Disk Image (DMG)

On macOS, Phials can preview .dmg files, the disk images that often ship macOS apps. The preview shows the app icon and metadata read from the .app inside the image, and it offers Install to Applications so you can copy the app to /Applications without opening Finder’s disk image workflow first.

This preview is only available when you run Phials on macOS.

Prerequisites

macOS: Mounting and inspecting disk images uses macOS tools, so other platforms do not offer this preview.
A .dmg file selected in the browser so the preview sidebar can show this view.

What you see in the preview

While Phials loads the image, you may see a short loading state. When it is ready:

App icon comes from the .app bundle inside the disk image when possible. If the image cannot be read or no app is found, a simple disk / archive style icon may appear instead.
Display name is preferably the name of the contained app. Otherwise Phials falls back to the DMG file name (without .dmg).
Version comes from the app’s metadata when available. A build number may appear in parentheses when it differs from the marketing version.

Summary card

When metadata loads successfully, you typically see:

Label	Meaning
Bundle ID	The reverse-DNS identifier for the app (for example `com.example.MyApp`), when present.
Architecture	Universal (Intel and Apple Silicon), Apple Silicon, Intel, or other slice names when listed.
DMG Size	Size of the `.dmg` file on disk.

Details (expandable)

Open Details when shown to reveal optional fields:

Min macOS is the minimum system version the app claims to support.
Category is the category string from the bundle metadata.
Copyright is the copyright notice, when present.

Security (expandable)

Open Security for a quick read on code signing and sandboxing:

Signed tells you whether the app appears to be code-signed, with short signing information when available.
Sandboxed tells you whether the app uses the App Sandbox.

These labels help you compare what you are about to install with what you expect. They are not a substitute for Gatekeeper, your own judgment, or vendor guidance. After installation, macOS may still apply its usual checks the first time you open the app.

The same kind of metadata appears for an installed macOS app preview, so you can compare behavior when browsing .app bundles directly.

Install an app to Applications

If Phials finds an .app bundle inside the disk image, Install to Applications is available.

Select the .dmg in the file browser so this preview is active.
Review the icon, version, and Security section if you want to confirm signing or architecture.
Choose Install to Applications.

Phials mounts the disk image in the background, copies the app to /Applications, then unmounts the image. When the operation succeeds, you should see a confirmation that the app was installed to /Applications.

If an app with the same name already exists

If /Applications already contains an app with the same name, Phials moves the existing copy to the Trash before copying the new one from the DMG. Check the Trash if you need to recover the previous version.

Permissions and errors

Writing to /Applications may require macOS to prompt for your password or approval, depending on your account and system settings.
If installation fails, an error message appears in the preview. The message text comes from the system or Phials, so retry after resolving disk space, permissions, or file access issues as appropriate.

When “No application found in this DMG” appears

Phials looks for an .app bundle at the top level of the mounted volume, or one folder deep, since some vendors nest the app in a subfolder. Disk images that only contain documents, installers with a different layout, or multiple apps in unusual paths might not match. In those cases there is no Install button, and you can still open the DMG with Disk Utility or Finder if you need to explore it manually.

Thumbnails

In grid or thumbnail views, Phials tries to show the contained app’s icon for .dmg files. If loading fails, you may see a generic disk-style icon instead of the app artwork.

Tips

DMGs are not the app. The preview describes what is inside the image. Until you install or copy the .app, the app only exists inside the mounted image, or as data inside the .dmg file on disk.
Same metadata story as .app. Expand Details and Security the same way you would for a standalone app bundle; see macOS app preview for more context on those fields.
Prefer vendor uninstallers for complex suites. This flow installs a single detected .app, and multi-package installers may need the vendor’s steps.