Using SecureNet

Using SecureNet VPN on Mac

The Mac is where people do their banking, their work and their downloads, and it joins the same café Wi-Fi as the phone. It deserves the same tunnel.

MacSetup

Quick answer

SecureNet is a native macOS app on macOS 14 or later, downloaded from the Mac App Store, and covered by the same subscription as your iPhone and iPad when you use the same Apple ID. Setup is the same as on iPhone: open the app, click connect, and allow the VPN configuration once when macOS asks. The Mac app uses a sidebar instead of tabs and otherwise behaves identically, including Automatic server selection, connection history that stays on the device, and the built-in speed test.

Key facts

  • macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple silicon and Intel.
  • One subscription across iPhone, iPad and Mac with the same Apple ID.
  • Native app, not a wrapper. WireGuard runs as a system network extension.
  • One permission prompt on first connection, just like iOS.
  • Same privacy model. No activity logs; connection history stays on the Mac.

Installing

  1. Open the App Store on your Mac and search for SecureNet VPN. Or open the App Store link from this site; it opens the Mac App Store when you are on a Mac.
  2. Install and open the app. If you already subscribe on iPhone, use the same Apple ID. The subscription is picked up automatically; if it is not, Settings has Restore purchases.
  3. Click the power button. macOS asks for permission to add a VPN configuration. Click Allow. This is the one-time step every VPN on macOS goes through.
  4. Confirm the connected state. The button changes, the server and IP address appear, and a session timer starts.

How the Mac app is laid out

On iPhone, Connect, Servers and Settings are tabs along the bottom. On Mac they are a sidebar on the left, with the selected section on the right. The window can be resized down to a compact size if you like to keep it in a corner. Everything else, from Automatic server selection to the health and load indicators, works as it does on the phone; our server guide applies to both.

What is the same

  • Protocol. WireGuard only, with the same fast handshake and network-change handling.
  • Privacy. No activity logs. The Mac is identified by an anonymous device identifier, not your name.
  • Connection history is stored on the Mac only. It can be turned off or cleared in Settings.
  • Connection check warns you if the internet becomes unreachable while the tunnel is up.
  • Speed test in Settings, measuring latency, download and upload through the tunnel.

What is different

iPhone and Mac side by side
iPhone and iPadMac
NavigationTabsSidebar
Permission promptAdd VPN configuration, confirmed with Face ID or passcodeAdd VPN configuration, confirmed by clicking Allow
Where the configuration livesSettings, General, VPN & Device ManagementSystem Settings, VPN
WindowFull screenResizable window
SubscriptionApp StoreMac App Store, same subscription

Using it day to day

Most people leave the Mac connected whenever it is on a network they do not own. Because WireGuard is light, that costs almost nothing in performance or battery on a MacBook. If you close the lid and reopen it on a different network, the tunnel picks up from the new address; you should not need to reconnect. If a network blocks VPN traffic, the app tells you rather than pretending, and the troubleshooting guide covers what to try.

If you already use SecureNet on your iPhone, the Mac app costs nothing extra. Install it and sign in with the same Apple ID.

Removing it

Quit the app and drag it to the Trash, then remove the SecureNet configuration from System Settings, VPN if macOS left it behind. That also removes the connection history, which was only ever stored on the Mac. If you want the pseudonymous device record removed on our side too, email yayappsltd@gmail.com.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Mac app included in my iPhone subscription?

Yes. One subscription covers iPhone, iPad and Mac when you use the same Apple ID. If it does not appear, tap Restore purchases in Settings.

Which Macs are supported?

Any Mac running macOS 14 Sonoma or later, on Apple silicon or Intel.

Does it protect all apps on the Mac?

Yes. It is a system-wide VPN, so browsers, mail, messaging and everything else go through the tunnel once connected.

Why does macOS ask for permission?

macOS requires every VPN app to ask once before it can add a VPN configuration. That is the only permission SecureNet needs.