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Install Sentinel on a Mac

Updated 2026-10-22

Download Sentinel Operator, run the server on the same Mac, and create the first administrator.

On a Mac, one download gives you both halves: Sentinel Operator, the app you watch from, and the Sentinel server that records your cameras.

1. Install the app

Sign in at sentvms.com and download Sentinel Operator for Mac.
Open the downloaded zip and drag Sentinel Operator into your Applications folder.
Open it from Applications or Launchpad. It is signed and notarized by Apple, so it opens without warnings.

2. Run the server on this Mac

On the first screen choose Run a server on this Mac.
macOS asks for an administrator's password. The server installs as a background service that starts with the Mac.
When it is up, create the first administrator: pick a user name and a strong password. This account manages everything else.

If you already run a Sentinel server on another machine, choose to connect to it instead and enter its address, for example http://192.168.1.20:8090.

Where things live

What	Where
Web dashboard	`http://127.0.0.1:8090`
Recordings and settings	`/Library/Application Support/Sentinel`
Server log	`/Library/Logs/Sentinel/sentinel.log`

The Sentinel shield in the Mac menu bar with its menu open, showing the server running — The shield in the menu bar shows whether the server is running. Click it to start, stop or restart.

Keep the Mac awake

A sleeping Mac stops recording and drops remote viewers. In System Settings → Energy (or Battery → Options on a laptop), turn on Prevent automatic sleeping when the display is off. A laptop on battery may still sleep; keep it plugged in.

Next: Add your cameras.

Install the server on Linux →

More guides, including Sentinel Cloud setup and users and roles, are in the knowledge base for signed-in users.