macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install pinentry-maclocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install pinentry-macMacPorts ports tree · aqua/pinentry-mac/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 991
Install pinentry-mac with Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix
Pinentry for GPG on Mac. Version 1.3.1.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-09-11. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#pinentry_mac.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#pinentry_macnixpkgs package indexes · pinentry_mac · source: raw.githubusercontent.com
overview
Package summary
Pinentry for GPG on Mac
Project links
Commands and aliases
- pinentry-mac
history
Project history and usage
Pinentry Mac is a native macOS PIN and passphrase prompt used by GnuPG through the Assuan protocol.
Project history
Pinentry Mac is the macOS frontend contained in GPGTools' Pinentry source tree, which is based on the broader GnuPG Pinentry collection. Copyright notices in the macOS implementation date that frontend to 2015.
Adoption history
The program is packaged as pinentry-mac by Homebrew, MacPorts, and Nix, reflecting its role as a standard macOS option for command-line GnuPG installations.
How it is used
Users configure gpg-agent to invoke the pinentry-mac executable, after which GPG operations such as signing and decryption can display a native passphrase prompt.
Why package nerds care
Pinentry Mac bridges Unix-oriented GnuPG workflows with a native macOS passphrase dialog. Package users commonly pair it with gpg-agent so signing and decryption can prompt outside the terminal.
Timeline
- 2015: Copyright notices identify the native macOS Pinentry implementation.
- Present: Distributed across Homebrew, MacPorts, and Nix as pinentry-mac.
Related projects
- GnuPG
- gpg-agent
- Libassuan
- GPG Suite
- GnuPG Pinentry
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 2 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 4 build dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
pinentry-mac | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-09-19
manager version1.3.1.1
manager updated2026-09-11
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/GPGTools/pinentry
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/GPGTools/pinentrynone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:pinentry-mac |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.3.1.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/pinentry-mac |
| Homepage | https://github.com/GPGTools/pinentry |
| Repository | https://github.com/GPGTools/pinentry |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later AND GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/GPGTools/pinentry/archive/refs/tags/v1.3.1.1.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-09-11T04:36:22Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | libassuan, libgpg-error |
| Build dependencies | autoconf, automake, gettext, libtool |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
| Caveats | You can now set this as your pinentry program like ~/.gnupg/gpg-agent.conf pinentry-program $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/bin/pinentry-mac |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | pinentry-mac |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Requirements |
|
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Nix95%
pinentry_mac
nix profile install nixpkgs#pinentry_mac- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pinentry Mac
MacPorts95%
pinentry-mac
sudo port install pinentry-mac- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Pinentry Mac
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation