Build and run macOS Client directly without App Store

[zachratliff]

Is there an existing issue that is already proposing this?

• I have searched the existing issues

Application

Outline Client

What are you trying to do? What is your use case?

Options for building and installing the client locally instead of going through the Apple App Store.

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe it.

There was an issue mentioned here: #2283 where a UI bug caused the client to be non-functional. Rolling out the fix took weeks due to the App Store's review process.

Describe the solution you'd like.

An option to build and run the Outline VPN client locally without going through the App Store.

Describe alternatives you've considered

No response

[ilyjs]

Hi, I completely agree with @zachratliff. Moving the macOS client to the Mac App Store makes it harder for people who rely on Outline, especially in regions with restricted or censored internet.

The App Store isn’t always accessible, and VPN apps can be removed due to local rules. Some users also can’t use it because of older macOS versions, no Apple ID, or just preferring direct DMG downloads—they’re simpler and more flexible. Updates are another issue: if the App Store is blocked or slow, users might get stuck on outdated versions.

This move feels like it goes against what makes Outline great—being open and easy to access. Forcing everyone onto a closed platform like the App Store doesn’t sit right and could even hurt trust.

Suggestion

Please bring back the option to download the macOS client from the website. Keep the App Store if you want, but don’t make it the only way. A direct download would help a lot of people who need Outline the most.

[sbruens]

There are limitations that prevent us from distributing the macOS app as a .dmg as-is; you can follow that specific discussion in #1177. Feel free to chime in there with further thoughts.

I see this particular issue as a separate feature request to easily build the client locally from source. In theory nothing is preventing someone from doing that today, though we could look into making it easier. Note that we're unlikely to prioritize that anytime soon given our limited resources, but we're open to ideas and contributions.