mkcert for MAC
Free, open-source tool that makes locally trusted HTTPS certificates for development, with no configuration.
mkcert Overview
mkcert is a free, open-source command-line tool that makes locally trusted HTTPS certificates for development. Run mkcert -install once and it creates your own local certificate authority and adds it to your Mac's trust store; after that, one command makes a certificate for localhost, 127.0.0.1 or any development name such as example.test, and your browsers trust it with no warnings. mkcert is made by Filippo Valsorda and released under the BSD-3-Clause license.
Real certificate authorities cannot issue certificates for names like localhost, and self-signed certificates cause trust errors in every browser. mkcert solves both with no configuration. It does not set up your web server for you: you point your server at the certificate and key files it creates. On a Mac, install it with Homebrew or MacPorts; add the nss package if you use Firefox. The latest release, 1.4.4, is from 2022 and has Apple Silicon and Intel builds.
Key Features
mkcert does one job and keeps it simple.
- Local certificate authority: mkcert -install creates a local CA and adds it to the macOS system trust store.
- Any names: one certificate can cover several names, wildcards like *.example.test, localhost and IP addresses.
- Browser trust: works with Safari, Chrome, Chromium and Firefox (with nss), and with Java when JAVA_HOME is set.
- No configuration: no settings files, no prompts.
- Certificate formats: ECDSA keys with -ecdsa, PKCS #12 files with -pkcs12, and client certificates with -client.
- S/MIME: names that are email addresses get an S/MIME certificate.
- Other devices: copy the root certificate from the folder shown by mkcert -CAROOT to trust it on phones or other computers.
- Clean removal: mkcert -uninstall removes the local CA from the trust stores.
What’s New in Version 1.4.4
mkcert 1.4.4 is the latest release.
- Support for Firefox packaged as a Snap, the default browser of Ubuntu 22.04
- Fixed a crash when a certificate signing request has no names
- Running mkcert with no arguments now only prints the help text
- Ready-made programs for Windows on Arm and Apple Silicon Macs
- Ready-made programs at stable download addresses
mkcert FAQ
Is mkcert free?
Yes. mkcert is free and open source, released under the BSD-3-Clause license.
How do I install mkcert on a Mac?
With Homebrew, run brew install mkcert in Terminal, and also brew install nss if you use Firefox. It is also available through MacPorts, and ready-made programs are on its GitHub releases page.
How do I make a certificate for localhost with mkcert?
Run mkcert -install once to create and trust your local certificate authority. Then run mkcert localhost 127.0.0.1 ::1, and mkcert writes a certificate file and a key file to the current folder for your development server to use.
Why not use a self-signed certificate instead?
Browsers do not trust self-signed certificates, so you get security warnings. mkcert signs certificates with your own local certificate authority, which it adds to your Mac's trust store, so browsers accept them without warnings.
Does mkcert work with Firefox?
Yes. On a Mac, install the nss package (brew install nss) before running mkcert -install, and mkcert adds its certificate authority to Firefox too. Firefox needs a restart afterwards.
Is mkcert safe?
mkcert is meant for development only. The rootCA-key.pem file it creates can be used to intercept secure connections from your machine, so never share it, and never use mkcert certificates on a public server.
Does mkcert set up my web server?
No. mkcert only creates the certificate and key files. You configure your web server or development tool to use them.
Can I use mkcert certificates on my iPhone or another computer?
Yes, if you install your local root certificate there. It is the rootCA.pem file in the folder that mkcert -CAROOT prints.
How do I remove mkcert's certificate authority?
Run mkcert -uninstall. It removes the local certificate authority from your Mac's trust stores.
Where does the mkcert download on mkcert.FULLMAC.app come from?
The download button leads to mkcert's official GitHub page at https://github.com/FiloSottile/mkcert, with the install instructions and releases. mkcert.FULLMAC.app does not change or repackage the tool.
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