How to set up OpenVPN on macOS

This guide will show you how to set up a manual OpenVPN connection on your macOS device using the Tunnelblick app.

To proceed, you will need a computer running macOS and an active Surfshark subscription. If you don't have one yet, you can find the available plans on Surfshark's pricing page.

Get your credentials

NOTE: These are different from the email and password you use to log into your account dashboard or the app.

1. Log in to your account on Surfshark website.
   
   NOTE: If you have any trouble accessing the page, you can also use this link or this link.
2. Click on VPN and select Manual Setup:
   
   
    
3. Click Desktop or mobile:
   
   
    
4. Click OpenVPN to generate your credentials:
   
   
    

5. Once there, you can copy the username and the password by clicking the icon. You will need to paste these credentials later in the guide.
   
   For now, keep this browser tab open, as we will return to it shortly.
    

   

    

Download configuration files

NOTE: For the following steps, we recommend opening a new tab in your browser.

1. Log in to your account on Surfshark website.
   
   NOTE: If you have any trouble accessing the page, you can also use this link or this link.
2. Click on VPN and select Manual Setup:
   
   
    
3. Click Desktop or mobile:
   
   
    
4. Click OpenVPN:
   
   
    
5. Click Locations:
   
   
    
6. From the location list, find the server you wish to connect to and click the Download button beside it:
   
   
    
7. Choose which file to download: UDP or TCP. Learn more about protocols and their differences:
   
   

Download and install the Tunnelblick app

1. Navigate to theofficial Tunnelblick website.
2. Download the Tunnelblick app by clicking the green arrow:
   
   
    
3. Open your Downloads or Recents folder and find the Tunnelblick installation package (it will be a .dmg file). Double-click it to launch the installer:
   
   
    
4. Double-click the Tunnelblick icon in the next window:
   
   
    
5. Confirm the action by clicking Open:
   
   
    
6. You can leave the default settings selected and click Continue:
   
   
    
7. Click I have configuration files:
   
   
    
8. Click OK:
   
   

Connect to the VPN

1. Click the Tunnelblick icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen:
   
   
    
2. Click VPN Details:
   
   
    
3. Drag the Surfshark configuration file you downloaded earlier and drop it into the Configurations panel in the Tunnelblick app:
   
   
    
4. You will get a pop-up. Click Only Me:
   
   
    
5. Your Mac may ask for your password to authorize this change. If prompted, enter your computer's administrator password and click OK:
   
   
    
6. The configuration files that you just installed will appear in the Configurations section on the Tunnelblick app:
   
   
    
7. Click on the configuration file of a specific location and press Connect:
   
   
    
8. Paste the Username and Password you obtained in the Get your credentials section of this article and click OK to establish the connection:
   
   
    
9. A notification will appear in the top-right corner of your screen to show the connection status. The connection is successful when this status indicator turns green:
   
   
   
   If you wish to connect to a different location, download the configuration for that server and repeat the Connect to the VPN section from the beginning.

How to disconnect from VPN

Here are a couple of ways to disconnect from the VPN:

• To disconnect from the VPN, click the Disconnect button in the pop-up:
  
  
   
• Alternatively, click the Tunnelblick icon in the top menu bar of your mac device: 
  
  
  
   Click Disconnect All:
  
  

Ensure the connection is successful

We always recommend checking if Surfshark VPN is working after setting it up for the first time. You can easily do it by performing Surfshark IP leak test and a DNS leak test. For your convenience, both are available on our website.