UniFi controller on a Mac: how to install it (2026)

To run the UniFi controller on a Mac today, install UniFi OS Server. Ubiquiti calls it "the new standard for self-hosting UniFi" and labels the older UniFi Network Server as legacy. Both have macOS installers on Ubiquiti's releases page.

This guide covers both, plus the UniFi apps people mean when they search for "UniFi for Mac". Last checked against Ubiquiti's documentation on September 25, 2026.

Which one to install

Pick UniFi OS Server for a new install. Keep reading the legacy section only if you already run the Network Server on your Mac.

How to install UniFi OS Server on a Mac

UniFi OS Server runs the UniFi Network application, so you can adopt and manage access points, switches and UXG gateways from your Mac. Ubiquiti says it is "completely license-free and available to all UniFi users".

Requirements

These are the minimums from Ubiquiti's Self-Hosting UniFi article:

Two details in that article don't add up. It labels the macOS minimum "Catalina 13.1.0", but Catalina is macOS 10.15 and version 13 is Ventura. It also lists an x86-64 processor, while Ubiquiti publishes a separate build for Apple Silicon Macs. We read the version number as the requirement: macOS 13.1 or later.

Install steps

1. Open Ubiquiti's UniFi OS Server releases page.
2. Download the macOS build that matches your Mac. "UniFi OS Server for macOS" is the Apple Silicon build, for Macs with an M1, M2 or newer chip. "UniFi OS Server for macOS (Intel)" is for Intel Macs. Each download is close to 2 GB.
3. If the legacy Network Server runs on this Mac, take a backup and close it first. The migration steps are further down.
4. Launch the installer and follow the on-screen setup instructions.
5. Optional: sign in with a UI account (or create one) to manage the server through Site Manager at unifi.ui.com.
6. Adopt your devices. If they sit on another network, point them at your Mac with set-inform.

Ubiquiti's documented steps stop at "follow the on-screen setup instructions", so we don't list the installer screens here.

Keep the Mac running

Ubiquiti says UniFi OS Server "must continue running at all times" for you to view and manage your devices. If it goes offline, your devices keep running with their last configuration.

On a Mac, that means the server is offline whenever the Mac sleeps, shuts down or leaves the network. If you can't keep it running, Ubiquiti suggests a Cloud Key or Official UniFi Hosting instead.

Updating

You update UniFi OS Server and its applications from Update Manager in Site Manager, or from the local Control Plane settings. Don't let it fall behind. Security Advisory Bulletin 067 (August 26, 2026) lists UniFi OS Server 5.1.21 and earlier as affected and asks users to update to 5.1.37 or later.

For everything else about UniFi OS Server, such as what it can run and how it compares to Ubiquiti's hosting, see our UniFi OS Server guide.

The legacy UniFi Network Server on a Mac

This is the standalone UniFi Network application, the software most guides still call "the UniFi controller". Its macOS installer is named UniFi-Network-Server.dmg. Ubiquiti now titles its setup guide "(Legacy) Self-Hosting a UniFi Network Server".

What changes after 10.6

A post on Ubiquiti's community site, dated September 18, 2026, says UniFi Network 10.6 is the final release for the standalone Network application. It says UniFi Network 11.0 moves from MongoDB to PostgreSQL, and the standalone app was built around the previous architecture. The post isn't in Ubiquiti's Help Center yet.

What that means for a Mac install:

• You can keep running UniFi Network 10.6.
• You can't upgrade beyond 10.6 until you move to UniFi OS Server or a UniFi console.
• The same post says 10.6 is also the last version that supports the USG, USG-Pro and USG XG 8 gateways.
• If you move to UniFi OS Server and need a UniFi gateway, Ubiquiti names the UXG-Lite, UXG-Max, UXG-Fiber, UXG-Pro and UXG-Enterprise.

The current version is 10.6.106. Its release notes also say: "Going forward, we recommend users upgrade to UniFi OS Server for all self-hosted deployments."

Requirements and Java

Ubiquiti's legacy guide says "Java is no longer required as of UniFi Network 7.5". The release notes read differently. From 7.5 on they list Java 17 as a requirement, and 7.5 started bundling Java inside the Windows app. The same guide's troubleshooting section still tells you to check the Java version. We haven't confirmed whether the macOS installer bundles Java.

The guide says MongoDB is bundled with the macOS download. The old advice to install Java 8 comes from much older versions of the app.

