This guide is for dentists, specialists, lab technicians and patients who work on a Mac and have received a Planmeca CBCT scan or X-ray, often on a disc or USB stick with a viewer already on it. The question is usually the same: will Romexis Viewer run on a Mac, and what do you do if the copy you were given does not start?
The short answer: yes. Planmeca Romexis Viewer is free, and Planmeca states that it is available for both Mac and Windows and does not need to be installed. The current public package (version 6.4.8.904.217) is one ZIP that contains both versions. Keep the viewer and the exported image in the same folder, open the Mac version, and allow it in macOS Privacy & Security if the system blocks it. If that still fails, the exported file is DICOM, so a free Mac viewer such as Horos or Weasis can open it instead.
Romexis Viewer on a Mac at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is there a Mac version? | Yes. Planmeca provides the viewer for macOS and Windows; the public package contains both. |
| Is it free? | Yes. Free proprietary software from Planmeca Oy; no Romexis licence is needed. |
| Does it need installing? | No. It runs from a folder, USB stick or disc. |
| Current public version | 6.4.8.904.217 (package dated February 2025) |
| Package size | About 887 MB, because both operating system versions are included |
| What it opens | Planmeca 2D images and 3D CBCT volumes exported from Planmeca Romexis |
| Linux, iPad, iPhone | No versions |
| Best fallback on a Mac | Horos (macOS only) or Weasis (macOS, Windows, Linux), both free and open source |
Step 1: Work out what you actually received
Romexis Viewer reaches a Mac in one of two ways, and the fix depends on which one you have.
- A clinic export. When a Planmeca clinic exports a 3D image, Romexis offers to save the viewer program next to the image, or to burn the viewer and the image to a CD. The viewer on that disc was produced by the clinic’s own Romexis, so its version can be older than the public package.
- The public package. Planmeca offers the viewer as a free download from its Romexis Viewer page. This is the version to use when the viewer on a disc will not run on your Mac.
Look inside the folder. A 3D export is normally a single multi-frame DICOM file (the recommended export option in Planmeca’s instructions), often named after the patient, together with the viewer files. A set of hundreds of single-slice DICOM files is also possible if the clinic chose that option.
Step 2: Copy everything to the Mac first
- Create a new folder on the Mac’s internal drive, for example in Documents.
- Copy the whole contents of the disc or USB stick into it, keeping the folder structure exactly as it was.
- If you downloaded the public package, unzip it fully into a local folder. Do not try to start the viewer from inside the ZIP.
Reading a CBCT volume straight from an optical disc is slow, and many recent Macs have no disc drive, so an external drive or a copy made on another computer may be needed. Working from a local copy also avoids problems when a USB stick is unplugged mid-session.
Step 3: Keep the image next to the viewer
Planmeca’s viewer guide notes that the DICOM volume must be located in the same folder as the viewer software. The patient selector at the top of the viewer lists the volumes it finds there. The most common reason for “the viewer opens but shows no patient” is that the image file sits in a different folder.
- If the clinic’s disc contained only a Windows viewer, copy the exported DICOM file into the same folder as the Mac viewer from the public package.
- Do not rename or convert the image file. The viewer reads the DICOM file as it was exported.
Step 4: Get past the macOS security prompt
Because the viewer is not installed from the App Store, macOS may refuse to open it on the first launch. Apple’s documented route is:
- Try to open the Mac version of the viewer once, and close the warning.
- Open System Settings, then Privacy & Security.
- Scroll down and click Open Anyway next to the message about the blocked app.
- Confirm with Open when macOS asks again.
Only do this for a viewer that came from Planmeca’s site or from the clinic that sent the scan. If your Mac is managed by a clinic or hospital, IT may have locked this setting; ask them to approve the app rather than trying to work around it.
Step 5: Read the scan
Once the viewer opens, pick the patient volume in the selector. The viewer has three main layouts:
- Explorer: axial, coronal and sagittal slices plus a rendered 3D view. Scroll the mouse wheel to move through slices.
- Panoramic: a panoramic reconstruction built along a curve over the dental arch. Check that the curve follows the arch before reading anything from it.
- Cross-sections: slices along that curve, with a tool for tracing the nerve canal.
Length and angle measurements, slice thickness, brightness, contrast and histogram controls are on the toolbar. In the 3D view you can adjust threshold and transparency, crop to a region of interest and switch on pseudo-colour, which is useful when showing a patient their scan. Menu labels can differ slightly between viewer versions.
If Romexis Viewer still will not run on your Mac
The image itself is standard DICOM, so you do not depend on Planmeca’s viewer to read it. Two free, open-source Mac viewers cover the same core tasks:
| Viewer | Licence | Mac support | Panoramic-style view | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planmeca Romexis Viewer | Free (proprietary) | macOS and Windows in one package | Panoramic and Cross-sections layouts | The scan came from a Planmeca unit |
| Horos | Free, open source (LGPL 3.0) | macOS only; Apple Silicon build 4.0.1 and an Intel build | Curved MPR with cross-sections | You want a Mac image library and STL export of 3D surfaces |
| Weasis | Free, open source (EPL 2.0 / Apache 2.0) | macOS 12+ on Apple Silicon, macOS 11+ on Intel | Curved MPR along the arch | Scans come from several vendors, or the practice also uses Windows or Linux |
In Horos, drag the folder into the database window and open the series; in Weasis, import the folder or the DICOMDIR file. Both then let you trace a curve along the arch and step through cross-sections. For a wider comparison, see our guide to free DICOM viewers for Mac.
Limitations
- Planmeca describes Romexis Viewer as a viewer for Planmeca 2D and 3D images. For DICOM from other manufacturers, use a vendor-neutral viewer such as Weasis or Horos.
- It has no implant planning, cephalometric analysis, segmentation or CAD/CAM tools. Those belong to licensed Romexis modules or other planning software.
- Planmeca publishes no separate system requirements for the viewer and does not state Apple Silicon support on its viewer page. Large CBCT volumes need a reasonably modern Mac with enough memory.
- There is no Linux, iPad or iPhone version, and no public web version of the viewer.
- Planmeca’s viewer page makes no diagnostic or regulatory claims for the viewer, and Horos and Weasis are not certified medical devices. Use them for review, referral and patient communication, and follow your local rules for primary diagnosis.
FAQ
Is there a Romexis Viewer for Mac?
Yes. Planmeca states that Romexis Viewer is available for both Mac and Windows. The current public package contains both versions in one ZIP.
Is Romexis Viewer free?
Yes. Planmeca calls it a free, full-featured application for viewing Planmeca 2D and 3D images. You do not need a Romexis licence.
Which Romexis Viewer should I use: 5 or 6?
Use the current public viewer, version 6.4.8. A viewer on a clinic’s disc was exported by that clinic’s Romexis and may be older. If that copy does not start, try the current public package.
Why does Romexis Viewer open but show no patient?
The exported DICOM file has to be in the same folder as the viewer. Copy the image next to the viewer and start it again.
Can I view Romexis images online?
There is no public web version of the viewer. Clinics that run Romexis can share images through Planmeca’s Romexis Image Cloud; otherwise you need the files and a desktop viewer.
What is a good Romexis Viewer alternative on a Mac?
Horos and Weasis are both free, open source and able to build a panoramic-style view with cross-sections from a CBCT. Weasis also runs on Windows and Linux.
Last updated: 28 September 2026 · DentIIT editorial team. Licence, version and platform details are checked against each developer's official documentation; none of the tools listed here should be treated as a certified medical device unless its vendor says so.
