Is the Binance macOS Installer a DMG or PKG? Steps After Double-Clicking

Users installing the Binance client on a Mac for the first time are often confused by the .dmg and .pkg formats. This note clarifies their differences, which one Binance officially uses, and the specific steps after double-clicking. For the client entry, first go to the Binance Official Website; for downloading, use the Binance Official App; iPhone users, see the iOS Installation Tutorial.

Core Differences Between DMG and PKG

Both are APP distribution formats on macOS, but they work differently:

Dimension	DMG	PKG
Full Name	Disk Image	Package Installer
Nature	Virtual disk image	Installation script package
Double-click Behavior	Mounts as a disk	Launches an installation wizard
Install Method	Drag and drop to Applications	Automatic copying + configuration
Password Required?	No (not for dragging)	Yes (pkg requires it)
Uninstall Method	Delete the APP directly	Delete the APP or use a dedicated script
Use Case	Simple APPs	Complex dependencies / system components

Simply put: DMG is like a USB flash drive, PKG is like an installer program.

Which One Does Binance Officially Use?

The Binance macOS client is distributed in the DMG format. Reasons:

• The Binance client is a standalone APP and does not require complex installation steps
• DMG's "drag-and-drop to install" flow is more user-friendly
• No need to modify system directories or register startup items
• Uninstallation is simpler

A few special versions (like enterprise versions with auto-update components) might use PKG, but regular users will rarely encounter them.

Complete Steps for DMG Installation

After downloading binance-installer.dmg:

1. Double-click the .dmg file to automatically mount it as a virtual disk
2. In the pop-up window, you will see the Binance icon and an "Applications" shortcut
3. Drag the Binance icon onto the Applications shortcut
4. Wait a few seconds for the copying to finish
5. Close the mounted window
6. Find Binance in Launchpad or the Applications folder to launch it

The whole process takes about 30 seconds.

Ejecting the DMG Disk

After copying the APP, the mounted virtual disk is still on the desktop (or in the Finder sidebar) and needs to be ejected:

• Right-click the desktop icon → Eject
• Or click the eject arrow next to the disk in the Finder sidebar
• Or use the ⌘ + E keyboard shortcut

If not ejected, it will stay mounted without affecting usage, but it will take up icon space.

What to Do With the DMG File Itself

After copying the APP to Applications, the downloaded .dmg file has completed its mission:

• You can delete it directly to save space (about 280 MB)
• Or keep it as a backup (no need to redownload if reinstalling)
• You can drag it to the "Trash" to empty it

Every time Binance upgrades, it automatically downloads the new version from within the APP, so it doesn't rely on the original .dmg file.

PKG Workflow (Backup Knowledge)

If you ever encounter a .pkg format:

1. Double-click the .pkg
2. The installation wizard pops up
3. Agree to the license agreement
4. Choose the installation location (default / Applications)
5. Enter your user password for authorization
6. Wait for the installation progress bar
7. Finish

After a PKG installation, the APP appears in Applications, but users cannot see exactly which files were modified or directories created. This is the core difference between it and DMG.

Signature Verification

After double-clicking the DMG, macOS will verify:

1. The signature of the DMG file
2. The signature of the internal APP
3. Whether the signature issuer is on Apple's trusted list

Signature information of the Binance macOS client:

Field	Expected Value
Developer ID	Binance Holdings Limited
Team ID	A string of alphanumeric characters
Notarized	Yes (Notarized by Apple)
Signed Time	Release time of the current version

If the signature verification fails, macOS will refuse to mount or run it. This is the first line of defense against phishing.

Viewing Signature Information

You can check the APP signature in the Terminal (we won't go into command-line details here, leaving that for developers). For regular users in Finder:

1. Find Binance.app in the Applications folder
2. Right-click → Get Info
3. Fields like "Version", "Kind", and "Rights" will display signature information

As long as you see the issuer is Binance Holdings Limited, the signature is valid.

Handling a Corrupted DMG

If the downloaded .dmg fails to mount upon double-clicking, prompting "Image corrupted":

• It's mostly due to an interrupted download
• Redownload the complete file
• Verify the SHA-256 hash
• If the hash matches but it still reports corruption, it might be a macOS system issue; restart and try again

Differences Between Web Download and Command-Line Download

When a regular user downloads a DMG via a browser, the browser automatically adds the "com.apple.quarantine" attribute, popping up a security warning on the first double-click. This is a normal mechanism.

If downloaded using curl / wget commands, it won't have the quarantine attribute and will mount directly without warnings. However, this bypasses the macOS security mechanism and is not recommended.

Storage Locations After Installation

The Binance APP installed via DMG is in /Applications/Binance.app by default. User data is located in:

Data Type	Storage Path
Preferences	~/Library/Preferences/com.binance.*
Cache	~/Library/Caches/com.binance.*
Logs	~/Library/Logs/com.binance.*
Application Data	~/Library/Application Support/Binance
Keychain Credentials	System Keychain

If you only delete the APP when uninstalling, this data will remain. A complete uninstallation requires clearing the corresponding directories.

FAQ

Q: Will APPs installed via DMG automatically upgrade? A: Yes. The Binance APP checks for updates upon launch, and new versions are downloaded and replaced internally.

Q: Can I copy the DMG file to someone else for them to use? A: Yes. A DMG is a standalone and complete installation package.

Q: Is it more complex to uninstall APPs installed via PKG? A: Usually, APPs installed via PKG are also just in Applications, and deleting the APP is enough. Some special PKGs that install system services require an uninstaller script.

Q: Which is safer, DMG or PKG? A: They are equivalent. Both require Apple developer signatures + notarization.

Extended Reading

• Gatekeeper Block Handling
• Removing Quarantine Attributes
• Complete Uninstallation