Mullvad VPN

Mullvad VPN connects a Mac to Mullvad's paid VPN service through an app, privileged tunnel daemon and command-line interface. It suits users who want configurable network tunneling, relay selection, obfuscation and a kill switch. Multihop, quantum-resistant tunnels and DAITA options have their own server and performance constraints; a VPN does not prevent account-based tracking or make unsafe files safe.

Installation and Mac support

Run the signed official installer, or use brew install --cask mullvad-vpn. The exact 2026.5 PKG is 254,034,014 bytes. Administrator authorization is needed to install the system service; ensure its background item is allowed. The official Mac installation guide says macOS 14 Sonoma or newer. The 2026.5 supported-platforms document lists Intel and Apple Silicon and the three most recent major releases, with 14/15/26 test coverage; the download page's older 13+ metadata is not substituted for the guide. Exact RAM minimum is not stated. Source-build Rust/Node tools are not packaged-app dependencies.

Account, payment and network

Generate and retain a Mullvad account number and add paid service time. The published service price is€5/month; payment method and currency handling follow checkout. The app is free/open-source GPLv3 code, but that does not provide free VPN service time. Anonymous account numbering does not mean all payment methods leave no records. Connectivity to the service and chosen relay is required; VPN routing can affect local-network access and other VPN clients. Test split tunneling, DNS and connectivity behavior for your workflow.

Permissions and privacy limits

The daemon changes routing/firewall behavior, so install only verified publisher builds and review privileged/background-service approval. The kill switch or lockdown settings may deliberately block traffic when no tunnel is available. Your ISP, destination services, signed-in accounts and browser fingerprints can still reveal information in different ways. Trust shifts to the VPN operator; read its policy and use HTTPS. Diagnostic logs and problem reports may contain technical details; inspect them before sharing. Do not expose the management interface to untrusted users.

Release and media scope

Exact official desktop release notes are provided for 2026.5, 2026.4 and 2026.3. Windows/Linux-specific changes are identified rather than presented as Mac fixes. The official product image shows the publisher's desktop connection interface, not necessarily 2026.5. The logo and screenshot are linked from the publisher's Mac download page.

Sources: Official Mac download, Mac installation guide, 2026.5 platform matrix, Official source and license.