Getting started

There is no public download yet

Signed and notarized builds are planned. These steps describe how setup works in the app, and will apply once a build is available.

You need macOS 15 or later on Apple silicon.

1. Put the app in Applications

Move Puffin Proxy into /Applications and open it from there. macOS only activates a system extension for an app that lives in that folder, and the app warns you if it is somewhere else.

2. Follow the setup checklist

The first time you open Puffin, the Setup & Health window appears. You can reopen it any time from Help ▸ Setup & Health…, and the menu bar item shows a count when something needs attention. It lists each step with a button to fix it:

Step	What it means
In Applications	The app is in /Applications.
Extension active	The system extension is approved and running.
Proxy allowed	macOS has accepted Puffin’s proxy configuration.
Certificate trusted	Puffin’s certificate authority is trusted on this Mac.
Capture running	Puffin is capturing.
Apps chosen	You have chosen at least one app to capture.
Simulator (optional)	Shown when simulators are running. See iOS Simulator.

3. Approve the system extension

1. In Setup & Health, use the fix button on the extension row to activate it. macOS shows a “System Extension Blocked” message, and Puffin shows “Waiting for approval”.
2. Open System Settings ▸ General ▸ Login Items & Extensions, find Network Extensions, and turn Puffin Proxy on. macOS asks for your password or Touch ID.
3. Back in Puffin, enable the proxy configuration from the next row, and allow macOS’s “Add proxy configuration” prompt.

macOS may ask you to restart before the extension becomes active.

4. Create and trust the certificate

To read HTTPS, Puffin needs a certificate authority that your Mac trusts. Open Settings ▸ TLS, then:

1. Create the certificate if it does not exist.
2. Choose Install & Trust. macOS asks for an administrator password.

The key is made on your Mac and stays in your login Keychain. See HTTPS and the certificate.

5. Choose what to capture

Open Settings ▸ Capture and add the apps you want to see. See Choosing what to capture.

6. Capture something

Start capture from the main window or the menu bar. Then restart the app you are watching: Puffin only claims connections opened after capture starts, so existing connections are not picked up.

Use the app, and requests appear in the traffic table. Select one to open it in the inspector below.

Tip

HTTPS content stays hidden until you add the host to the decrypt list. Right-click a request and choose to enable SSL proxying for its host, or add it in Settings ▸ TLS.

If nothing shows up, see Troubleshooting.