Version 3.1 · Open source · Apple Silicon

ntfsmac by BinaryBears

Mount NTFS drives read/write from a focused native menu-bar app, with a modern macOS helper, isolated networking and diagnostics written for people.

Get latest release Source code

Latest published release on GitHub

Apple SiliconM-series Mac

macOS 13+Ventura or newer

Two installersStandard and Legacy

A lighter footprint

So light, it practically disappears.

ntfsmac slows its background work when the menu is closed and wakes only when you need it. Explore the measured footprint in three everyday moments.

At rest

Barely there.

The menu stays ready while ntfsmac settles into a slower background rhythm.

CPU <0.002% measured average

Memory ~30 MB physical footprint

Battery Near-zero estimated impact

CPU activity<0.002%

00.01%

Share of test Mac memory0.12%

01%

Quiet by design. Enough headroom that ordinary use stays comfortably below one percent of a CPU core and system memory.

How we measured

Local 10- and 30-minute samples on a 24 GB Apple Silicon Mac. CPU is a time-based process average; mounted memory includes ntfsmac and its private filesystem runtime. Battery wording is an estimate based on measured CPU activity and wakeups, not a battery-life guarantee. Values are rounded up for a clear, conservative summary.

Small app, serious boundary

Your NTFS drive in the menu bar.

ntfsmac runs the filesystem in a lightweight Linux virtual machine and exposes the result locally to macOS. The interface keeps mount state, safety checks and recovery close at hand.

Modern macOS helper in the standard installer
Legacy compatibility installer released alongside it
Plain-language diagnostics with clear OK, idle and attention states
Safe Quit confirmation whenever a drive is still mounted
Per-mount isolation, verified copy and complete uninstall

ntfsmac 3.1 showing a demo NTFS drive mounted read/write — A mounted drive, one safe action away from unmount.

The 3.1 interface

Useful detail, without the internals.

Diagnose groups the real checks into four readable outcomes. Settings keeps navigation, version and update check on one line. When storage is active, Quit makes the safe choice explicit instead of silently leaving services behind.

ntfsmac Diagnose panel with App readiness, Drive status, Connection protection and Permissions categories — **Diagnose you can act on.**Four macro-categories, clear status language and no implementation dump.

ntfsmac Settings with aligned Back, title and update controls — **Calmer Settings.**Back, title and update check share one balanced header.

ntfsmac asking how to quit while a demo drive is mounted — **Quit without surprises.**Unmount and Quit is the safe default; Cancel always keeps the drive available.

Installation

Three deliberate steps.

Choose the standard DMG for current macOS releases. The separately labelled Legacy DMG remains available for compatibility and installs the same visible ntfsmac app.

Branded ntfsmac installer window showing the app dragged to Applications — Open the DMG, then drag ntfsmac to Applications. The BinaryBears icon links to the official website.

Download

Get the latest signed Apple Silicon DMG from GitHub Releases.

Move

Drag ntfsmac to Applications and open it.

Authorize

Allow ntfsmac in Login Items and grant Full Disk Access when macOS asks.

Upgrading to the standard 3.1 build verifies its modern helper first, then removes the retired Legacy helper. macOS may ask you to approve access again.

Security & privacy

No telemetry. No silent updater.

The app checks GitHub at most once every 24 hours for the latest published release. It never downloads or installs updates on its own. Automatic network errors stay silent and mount operations do not depend on the check.

Security policy Contributing MIT license