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Tether 1.3.1

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@subhashhhhhh subhashhhhhh released this 12 Oct 09:56
· 79 commits to main since this release
v1.3.1
fa77d74

Tether 1.3.1

Now runs on macOS 15 Sequoia and newer, on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. Tether 1.3 required macOS 27 on Apple Silicon. 1.3.1 is otherwise identical to 1.3; its changes are listed below.

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 15 (Sequoia) or newer. Universal app for Apple Silicon and Intel.

📦 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 faebd2d54b6cff70fbc79fd045c92ff71af55a07beab50a9c37c3d48e175d31d

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