DICOM Viewer for Mac
Runs on macOS with nothing to install — and on Windows and Linux from the same drive.
SoftDicom is a DICOM viewer and portable PACS on an external SSD. Plug it into a Mac running macOS 11 or newer and studies open from the drive itself: no .dmg, no admin password, nothing copied to the machine. Unlike Mac-only viewers, the same device works on Windows and Ubuntu when your workflow leaves the Mac.
Quick Summary
SoftDicom is a DICOM viewer for Mac that runs from an external SSD without being installed. It is supported on macOS 11 Big Sur and newer, needs no admin password and works offline. Its main difference from OsiriX, Horos and other macOS viewers is that it is not Mac-only — the same drive runs on Windows 10/11 and Ubuntu 20.04+.
Why it suits a Mac workflow
Nothing to install on the Mac
No .dmg to mount, no application copied into /Applications and no admin password. The viewer runs from the drive, so a managed or shared Mac is no obstacle and nothing is left behind when you unplug it.
Not Mac-only, unlike most Mac viewers
The best-known macOS DICOM viewers run on macOS and nowhere else. The same SoftDicom drive runs on macOS 11+, Windows 10/11 and Ubuntu 20.04+, which matters the moment your Mac is not the only machine in the workflow.
A searchable study library
Studies sit in a database on the device rather than as loose DICOMDIR folders, so you browse a library instead of hunting through directories — a portable PACS rather than a file opener.
Works with no connection
Images load from local flash, so a MacBook with no network behaves exactly like a connected desktop. No VPN, no PACS login, no streaming.
How this compares to OsiriX and Horos
OsiriX is a mature, capable macOS viewer and Horos is a free open-source descendant of it. Both are installed applications, both are macOS-only, and for a radiologist working entirely on a Mac they administer, both are perfectly good answers.
SoftDicom is aimed at the two cases they cannot cover: a Mac you are not allowed to install software on, and a workflow that also touches Windows or Linux machines. The trade-off is real in both directions — you are buying hardware rather than downloading an app. The OsiriX comparison goes through it feature by feature, and the portable DICOM viewer page explains how running from a drive works.
Mac specifications
Full imaging, software and security specifications are on the technical specifications page. Running Linux as well? See the Linux DICOM viewer page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best DICOM viewer for Mac?
It depends on whether you can install software. OsiriX and Horos are long-established macOS viewers with deep feature sets, and if you own the Mac and only ever use a Mac, they are strong choices. SoftDicom is the better answer when installation is the obstacle — a Mac you do not administer — or when the same studies also have to open on Windows or Linux, which Mac-only software cannot do.
Which versions of macOS are supported?
macOS 11 Big Sur and newer. Earlier versions are outside the supported configuration.
Does it work on Apple Silicon Macs?
The published requirement is macOS 11 or newer and our specification does not distinguish between Intel and Apple Silicon. Rather than guess on your behalf, contact sales with the Mac model you intend to use and we will confirm before you buy.
Do I need an admin password to run it?
No. Nothing is installed, no application is copied to the Mac and no system extension is loaded, so it runs as an ordinary user. This is the practical difference from an installed viewer on a hospital-managed Mac, where you often cannot install anything at all.
Is there a free DICOM viewer for Mac?
Yes. Horos is free and open-source, and several other free options exist for macOS. SoftDicom is a one-time hardware purchase rather than free software, and the thing you are paying for is portability and zero installation, not viewing features. If you control your own Mac and are happy to install software, a free viewer may suit you better, and we would rather say so than pretend otherwise.
Can I use the same drive on a Mac and a Windows PC?
Yes, and without reformatting. The drive and its study database are readable on macOS 11+, Windows 10/11 and Ubuntu 20.04+, so a study you import on a Mac opens on a Windows workstation from the same device.
One drive. Mac, Windows and Linux.
Nothing to install on any of them. Choose a capacity and it ships ready to use.