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Tether 1.3

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@subhashhhhhh subhashhhhhh released this 12 Oct 09:45
· 80 commits to main since this release
v1.3
c375e6c

Using macOS 15 Sequoia, or an Intel Mac? Get Tether 1.3.1 instead: same release, built for macOS 15+ on Apple Silicon and Intel.

What's New in Tether 1.3

🔒 Security

  • Certificate pinning. A paired device must present the same certificate it paired with, on every connection and every file transfer. Before 1.3, any device on the network that claimed a paired phone's ID was trusted.
  • Removed a device that came pre-trusted in earlier builds. It is also removed from existing installs on launch.
  • Safer file receiving. File names sent by the phone can no longer place files outside ~/Downloads (or outside the SMS attachments folder).
  • Private identity. The Mac's certificate now uses a random per-install passphrase, is readable only by your account, and is loaded in memory instead of the login keychain. A damaged identity is regenerated instead of crashing the app.

📶 Connections & file transfers

  • Much faster connections. Signing with the keychain-stored key took about 10 seconds the first time after launch, which could make the first connection or file transfer time out. TLS handshakes now take milliseconds.
  • Large files stream straight to disk with live progress instead of being held in memory.
  • More reliable connections. Writes that fail no longer leave a half-sent packet in the connection, and the app advertises the port it is actually listening on.

✨ Redesigned interface

  • A native Mac layout: devices in the sidebar, with a connected phone's Messages, Notifications, Files and Commands listed under it.
  • Overview with battery, network, now playing (with album art) and recent files.
  • Find Phone, Lock, Send Clipboard and Send Files in the toolbar and the new Device menu, with keyboard shortcuts.
  • The Notifications list now works, with reply and dismiss. Media controls now work with the phone.
  • New Reduce motion option in Settings › General.

⚠️ Before you upgrade

  • You may need to pair your phone again. Devices paired before 1.3 without a saved certificate, and the pre-trusted device mentioned above, are no longer trusted.
  • Requires macOS 27 on Apple Silicon.

📦 Installation & Gatekeeper Note

Tether is an open-source indie app and isn't notarized with a paid Apple Developer account, so macOS may say the app "cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified".

  1. Drag Tether.app to /Applications and open it.
  2. If macOS blocks it, open System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll to Security and click Open Anyway.
  3. Or, in Terminal: 
    xattr -cr /Applications/Tether.app

SHA-256 e91369c2e3935d6afa17fbdde7cb2c2ec6fc2766afcb0ab5334e66041ccc8d86

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