A free Mac app called Firewally lets users see which applications are accessing the internet in real time and block them instantly. Available from the Apple App Store, the tool provides a simple interface for managing network permissions without requiring deep technical knowledge.
What Firewally does
Firewally runs from the Mac menu bar, displaying a pop-up with network traffic data for each app. Users can view hourly, real-time, or daily summaries of internet usage. The app also offers an AI summary feature that explains why a particular application might need network access.
The key feature is the ability to toggle internet access on or off for any app with a single click. Users can also set a default policy for new apps: either allow all (Pass), deny all, or prompt for permission (Ask). Switching to Ask mode is recommended for better security, as it prevents unknown apps from connecting without explicit approval.
How to install and use
Installation is straightforward: search for "firewall" in the Mac App Store, locate Firewally, and click Get. After installation, an onboarding wizard asks for network permissions and offers to launch the app at boot. Once running, the Firewally shield icon appears in the menu bar.
Clicking the icon opens the main pop-up. The Hourly tab shows traffic from the past hour; the Real Time tab shows only currently active apps; the Today tab lists all apps that have used the internet that day. For each app, users can hover over the AI icon for a summary, hover over the basketball icon for live traffic stats, or use the on/off slider to block or unblock access.
Practical use cases
The author notes using Firewally to control Ollama, a locally installed AI tool that only needs internet for downloading models and updates. By default, Ollama's internet access is disabled; it is enabled only when needed. This ensures the app runs offline for privacy. Users are cautioned not to block essential apps like web browsers, as they will stop functioning.
Firewally's settings are minimal: users can disable AI summaries and toggle auto-launch at startup. The app's simplicity makes it accessible to anyone who wants to monitor and control which applications connect to the internet, adding an extra layer of security to macOS.