macOS
mins needs macOS 13 or newer. The published disk image is built for Apple silicon (arm64).
Install location
Section titled “Install location”Copy mins to the Applications folder before the first launch and run it from there. The network system extension cannot be activated from any other place, and the Login Items entry may be reported as “Login item is unavailable”.
The network system extension
Section titled “The network system extension”VPN (TUN) and System proxy both go through a network system extension that macOS must allow. Proxy only does not use it: the engine runs inside the app. That makes Proxy only a useful test: if it works and the other two do not, the extension is the problem.
- Press Connect. The first time, macOS asks for approval of the system extension. The app does not show a message of its own while it waits: the Connect button stays inactive until you approve or macOS reports a failure.
- Open the macOS system settings and look in Privacy & Security for a message about system software from mins and press Allow (the layout differs between macOS versions). An administrator password may be required.
- Press Connect again.
If activation fails, the reason appears under the status. These macOS-specific texts are written in Russian by
the app in every interface language, and end with (OSSystemExtensionError N).
| Text shown | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| «Системное расширение mins установится после перезагрузки Mac — перезагрузите его и подключитесь снова» | The extension will be installed after a restart | Restart the Mac, then connect |
| «macOS вернула неизвестный результат активации расширения mins — перезапустите приложение и подключитесь снова» | macOS returned an unknown activation result | Quit mins from the menu bar and open it again |
| «mins должен лежать в папке «Программы» — переместите его туда и запустите снова» | mins is not in the Applications folder | Move mins to Applications and run it from there |
| «системные расширения запрещены политикой этого Mac (профиль управления)» | A management profile forbids system extensions | Ask the administrator of the Mac; mins cannot override a policy |
| «нужно разрешение администратора — разрешите расширение в Системных настройках» | Administrator approval is needed | Allow the extension in the system settings as in step 2 |
| «подпись системного расширения не принята — переустановите mins с сайта» | macOS rejected the extension’s signature | Delete mins and install a fresh copy from the download page |
| «установка расширения прервана — подключитесь ещё раз» | The activation request was cancelled or replaced | Press Connect again |
Other texts from the system part:
Stop the VPN before starting a local proxy,Stop the active proxy first,Stop the active tunnel before replacing its configuration: you changed the mode while the other one was running. Press Disconnect, wait, then connect.Kill switch requires full tunnel mode: Kill switch or Include all networks is on together with System proxy. Turn it off or use VPN (TUN).Controlling APNs bypass requires iOS 16.4 or macOS 13.3: Exclude Apple push notifications was turned off on a system older than macOS 13.3.
Launch at login (Login Items)
Section titled “Launch at login (Login Items)”Settings → Connection → Launch at login registers mins as a login item. macOS decides whether it is active:
- If macOS wants your approval, a row Allow mins in System Settings → Login Items appears. Press it; it opens the Login Items page of the system settings. Switch mins on there.
- If the row Login item is unavailable appears, the system cannot find the app. Move mins to Applications and open it from there.
The app re-reads the state when you return to it. To connect automatically after login also turn on Connect at login (it needs Launch at login). Connect when app starts connects every time the app is opened.
Auto-connect (On Demand)
Section titled “Auto-connect (On Demand)”Settings → Connection → Auto-connect works exactly as on iPhone: Off, Always, Except trusted Wi-Fi with Trusted Wi-Fi networks. The conditions are the same: connect by hand once, and a manual Disconnect pauses auto-connect until the next manual connection. See iOS.
The menu bar icon
Section titled “The menu bar icon”Closing the mins window hides it; the app keeps running in the menu bar. The icon menu has Open mins, Connect or Disconnect, Servers, Mode and Quit. If you pick Connect with no server chosen, you get Choose a server first.
Include all networks
Section titled “Include all networks”Settings → Network → Include all networks and Kill switch ask macOS to route all traffic through the tunnel; while the tunnel is down, traffic is blocked (a system feature). Turn them off or connect to a working server if you lose the network after a failure.
Storage
Section titled “Storage”The key that encrypts your servers is kept in the Keychain. If it is lost, see Cannot decrypt profile.