Split tunneling lets you pick which apps use the VPN and which connect directly. If you searched for how to do this with Mullvad on a Mac, here is the honest answer: the macOS picture is different from Windows and Android — and there is a clean way to get real per-app routing regardless.
Does Mullvad support split tunneling on macOS?
Mullvad ships split tunneling on Windows, Linux, and Android. On macOS it's not available — Mullvad's own documentation explains that the way their app would have to implement it on Apple's platform led them to leave it out, so the macOS client tunnels the entire system.
Features change between releases, so double-check the current version of the Mullvad app — but if per-app control is missing or limited on your Mac, you don't have to switch providers to get it.
Why most VPN apps skip split tunneling on the Mac
This isn't laziness on the provider's part. On Windows, a VPN can filter traffic per process with comparatively little friction. On macOS, deciding routes per app means shipping and maintaining a separate Network Extension that macOS treats as a transparent proxy — a substantial piece of engineering that most VPN vendors reserve for their Windows clients. The result: on the Mac, most VPN apps are all-or-nothing. Read the full explanation in How per-app VPN routing works on macOS.
How to get per-app routing with Mullvad on your Mac
AppLanes adds the missing layer. It is not a VPN and never replaces Mullvad — it sits alongside it and decides, per app, whether traffic goes through the tunnel Mullvad creates, around it (direct), or is blocked entirely.
- Install AppLanes from the Mac App Store (3-day free trial, every feature unlocked, no account) and approve its network extension when macOS asks — see the setup FAQ if the prompt doesn't appear.
- Connect Mullvad as you normally would.
- In AppLanes, set your default route — for example, everything through the VPN.
- Add per-app exceptions: switch any app to Direct to route it around Mullvad, or to Block to cut its network access entirely.
- Changes apply to new connections instantly; apps holding old connections reconnect within seconds (or restart the app).
Tips for running AppLanes with Mullvad
- Mullvad is WireGuard-first; its tunnel interface is detected by AppLanes automatically, and Mullvad's no-logging ethos pairs well with AppLanes' no-telemetry design.
- If Mullvad's own kill switch is set to block all traffic when the VPN drops, your Direct apps may lose connectivity during a drop too. AppLanes has its own per-app leak protection that only holds back VPN-routed apps — many users prefer that granularity.
- Keep just one VPN connected at a time; with two tunnels up, "route through VPN" becomes ambiguous.
Frequently asked questions
Does AppLanes work with Mullvad?
Yes. AppLanes works with any VPN that creates a standard tunnel on macOS, including Mullvad. It routes traffic around or through whatever tunnel is active — no changes to your Mullvad account or configuration are needed.
Do I need to stop using Mullvad to use AppLanes?
No. AppLanes is not a VPN and carries no traffic to any server. You keep using Mullvad exactly as before; AppLanes only decides which apps' connections enter the tunnel.
Mullvad removed macOS split tunneling — why?
Mullvad experimented with the feature but concluded a reliable per-app implementation on macOS required a different architecture than their client uses. A dedicated Network Extension utility like AppLanes provides exactly that missing architecture, alongside Mullvad rather than inside it.
Get per-app VPN routing on your Mac
Every feature unlocked for 3 days, free — no account, works with any VPN, macOS 13+.