NATIVE MENU BAR APP
Connect, watch traffic,
disconnect.
See the phone, assigned IP, connection time, live upload and download rates, plus ping status without opening a full window.
ANDROID USB TETHERING, REBUILT FOR MAC
Your Android data,finally on your Mac.
A native menu bar app that brings Android USB tethering back to macOS — without kernel extensions and without disabling SIP.
Redmi 9Ready to Connect
Connect
NO KEXT•SIP STAYS ON•APPLE SILICON + INTEL•RNDIS SUPPORT•NATIVE MENU BAR APP•
ONE CABLE. A REAL CONNECTION.
USB tethering that
actually tethers.
MacTethering turns Android's RNDIS connection into a native macOS network interface — and keeps the controls one click away.
Connect, watch traffic,
0
Kernel extensions
Networking runs in userspace through libusb and macOS utun. No kext installation. No SIP workaround.
~1ms
To the phone gateway
Low-latency USB packet transfer in the tested setup, with no Wi-Fi hotspot overhead.
RNDIS ↔ utun
The missing bridge.
RNDIS control, DHCP, ARP and packet forwarding are implemented directly in the app.
2×
Mac architectures
Builds natively for Apple Silicon and Intel using the architecture of the host Mac.
WHAT IS INSIDE
Not a workaround.
A full network stack.
MacTethering handles the entire path from Android's USB interface to the macOS network stack. The result behaves like a real network connection, not a browser proxy.
Device discovery
Finds the Android RNDIS interface and claims the correct USB endpoints.
RNDIS handshake
Initializes the device, reads its MAC address and configures packet filtering.
Built-in DHCP
Requests an IP lease directly from the connected Android phone.
Native utun
Creates and configures a virtual macOS interface using the assigned address.
Bidirectional traffic
Moves packets from USB to utun and from utun back to USB in real time.
ARP handling
Answers and processes layer-two requests needed for a stable connection.
HOW IT WORKS
Plug it in.
Stay online.
Once the initial setup is complete, the everyday flow takes three actions.
- 01.
Connect your Android phone.
Use a USB data cable — not a charge-only cable — and unlock the phone.
- 02.
Enable USB tethering.
On Android, open hotspot or connection settings and turn on USB tethering. MacTethering detects the RNDIS device.
- 03.
Choose Connect.
The app negotiates RNDIS, gets an address through DHCP, creates a utun interface and applies the route.
- 04.
Use your Mac normally.
Your Mac sends internet traffic through the phone's mobile connection. Live status stays visible in the menu bar.
TESTED HARDWARE
Verified on Android devices.
MacTethering works with Android phones that expose USB tethering through RNDIS, which is the common case across vendors. Implementations differ in the details, so behavior can vary from one model to the next.
REQUIREMENTS
What you need.
- 01macOSApple Silicon or Intel
- 02Android phoneUSB tethering with RNDIS
- 03USB data cableData transfer must be supported
- 04libusbInstalled once through Homebrew
GET STARTED
One small install.
No system surgery.
Install libusb, build the native menu bar app, then open it. The first launch asks for your administrator password once so it can install the required permission rule.
✓ SIP remains enabled✓ No kernel extension✓ Native SwiftUI GUI
MacTethering is free. If it earned a place on your Mac, you can buy a license as a thank-you — paid once, yours forever.
Buy a license — $9, foreverTerminal
$ brew install libusb
$ bash GUI-Swift/build.sh
$ open "GUI-Swift/build/MacTethering.app"Built for the architecture of your Mac.
FAQ
Asked, answered.
Why doesn't Android USB tethering work natively on my Mac?
Many Android phones expose tethering over RNDIS, a protocol macOS does not support out of the box. MacTethering supplies that missing userspace bridge.
Do I have to disable System Integrity Protection?
No. The app does not install a kernel extension and does not require SIP to be disabled.
Does it work on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs?
Yes. The included build script compiles for the host architecture: arm64 on Apple Silicon and x86_64 on Intel.
Will it work with every Android phone?
It is designed for phones that expose USB tethering through RNDIS, which covers most Android devices. Vendors implement it slightly differently, so it is worth testing your own phone.
Why is an administrator password required the first time?
The menu bar app launches the networking helper with elevated privileges. A permission rule is installed once, so the password is not requested on every connection.
Can I route all Mac traffic through the phone?
Yes. Full-tethering mode adds the default route and DNS configuration so normal Mac internet traffic uses the phone's mobile connection.
ANDROID INTERNET. MAC SIMPLICITY.
Keep SIP on.
Get your Mac online.
Free to use. The license is a thank-you, paid once and kept forever.