmount virtual disk | Finder opens showing installed app |
| 5 | Delete DMG file | DMG file auto-deleted (configurable) |
Configuration Options
The settings panel, opened by launching EasyDMG directly, offers a concise list of toggles. Users can:
- Stop EasyDMG from automatically deleting DMG files
- Toggle whether Finder opens after installation
- Set EasyDMG to launch the installed app immediately after installation
- Disable warnings about apps from unidentified developers (a choice WIRED cautioned users against)
- Disable the progress window and receive only a notification when installation is complete
WIRED noted that while the option list is short, a streamlined application "doesn't need many" settings — users can configure it once and never revisit the settings again.
Implications for Enterprise Mac Fleets
For technology leaders managing Mac fleets in logistics, supply chain, or trade technology environments, EasyDMG addresses a minor but persistent source of friction: the time employees spend on repetitive installation steps. The tool eliminates three manual actions per installation — dragging, unmounting, and deleting the DMG file. While WIRED did not provide formal time-savings metrics, the automation of a multi-step routine into a single double-click reduces the opportunity for user error in enterprise software rollouts and simplifies onboarding for non-technical staff.
As a free, open-source-style utility with no background process and no telemetry, EasyDMG also offers a low-risk alternative for organisations that prefer not to route every software installation through the Mac App Store or MDM platforms. The tool's minimal system footprint — launching only on demand and closing after completion — aligns with the security preferences of IT departments that tightly control what runs continuously on employee endpoints.
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