Installing MS Edge in a folder inside Applications Folder

[mk313]

I have a folder inside my Applications folder called Office 2021, where I store Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc. I'd like to store edge in there as well, but I have it set to automatically update & when I put it in this folder, the next update installs a second copy (newer) but in the Applications folder, not the Office 2021 Folder, so I end up with 2 copies of Edge, one of which is out of date.

I don't see any obvious setting to change to make sure it installs the updates in the right folder. Anyone else come across this before, or have any ideas on how to fix it?

Thanks in advance,

 

[DeltaMac]

That is likely caused by the automatic updates. That feature probably expect Edge to be located in the default install location, which is /Applications.
In that case, the likely fix is to turn off automatic Microsoft updates.
If you must have automatic updates, so you don't have to worry about your other Microsoft apps, you COULD try making an alias for the Edge app in the location where you want that app to "live". Drag the alias to your Applications folder. So, you would have Edge where you want it, and the alias for that app in the Applications folder (not in the Office 2021 folder. Wait for the next update. If the update completes successfully, updating your Edge in the Office 2021 folder, then there's your fix. If it instead updates by installing the updated app in /Applications again, then you can guess that is the location where Edge needs to be to automatically update. Use Edge in /Applications. Delete that copy in the Office 2021 folder. You might check in Microsoft forums to see if there's any kind of fix for that.

 

[Nermal]

I've noticed similar behaviour from Teams. It seems that Microsoft can't handle simple functionality that's been in MacOS since version 1.0...

 

[mk313]

That is likely caused by the automatic updates. That feature probably expect Edge to be located in the default install location, which is /Applications.
In that case, the likely fix is to turn off automatic Microsoft updates.
If you must have automatic updates, so you don't have to worry about your other Microsoft apps, you COULD try making an alias for the Edge app in the location where you want that app to "live". Drag the alias to your Applications folder. So, you would have Edge where you want it, and the alias for that app in the Applications folder (not in the Office 2021 folder. Wait for the next update. If the update completes successfully, updating your Edge in the Office 2021 folder, then there's your fix. If it instead updates by installing the updated app in /Applications again, then you can guess that is the location where Edge needs to be to automatically update. Use Edge in /Applications. Delete that copy in the Office 2021 folder. You might check in Microsoft forums to see if there's any kind of fix for that.

Thank you! That’s a perfect idea.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Several apps do this- not just some from Microsoft. They "want" to be stored in Applications, not a folder in Applications.

If you want them in a folder to perhaps put a folder in the Dock for menu-like access to all of the applications in that folder, the better solution is to create a folder in Applications that you intend to place in the Dock. Then make aliases for all applications you want to access that way and drag those aliases into that folder. In my experience, aliases seem to be smart enough to maintain a link to software app updates in Applications. So do this once and you are probably set for years.

I created a folder called FAVS and did exactly that, even creating folders within FAVS to categorize most used applications. Aliases put in FAVS or folders in FAVS organizes them as I want them. Drag FAVS into dock (Display as Folder, View Content as List) and now I have a simple folder icon I can click in the Dock for easy selection of most-used Apps. I prefer this vs. putting the whole Applications folder in the Dock and then having to work through all applications to get to the ones I want to open. It's a very tidy, SHORT list of apps I most regularly use. When I need some other app, I just take the extra steps of actually going into the Applications folder.

Let apps live where they want and aliases can give you the folder grouping functionality you want in a fully compatible way. Else, you need to more actively manage app updating to move updates no longer stored where you want them to wherever you do want them.

 

[mk313]

Several apps do this- not just some from Microsoft. They "want" to be stored in Applications, not a folder in Applications.

If you want them in a folder to perhaps put a folder in the Dock for menu-like access to all of the applications in that folder, the better solution is to create a folder in Applications that you intend to place in the Dock. Then make aliases for all applications you want to access that way and drag those aliases into that folder. In my experience, aliases seem to be smart enough to maintain a link to software app updates in Applications. So do this once and you are probably set for years.

I created a folder called FAVS and did exactly that, even creating folders within FAVS to categorize most used applications. Aliases put in FAVS or folders in FAVS organizes them as I want them. Drag FAVS into dock (Display as Folder, View Content as List) and now I have a simple folder icon I can click in the Dock for easy selection of most-used Apps. I prefer this vs. putting the whole Applications folder in the Dock and then having to work through all applications to get to the ones I want to open. It's a very tidy, SHORT list of apps I most regularly use. When I need some other app, I just take the extra steps of actually going into the Applications folder.

Let apps live where they want and aliases can give you the folder grouping functionality you want in a fully compatible way. Else, you need to more actively manage app updating to move updates no longer stored where you want them to wherever you do want them.

Thanks! I've only ever had 2 app folders (one for the apple productivity apps & one for Microsoft Office), and I've never had this issue. It makes sense to use aliases & I'll do that going forward.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I used to try to "clean up" applications folder with folders but then various apps kept doing what you said. So I tired of the maintenance and switched to that approach in #5. Since, I have a (too) long list of applications in that folder but I almost never see them now... instead using an icon in the Dock to access a relatively short list of organized apps I actually use almost all of the time.