macFUSE
Provides the filesystem layer that makes a remote path appear as a normal directory on macOS.
Product guide
macFUSE GUI for macOS
A macFUSE GUI makes SSHFS practical on macOS when you need more than a one-off mount. macFUSEGui sits above macFUSE and sshfs, then gives you menu bar controls, Keychain-backed secrets, diagnostics, and recovery.
How the stack fits together
The workflow is easier to reason about when the layers are separated: filesystem, transport, and orchestration.
sshfs
Handles the SSH-based transport that mounts a remote path into Finder and your editor.
macFUSEGui
Adds saved remotes, status, recovery, diagnostics, and editor handoff around both layers.
Why use a GUI instead of raw sshfs commands?
A shell-only flow is fine when you mount one server once in a while. It becomes brittle when you manage several remotes, switch networks, or need fast visibility into whether a mount is healthy.
- Per-remote connect and disconnect actions instead of rebuilding commands by hand.
- Keychain-backed password storage instead of copied secrets in shell history.
- Recovery after sleep, wake, network restoration, and external unmounts.
- Diagnostics you can copy when a mount hangs or fails.
Install prerequisites
macFUSEGui manages macFUSE and sshfs; it does not replace them. Install both first, then choose the correct app build for your Mac.
If uname -m prints arm64, use the Apple Silicon build. If it prints x86_64, use the Intel build.
brew install --cask macFUSE
brew install gromgit/fuse/sshfs-mac
uname -mFirst launch on macOS
Current public builds are unsigned and not notarized. Open the app once from Finder with right-click or Control-click and choose Open.
If macOS still blocks the launch, approve it from System Settings > Privacy & Security and retry.
Typical daily workflow
- Save a remote with host, username, auth mode, remote path, and local mount point.
- Test the connection from the app before you rely on Finder or an editor.
- Connect the remote, work inside the mounted folder, then disconnect when you are done.
- Let the app handle sleep, wake, and network recovery for desired remotes.
When to use the troubleshooting guide
Open troubleshooting when first-launch approval succeeds but mounts still fail, credentials look correct but the remote never appears, or a previously healthy mount stops responding after sleep or a network change.