The same guide lists an Intel or AMD processor, 2 GB of memory and at least 10 GB free (20 GB or more preferred). Its macOS list runs from 10.9 Mavericks to 10.15 Catalina, so it says nothing about current macOS versions.

Install steps

These are Ubiquiti's macOS steps from the legacy guide:

1. Check that macOS allows apps from the App Store and identified developers.
2. Go to Ubiquiti's releases page. Under Older Versions, download "UniFi Network Application 10.6.106 for macOS".
3. Open Finder, Control-click the UniFi.pkg file and select Open. Select Open again if you get a malicious software warning.
4. If macOS still won't launch it, go to Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security and select Open Anyway.
5. Follow the installation and start the application. Install Rosetta if you're prompted to.
6. Allow TCP 8080, TCP 8843, UDP 10001 and UDP 3478 on any firewall or antivirus software on the Mac.
7. Open https://localhost:8443 in a browser and continue past the security warning.
8. Complete the setup wizard and adopt your first device.

Updating the Network Server

Updates don't install themselves. You check for them and start them each time (Updating Self-Hosted UniFi Network Servers):

1. Download a backup from the UniFi Network system settings.
2. Download the new version on the Mac that runs the server.
3. Close the Network application.
4. Run the downloaded file and follow the wizard. macOS may ask you to move the file to Applications first, or to right-click it and choose Open.

Your network keeps working while you update. We haven't found a date for when the 10.6 line stops getting fixes.

Moving to UniFi OS Server

Ubiquiti's migration steps for macOS are short:

1. Take a backup of your Network Server.
2. Close the Network Server.
3. Install UniFi OS Server, using the steps above.
4. The macOS installer detects a Network Server in the default location and offers to migrate it. If that doesn't happen, move your sites with Site Export (UniFi Backups and Migration).

The UniFi OS Server 5.1.37 release notes list a fix for legacy Network migration on Windows and macOS, so use 5.1.37 or later. If you run a guest portal, it moves from port 8843 to port 8444.

Check your versions before you migrate. UniFi OS Server 5.1.42 bundles UniFi Network 10.5.67, which is older than the legacy 10.6.106. Ubiquiti's Backups and Migration article says to make sure the new Network application is up to date before you restore a backup. It doesn't say whether the automatic migration handles a newer source version, and we haven't tested it. Don't remove the Network Server until all your devices show online in UniFi OS Server.

Removing the old app

Once your sites run on UniFi OS Server, you can remove the Network Server (How to Uninstall the Self-Hosted UniFi Network Server):

1. Make sure you have a backup.
2. Delete the UniFi Network application from Applications.
3. Delete the folder ~/Library/Application Support/UniFi/.
4. Restart the Mac.

Is there a UniFi app for Mac?

Many people who search for "UniFi for Mac" are looking for an app to manage their network. Ubiquiti's options:

None of these runs your network on its own. The devices still need a controller: UniFi OS Server, a UniFi console, or a hosted server. For finding the controller once it runs, see how to access your UniFi controller.

Frequently asked questions

Does UniFi OS Server run on Apple Silicon Macs?

Yes. Ubiquiti publishes a separate UniFi OS Server build for Apple Silicon next to the Intel build. Its requirements list still says x86-64, so Ubiquiti's own sources disagree.

Do I need Java to run UniFi on a Mac?

Not for UniFi OS Server. Its requirements don't list Java. For the legacy Network Server, Ubiquiti's guide says Java is no longer required as of UniFi Network 7.5. Its release notes still list Java 17, and we haven't confirmed whether the macOS installer bundles it.

Can I keep using the UniFi Network Server after 10.6?

Yes. Ubiquiti's community post says existing installs can keep running 10.6. You can't upgrade past 10.6 until you move to UniFi OS Server or a UniFi console.

Can I run UniFi Protect on my Mac?

No. Ubiquiti says Protect can't be self-hosted, on UniFi OS Server or the legacy Network Server. It needs a UniFi console, such as a Cloud Gateway, Cloud Key or Network Video Recorder.

Final thoughts

A Mac is a fine place to run UniFi OS Server for your own network or a home lab.

It has to stay awake, online and updated for as long as it manages devices. If you'd rather not keep a Mac running for that, UniHosted runs managed UniFi OS Server hosting with daily backups and tested updates on paid plans. The free plan covers up to five devices, and no credit card is required.