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Install Denframe on macOS

Install the signed desktop beta on your Mac, open it, and let your screens reach it.

You’ll have

Denframe running on your Mac, its icon in the menu bar, and LAN receiver access on so screens on your home network can load dashboards.

You’ll need
  • A Mac with the macOS version listed on Downloads.
  • A computer that stays on while your dashboards are in use, on your trusted home network.
  • About 15 minutes.

Follow these steps in your own Denframe. This website never connects to your household, your accounts or your devices, and never asks for your credentials.

  1. Download the installer

    On Downloads, choose the macOS installer. Check the version, the architecture and the tested operating system shown beside it.

    Choose Apple Silicon for an M-series Mac, or Intel if an Intel build is listed. About This Mac says which you have.

  2. Check the download

    The beta installers are signed, so your operating system names the publisher when you open one. Comparing the file’s SHA-256 checksum with the one shown beside the installer on Downloads still confirms it is the file listed. Letter case does not matter. If the two differ, delete the file and download it again.

    In Terminal
    shasum -a 256 ~/Downloads/Denframe-*.dmg

  3. Install and open Denframe

    Open the downloaded DMG and drag Denframe to Applications. Eject the disk image, then open Denframe from Applications.

    The first time it opens, macOS checks that Apple notarized it and asks you to confirm opening an app downloaded from the internet. Keep system-wide protections on; see Apple’s app-opening guidance (opens in a new tab).

    Denframe opens its management page in your browser, and its icon appears in the menu bar.

  4. Choose how Denframe is opened

    On Welcome to Denframe, choose Use a password and set a household password of at least 8 characters, or choose No password and tick the acknowledgement if only trusted people use this computer and network. Then choose Continue. The management page stays on this computer; managing it from a phone needs separate HTTPS configuration.

    Denframe then offers your first dashboard. Create your first dashboard walks through it; you can build and preview one before any screen is connected.

  5. Let your screens reach Denframe

    LAN receiver access is off by default, so Denframe only accepts connections from this computer. Screens can appear online while it is off, but cannot load a dashboard. Find the Denframe icon in the menu bar at the top right of the screen, near the clock (with Screen Sharing, the menu bar inside the remote Mac’s screen), choose Enable LAN receiver access… and confirm it for your trusted home network.

    Allow Denframe in the network prompt. If local-network access was denied, open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network and turn Denframe on.

    Denframe restarts with LAN access on. Keep this computer and your screens on the same home network, not a guest or isolated one.

  6. Keep it running

    Screens show dashboards only while this computer runs Denframe. From the icon’s menu, turn on Start at login. If the computer would otherwise sleep, choose While displaying or Always while Denframe runs under Keep awake (it starts at Never).

    Updates are manual: quit Denframe, make a backup, install the new version and open it again. Keep each backup with the installer version that made it; restoring needs that build. A beta build upgrades older data the first time it starts. On a Mac, data from pilot.14 or later is carried forward; data from an older Mac pilot is refused, so set up again or keep the older build with its data. See the beta.

    Back up while Denframe is stopped
    /Applications/Denframe.app/Contents/MacOS/Denframe maintenance backup /path/to/backups

    The same command takes maintenance verify BACKUP and maintenance restore BACKUP; see Update, back up and move Denframe.

  7. Quit or uninstall (when you need to)

    Turn off Start at login in the icon’s menu, choose Quit Denframe, and remove Denframe from Applications.

    Uninstalling keeps your household data in ~/Library/Application Support/Denframe. Removing that folder is a separate, manual step.

  8. Features that are off in beta builds

    Built but off in beta builds, and not offered: Denframe Cloud, Apple TV app, Direct HomeKit accessories, Denframe's own HomeKit bridge, Home controls on touch panels and Ticking Google Tasks from screens. They have no switch in Denframe; see what is still in testing.

  9. Check it worked

    Open the icon’s menu again. It now offers Disable LAN receiver access: access is on, so leave it that way. Choosing Open Denframe opens the management page, and it shows your dashboards.

    Next, create your first dashboard and put it on a screen.

If it doesn’t work

A screen is online but casting fails, or the dashboard never loads

Check that LAN receiver access is on (the icon’s menu offers Disable LAN receiver access). If it continues, choose Open logs and send the details to support.

Screens are missing

Check local-network permission, the private-network firewall setting, guest Wi-Fi isolation and any VPN.

Denframe seems to be running but no window opened

If Denframe is already running, opening it again just opens its management page in your browser.

You need the logs but cannot find the icon

In Finder, choose Go → Go to Folder… and enter ~/Library/Application Support/Denframe/logs. The current log is denframe.log.

Startup or network problems

Choose Open logs from the icon and email support@nannertech.com with the version, the operating system and redacted error details. Never send passwords, tokens, backups or uploaded media.

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