Install FTL: Hyperspace on macOS with the installer

The macOS installer finds your copy of FTL, installs Hyperspace and sets up ftlman for you.

Running the installer, then adding Multiverse on top. Written steps below.

Keep a vanilla copy

Duplicate FTL.app somewhere outside the game folder before you patch anything. The copy will stay vanilla, so you can launch modded and vanilla versions whenever you like without unpatching, and it doubles as a clean source if an install goes wrong.

1. Steam settings

   Skip this if you did not buy FTL on Steam.

   Right-click FTL: Faster Than Light in your library and open Properties.

   Show me how to open Properties

   

   Under General, untick Keep game saves in the Steam Cloud. Turn off Steam Cloud first. It restores outdated saves with broken state, which can keep Hyperspace from launching and will undo any save fix you try later.

   Show me the checkbox

   

   Then under Updates, set automatic updates to Only update this game when I launch it.

   Steam will undo your install

   If Steam updates FTL it replaces the patched game files, and Hyperspace stops loading.

   Your saves live in ~/Library/Application Support/FasterThanLight.

   Library is hidden by default

   Open your home folder in Finder and press Cmd + Shift + . to show hidden files, or press Cmd + Shift + G and paste the path.

   Rename FasterThanLight to FasterThanLight-backup, then launch FTL. The game makes a fresh folder, and your original saves stay in the backup if you ever want them back.

   Do this once, right after turning Steam Cloud off. Cloud sync leaves behind a save that Hyperspace cannot read, which freezes the game at the end of the loading bar.

2. Download the installer

   From the latest release, download FTL.Hyperspace.x.xx.x-Installer-MacOS-arm64.dmg for Apple Silicon, or ...-Installer-MacOS-x86_64.dmg for an Intel Mac.

3. Run it

   Open the .dmg and launch the installer.

   "Apple could not verify this app"

   Open System Settings → Privacy & Security, find the installer near the bottom, and click Open Anyway.

4. Follow the prompts

   The installer detects Steam, GOG and custom locations, and supports FTL 1.6.12 and 1.6.13. At the end, use the button at the bottom to open the mods folder.

   To add mods later, go to ~/Games/FTLHyperspace. Put them in mods and run ftlman to apply them.

Hyperspace is now installed and ready to play. Everything below is optional.

Adding Multiverse

Multiverse is the largest mod built on Hyperspace, and it installs differently from everything else.

1. Open the Multiverse Official Downloads board and pick the newest [FTL MULTIVERSE BASE MOD] thread.

2. In the first post, scroll to Manual install and download both the DATA and ASSETS files. Ignore the installer above them, that one is Windows-only and does its own thing.

   Alternative way to download is to use Multiverse release thread under DOWNLOAD RAW FILES.

3. Put both .zip files in your mod manager’s mods folder.

ftlman

1. Press Scan in the top right so the new files show up
2. If ftlman installed Hyperspace for you (you have not disabled the installer in Settings → Advanced settings), skip this step. If you installed Hyperspace manually, drag Hyperspace.ftl to the top of the list. It must be above all other mods.
3. Drag Multiverse Assets.zip above Multiverse Data.zip
4. Check the order, top to bottom:
   1. Hyperspace.ftl (optional)
   2. Multiverse Assets.zip
   3. Multiverse Data.zip
5. Select the mods: click each entry until it is highlighted blue
6. Press Apply

Show me what it should look like

Only add Multiverse-compatible mods

Anything not built for Multiverse can conflict with it. Add them one at a time so you know which one broke things, and ask on Discord if you are unsure about a particular favourite.

When Hyperspace updates

Updating Hyperspace does not disturb your saves, but you do need to re-patch Multiverse afterwards.

Updating later

The installer can update Hyperspace on its own. If you run Multiverse, run ftlman again afterwards to re-patch it. Your saves are not affected.

Uninstalling

Open the .dmg again and choose Uninstall at the bottom, then follow the instructions.

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Requirements

macOS 14 or later, and FTL 1.6.12 or 1.6.13. Administrator rights are needed during installation.