Client Installation for Mac

This article guides you on how to install and launch the farmerswife Desktop Client on macOS.

Key Points To Note

• macOS 26.x (Tahoe) is only supported with farmerswife Server 7.2 Service Pack 2 (7.2 SP2) or later. Check with your systems admin which version your server is running.

Installing the farmerswife Client

1. Download the .dmg installer file to your Desktop (listed below)

2. Double-click the file to mount it

3. Drag the farmerswife Client icon into the Applications folder

4. Wait for the installation to complete

5. Close the installer window

6. Eject the mounted farmerswife installer disk

First Launch on macOS Big Sur or Later

If you are running on macOS 11 or later, on first launch, macOS may block the application.  If this happens:

1. Open the Applications folder

2. Right-click the farmerswife Client application

3. Select Open

4. Confirm when prompted

This step is required only once.

Connecting to Your Server

If you upgraded or reinstalled the Client, connection details are usually retained.  However, if prompted to re-enter your connection details then please contact the below based on your set up:

• Locally hosted server: Contact your IT administrator for the server IP address

• Cloud hosted server: Contact farmerswife Support (support@farmerswife.com)

Once you have your connection details, open the application and click on the cog button on the top right of the Login window.

From here, you can add a new server connection with the green plus icon on the top left, or adjust an existing server connection from the list shown.

Once entered, click OK to return to the Login window, and login with your user credentials.

macOS Compatibility Requirements

How to check your macOS version

1. Click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner of your screen

2. Select About This Mac

3. Note the macOS name and version number (for example: macOS Sonoma 14.x)

Supported macOS Versions

For all supported macOS versions below, download the same installer unless otherwise noted.

Unsupported macOS Versions

From farmerswife version 7.0 onward, 32-bit operating systems are not supported. Any systems running macOS 10.13 High Sierra or earlier must be upgraded to macOS 10.14 Mojave or newer.

• macOS High Sierra (10.13.x)

• macOS Sierra (10.12.x)

• OS X El Capitan (10.11.x) and earlier

Retina vs Non-Retina Client

Retina Client (Default)

• Optimised for Retina displays

• Sharper, clearer interface

• Supported on all Macs running macOS Mojave or later

• On very large Retina displays, performance may feel slightly slower

Non-Retina Client (Optional)

• Faster and more responsive

• Slightly less sharp text

• Installer file: fw_client_v703-nonretina.dmg

Please Note: If you experience performance issues when using the Retina client, you may wish to use the Non-Retina client.

Font Smoothing (Retina Client)

Some users may notice blurry fonts when using the Retina client. This is related to macOS Font Smoothing.

Users running macOS Versions Prior to macOS 11.x Big Sur

1. Open System Preferences

2. Select General

3. Toggle Font Smoothing

   • Enabled: Fonts appear thicker (may appear blurry)

   • Disabled: Fonts appear thinner and clearer

Users running macOS 11.x Big Sur and Later

Apple removed the Font Smoothing option from System Preferences after macOS 11.x Big Sur.  Font Smoothing can still be adjusted using Terminal, however:

⚠️ Warning: This is recommended for advanced macOS users only. If unsure, please consult your IT administrator. 

Please Note: farmerswife does not support third-party Terminal commands.

If you have any queries related to installing farmerswife for macOS, then please contact support@farmerswife.com for more information.