R and RStudio

R is a free, open-source software environment for statistical computing and graphics. It runs on a wide variety of UNIX platforms, Windows and Mac.

Download and Install R

Windows:

1. Go to https://cloud.r-project.org/bin/windows/base/
2. Click the “Download R 4.5.2 for Windows” link.
3. When the file finishes downloading, double-click to install. You should be able to just click “Next” to all dialogs to finish the installation.

Mac:

1. Go to https://cloud.r-project.org/bin/macosx/
2. Click either “R-4.5.2-arm64.pkg” or “R-4.5.2-x86_64.pkg” depending on your operating system.
   • Select “R-4.5.2-arm64.pkg” if you’re running macOS 11 (Big Sur) or higher on a M1 or higher Mac.
   • Select “R-4.5.2-x86_64.pkg” if you’re using an older Intel Mac.
   • If you’re not sure which to choose, visit this page to find out what kind of operating system and chip set your Mac has.
3. When the file finishes downloading, double-click to install. You should be able to just click “Next” to all dialogs to finish the installation.

Download and Install RStudio Desktop

1. Go to https://posit.co/download/rstudio-desktop/
2. Click the Blue button under “2: Install RStudio”
3. When the file finishes downloading, do what you would normally do to install a program on your system

NOTE: The current version of RStudio requires macOS 13+. If you are running an older version of macOS, you will need to download an older version of RStudio from https://docs.posit.co/previous-versions/rstudio/. See this page on Posit Docs for a list of RStudio releases certified for each version of macOS when the operating system was supported. 

January 2026 update for macOS: If you're running an older version of macOS (pre version 13) and RStudio keeps crashing, you probably need to install an older version of R. See this page on Posit Docs and note the supported version of R in the far right column. To download an older version of R:

1. If you have a M1 or higher Mac, click here.  If running an older Intel mac, click here.
2. Click on "base"
3. Click on the version of R you with to install and double-click to install

Questions? Email res-consult@virginia.edu.

Last updated: 1/29/26