Running Tails on a MacBook? \ stacker news ~privacy

1458 sats \ 17 comments \ @macarena 13 Jan privacy

Does anyone have Tails running on a MacBook Pro? I can boot Tails on my MacBook, but can't move the cursor or type anything. Do I need a mouse and an external keyboard? Does anyone have experience?

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504 sats \ 1 reply \ @davidw 13 Jan

Do you have wifi working for it? As some people with Mac’s have Broadcom chips which are not supported by Tails. Tails do list some of these things as known issues.

Those with similar issues often use an external mouse & keyboard as workaround. Here was a very thorough ‘custom install’, although having only just glanced over it it may be overkill: https://github.com/T2minator/mbp-tails

Can’t imagine it will help creating a partition for the Mac and to flash the partition with Linux, but could be an option. Or to run Tails inside a VM each time. Otherwise might just be preferable to purchase dongles/accessories.

With Bluetooth disabled, you probably want something with a simple wire or a 2.4ghz dongle. ‘Gaming’ keyboards or ones with special features often use other protocols to drive their advanced features and may not work.

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @macarena OP 13 Jan

Will try mbp-tails, thank you.

21 sats \ 7 replies \ @Natalia 13 Jan

I guess it depends on which MacBook, my current one doesn't work with TailsOS, but my old one works great with it, I guess Apple does this purposely.

0 sats \ 6 replies \ @macarena OP 13 Jan

Maybe you have a M18/M2. I have one with Intel chip.

42 sats \ 5 replies \ @Natalia 13 Jan

just found this.

Tails does not start at all on Mac models that use the Apple M1 chip and on many other Mac models.

Apple does not prioritize collaborating with Free Software projects. Their newest hardware is usually very hard for Free Software developers to get working with Linux, and thus Tails. PC hardware tends to be more open and work better with Linux.

My solution is I keep using my old mac with tails, but then I'm curious what's the problem for yours.

31 sats \ 3 replies \ @PRA3S3NT1A 13 Jan

This is so bad by the way. I bought the new M2 chip Macbook air and I did not know that with these new chips I can not use Tails. It was a very sad moment to me. Unfortunately I sold my old macbook which had an intel chip and tails worked very well. I am not sure what other options left for me because I do not want to buy another computer. Maybe next time I will buy a windows computer but it will be many years later after this got too old 😂

10 sats \ 2 replies \ @Natalia 13 Jan

I didn't know either, so annoying - apple is so evil!

31 sats \ 1 reply \ @PRA3S3NT1A 13 Jan

Yeah, probably I would get an older mac or a thinkpad if I knew this before..😏

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @Natalia 13 Jan

I'm happy that I have kept the old one, so less hassle to deal with, but we should give this warning to others, like I wish someone had warned me!

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @macarena OP 13 Jan

Yes, I found this too. My MacBook is an older Mac with an Intel chip.

20 sats \ 2 replies \ @Bitcoiner1 13 Jan

I've used Tails on a Mac. The wifi doesn't work but you can use an Ethernet cable.

No issues with the mouse or keyboard.

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @macarena OP 13 Jan

Intel Mac?

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @Bitcoiner1 14 Jan

Intel Core i5

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @wingalt 14 Jan

Wifi doesn't work on all the Macbooks I have tried so far (pre-2017 air and pro) with Linux distros but this adapter fixes it and I also managed to run Tails with it

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00762YNMG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1