Platform support
Helix runs on Windows and macOS from one codebase. The pages, the encrypted database, the audit log and vault import and export behave the same on both; what differs is how a share is mounted and which desktop integrations exist.
At a glance
| Windows | macOS | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum version | Windows 10 build 19041 | macOS 15 |
| Architectures | x64, Arm64 | universal (Intel and Apple Silicon) |
| Distributed as | self-contained zip | unsigned .app in a zip |
| Mount target | a drive letter, Z:\ | a folder, ~/Helix Drives/Z |
| Mount API | Win32 WNet (mpr.dll) | NetFS |
| Start at sign-in | shortcut in the Startup folder | LaunchAgent |
| Desktop shortcut | .lnk on the Desktop | link to the .app |
| Tray icon | notification area | menu bar |
| Notifications | notification area balloons | Notification Center |
| Home-network pin | yes | yes |
| Wake-on-LAN | yes | yes |
| Hardware address Look up | yes | no — type it |
| Browse a server's shares | yes | no |
| Add existing mappings | yes | no |
| Persistent mapping (restore at sign-in) | yes | no |
| Connect using the server name | yes | no |
| Close to tray, auto-minimize hiding | yes | no — the window stays in the Dock |
| Global shortcuts | yes | yes, with Accessibility access |
| Keyboard navigation of drive rows | yes | no — mouse only |
| Command line | yes | no |
| In-app updates | yes | yes |
Switches that do not apply on macOS are hidden rather than shown and ignored.
Drive letters on macOS
macOS has no drive letters, so a drive's letter names a folder under ~/Helix Drives: drive Z is mounted at ~/Helix Drives/Z. The data is stored the same way on both platforms, which is why a vault moves between them unchanged.
Credentials per server
Windows allows one set of credentials per server for your whole sign-in session, which is behind most connection trouble with several shares on one NAS — see Troubleshooting. macOS signs in per mount, so none of that applies there, and the connection check never warns that a password went untested.
Why the macOS build is unsigned
Signing and notarizing a Mac app needs a paid Apple Developer identity, which cannot live in a public repository. The app also runs with the App Sandbox off, because a sandboxed app cannot mount a network filesystem, write a LaunchAgent or touch your real Desktop. That makes it a direct download rather than a Mac App Store app. See Installation for getting past Gatekeeper.
Not supported
There is no Linux, iOS or Android version.