Installing macFUSE

Installation

When you attempt to add your first Workspace on macOS, Mimiq performs a Preflight Check to confirm macFUSE is installed and loaded on your Mac. If not, Mimiq will prompt you to install macFUSE.

macFUSE

macFUSE is a macOS kernel extension used to create virtual filesystems. It's built and maintained by Benjamin Fleischer (https://osxfuse.github.io). Mimiq automatically downloads the correct macFUSE installer for your OS.

Newer systems running macOS 26 Tahoe require macFUSE 5, or newer. Older systems, like Intel Macs, you might need to download an older version of macFUSE at https://github.com/osxfuse/osxfuse/releases.

If your Mac is managed through MDM, stop now and contact your System Administrator. The following steps below will not apply when using MDM.

Apple Silicon and Reduced Security

On Apple silicon, you'll first need to set your Mac's security policy to "Reduced Security" to be able to load signed kernel extensions. If you're on Intel, you can skip to Install macFUSE.

Apple's use of "Reduced Security" language is misleading. With it, your Mac's security is on par with the level of security you've come to expect with previous versions of macOS.

  1. Shut down your Apple silicon Mac.

  2. Press and hold down the power button until your Mac boots. Your Mac will either send you directly into macOS' Recovery environment, or you'll see an Options button leading to that.

  3. Log in with your user account and select the disk you want to use.

  4. In the menu bar, go to Utilities, then select Startup Security Utility.

  1. Click Security Policy...

Select the disk and click Security policy

  1. Select Reduced Security, then enable: Allow user management of kernel extensions from identified developers .

  1. Click OK.

  2. In the menu bar, select Shut Down.

  3. Turn your Mac back on (press but don't hold the power button this time), then log in.

Install macFUSE

  1. Click + Add Workspace. If Mimiq can't detect macFUSE on your Mac, Mimiq prompts you to install macFUSE first.

  1. Click Install. Mimiq downloads a DMG with the macFUSE installer, then opens it for you.

  2. In the mounted macFUSE DMG window, double-click Install macFUSE, then follow the prompts to complete installation.

Right before you complete macFUSE installation, a System Extension Blocked or System Extension Updated dialog will appear. Now you'll need to approve macFUSE to load in macOS.

Approving macFUSE in macOS

Confirm which version of macOS you're using with Mimiq, then follow these steps to approve macFUSE to load in macOS:

  1. In the System Extension Blocked or System Extension Updated dialog, click Open System Settings.

    • If you clicked OK instead, click Open Security & Privacy System Preferences in the installer.

  2. System Settings will launch, taking you to Privacy & Security > Security.

  3. Under the System software from developer "Benjamin Fleischer"… prompt, click Allow.

  4. Two Privacy & Security dialogs will appear:

    1. In the first Privacy & Security dialog (Privacy & Security is trying to modify your system settings.), enter the password from a local macOS Administrator account, then click Modify Settings.

    2. In the second Privacy & Security dialog (Privacy & Security needs to authenticate to continue.), enter your macOS account’s password, then click OK.

  5. Restart your Mac. It may restart multiple times.

Once macFUSE is installed, you're ready to add your first Workspace. ✅

Still no success?

Try loading the kernel extension manually in Terminal:

sudo /usr/bin/kmutil load -p /Library/Filesystems/macfuse.fs/Contents/Extensions/11/macfuse.kext

If that returns an error like system policy prevents loading and/or doesn't load macFUSE, your computer is very likely under IT management policies that prevent kernel extensions to load. Talk to your IT department first, they'll know what to do.

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