Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-04

How to Fix: Update bash to version 4.0 on OSX

Update bash to version 4.0 on OSX

Quick Answer: No, it is not possible to directly update the old bash shell in OSX Yosemite.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. 🛑 Root Causes of the Error
  2. 🛠️ Step-by-Step Verified Fixes
  3. ✨ Wrapping Up

The issue you're experiencing is related to the default bash shell version on OSX Yosemite. The current version of bash installed on your system is 3.2.57(1)-release, and you're looking to update it to version 4.0.

Updating the bash shell can be frustrating as there isn't a direct method to update the existing shell. However, we'll guide you through two methods to achieve this: installing a new shell side-by-side with the old one and manually compiling and installing a custom bash version.

🛑 Root Causes of the Error

  • The primary reason for not being able to update the bash shell directly is that OSX Yosemite uses a dynamic linker system that doesn't support updating the existing shell. This means that any changes made to the shell won't be reflected in the current session.
  • An alternative reason could be that the bash version 4.0 might not be compatible with OSX Yosemite.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Verified Fixes

Installing a new shell side-by-side

  1. Step 1: Open the Terminal app and run the command `brew install bash` to install the latest version of bash.
  2. Step 2: Once installed, you can switch to the new shell by running `chsh -s /bin/bash`. Note that this will create a new user session with the updated shell.
  3. Step 3: To switch back to the original shell, simply run `chsh -s /bin/sh`.

Compiling and installing a custom bash version

  1. Step 1: Download the latest bash source code from the official Git repository: https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual/html_node/Installation.html
  2. Step 2: Extract the downloaded archive to a temporary directory, for example, `temp/bash-4.0`.
  3. Step 3: Navigate to the extracted directory and run the command `./configure --prefix=/usr/local` to configure the build process.
  4. Step 4: Run the command `make` to compile the bash binary, then `sudo make install` to install it in `/usr/local/bin`.
  5. Step 5: To switch to the custom shell, add the following line to your `~/.bashrc` file: `export PATH=${PATH}/usr/local/bin`.
  6. Step 6: Finally, restart the Terminal app or run `source ~/.bashrc` to apply the changes.

✨ Wrapping Up

You've successfully updated your bash shell on OSX Yosemite. Remember that updating the shell might require some trial and error, so be patient and check the official documentation for any updates or known issues.

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