Mist

Download and manage macOS firmware (IPSW files) for Mac with Apple Silicon. Create installation media (.app, .dmg, .iso, .pkg) for Intel Macs. Filter by compatibility and beta versions. Export listings in multiple formats. Verify checksums.

★★★★★

5.0(1 ratings)

• Firmware and installer listing. Displays all available macOS firmware versions and installers for download. Shows names, version numbers, builds, release dates, and file sizes. Information is obtained directly from Apple's software update catalogs. Data is organized in a table with sortable columns.
• Compatible versions filter. Restricts the display to macOS versions that are compatible with the Mac running the application. The filter analyzes the Mac model and compares it against the requirements of each operating system version. This feature prevents the user from seeing options they cannot use on their specific hardware.
• Beta versions display. Includes or excludes beta versions of macOS in the available list. Access to these versions requires selecting a specific update catalog, such as Developer Seed or Public Seed. Beta versions are clearly marked in the interface for identification.
• Listing export. Saves the list of firmware and installers in structured file formats: CSV, JSON, Property List (plist), or YAML. The export captures all metadata displayed in the table. This feature facilitates using the data in scripts or for software inventory documentation.
• Firmware download (.ipsw) for Apple Silicon. Downloads firmware restoration files in IPSW format for Apple Silicon Macs. The process automatically verifies the SHA-1 checksum of the downloaded file to ensure its integrity. Firmware URLs can be copied to the clipboard for external use.
• Installation package generation (.pkg). Creates macOS installation packages for versions Big Sur and later. These packages contain the full installer payload, exceeding 12 GB. .pkg files enable automated deployment of the macOS installer in management environments.
• Disk image creation (.dmg). Generates read-only disk images containing the macOS installer. This image can be mounted as a volume to run the installer. The option includes the ability to digitally sign (codesign) the resulting disk image.
• Bootable disk image creation (.iso). Produces disk images in ISO format that are directly bootable. This format is compatible with virtualization software such as Parallels Desktop, UTM, VMware Fusion, and VirtualBox. It facilitates the creation of macOS virtual machines.
• Application bundle generation (.app). Builds the macOS installer application bundle, identical to the one obtained from the Mac App Store. This bundle is the standard method for installing macOS on Intel-based Macs from certain versions of the operating system.
• Update catalog selection. Allows choosing between different Software Update catalog sources: the standard catalog that includes macOS, Customer Seed (AppleSeed program), Developer Seed (developer program), and Public Seed (public beta program). Each catalog may contain different versions of the software.
• Chunklist sum validation. Verifies the integrity of downloaded installers for Intel Macs by checking the sums in the associated Chunklist file. This file contains hashes for each segment (chunk) of the installer, offering a robust validation mechanism.
• Automatic download retries. Automatically resumes interrupted or failed downloads. The system manages retries in case of network errors or server interruptions. Download progress information is clearly displayed during the operation.
• Download caching. Locally saves downloaded installers or firmware to speed up subsequent media creation operations. If generating another medium from the same version is requested, the application uses the cached file instead of downloading it again.
• Code signing of images and packages. Applies a digital code signature (codesign) to the generated disk images (.dmg) and installation packages (.pkg). The signature associates the file with a developer certificate, which may be a requirement in environments with strict security restrictions.

Development of Mist began in 2022 by Nindi Gill, known as ninxsoft. The program is written in Swift and uses the SwiftUI framework for the user interface. The creation of Mist responded to the need for a unified tool to manage the different installer formats required by the Apple Silicon transition and the evolution of macOS versions for Intel.

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