Metal driver for NVIDIA GeForce RTX cards on macOS 15 Sequoia (Intel / OpenCore). Free, source included.
See the codeSee what people are saying
README
NullMoth NVIDIA Driver for macOS
A Metal driver for NVIDIA GeForce RTX cards on Intel Macs and OpenCore systems running macOS 15 Sequoia. Your NVIDIA card drives the desktop, Metal apps, games, Core ML/MPS, and OpenCL — the way an Apple-supported GPU does.
Made by NullMoth Systems.
Installing macOS from Windows? Use 1401: https://github.com/nullmoth/1401
This driver is new and may not work on every PC. It is tested on an RTX 5060 under macOS 15.7.x. If your PC does not boot macOS with OpenCore yet, set that up first with the OpenCore Install Guide (OpenCore releases), then install the driver. The full write-up of how the driver works is in
docs/HOW-IT-WORKS.md.
Support the work: https://buymeacoffee.com/nullmoth
| macOS | 15 Sequoia (tested 15.7.x), x86_64 |
| GPUs | NVIDIA GeForce RTX (GSP firmware generation); tested on an RTX 5060 |
| Metal | Metal 3: argument buffers tier 2, ray tracing, mesh shaders, MPS, MetalFX path |
| Also | OpenGL (through Apple's GL-on-Metal), OpenCL, Core Image, Core ML |
How it works
Metal app ─► NVMTLDriver.bundle ─► translator (Apple AIR → SPIR-V) ─► NVK (Mesa Vulkan + NAK compiler) ─► kexts ─► GPU
| Component | Path on disk | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Metal driver plugin | /Library/GPUBundles/NVMTLDriver.bundle | plugin/ |
| Shader translator | inside the plugin (libnvmtl_translate.dylib) | translator/ (LGPL-3.0, based on metal2vulkan) |
| Vulkan back end (NVK) | /Library/GPUBundles/nvmtl/ | nvk/nvk-macos.patch on Mesa 17ca6174 |
| Kernel extensions | /Library/Extensions/NVRM, NVAccel, NVRMFB, NVRMAGDC | kexts/ |
| GPU firmware (GSP) | /Users/Shared/nvfw/nvidia/610.57.04 | NVIDIA, unmodified |
The kernel side runs NVIDIA's own open GPU kernel modules (r610) under macOS. NVRMFB is the display framebuffer, NVAccel the accelerator WindowServer composites through, NVRMAGDC the display-policy shim.
Install — prebuilt (recommended)
Download nullmoth-nvidia-<version>.tar.gz from Releases, then:
tar -xzf nullmoth-nvidia-*.tar.gz && cd pkgroot
shasum -a 256 -c SHA256SUMS # every file must say OK
sudo ./install.sh # copies the files, rebuilds the Auxiliary Kernel Collection
sudo shutdown -r now # a reboot is required: logout does not load the driver
macOS asks you to allow the extensions in System Settings → Privacy & Security the first time. Allow, then reboot again.
1401 Mac app (easiest)
Download 1401-Mac-1.0.2.dmg from Releases, open it, and run 1401 (the driver package is inside the disk
image, so nothing else to download). Follow its four steps. It works on any OpenCore
setup, whether 1401 built it or you did: it finds the OpenCore that started your Mac (in EFI/OC or EFI/BOOT, on an
EFI or FAT32 partition), shows every change before making it, backs the config up, installs the driver, and adds
1401: Remove NVIDIA driver to the OpenCore boot picker. Choosing that entry removes the driver at the next start and
puts the Mac back exactly as it was before the install, OpenCore config included, then restarts by itself. The app also
maps your USB ports and, if the driver ever crashes the Mac, offers to make a crash report you can upload yourself
(it never sends anything on its own).
Something not working? Open 1401 > Crash report > Send logs to NullMoth. It sends what 1401 did, the driver's state, crash reports that name the driver and OpenCore's startup logs (names, serial numbers and addresses removed), each with a SHA-256 the site checks, and shows a report ID to quote in the NullMoth Discord.
macOS 26 Tahoe (beta): the package carries a Tahoe build of NVAccel. Click Prepare this Mac for Tahoe before updating in System Settings; the first start of Tahoe sets the driver up and restarts once. Not yet tested on hardware.
Keep the USB stick or disk OpenCore started your Mac from plugged in while the app runs: that is the config it changes. It only edits a config whose SMBIOS model matches this Mac, and stops if none is connected. After the install, restart; the first start with the driver pauses for up to a minute at "PCI configuration end" while the GPU comes up.
Wiring into an existing OpenCore setup
The kexts install into /Library/Extensions and load from the Auxiliary Kernel Collection — do not also inject
them from EFI/OC/Kexts. OpenCore only needs to set SIP and boot-args.
NVRAM → Add → 7C436110-AB2A-4BBB-A880-FE41995C9F82
| Key | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
csr-active-config | <430A0000> (Data) | the tested value: unsigned kexts, plus what root patches need |
boot-args | nvfb=1 nvaccel=1 nvfbheads=4 -nvkmsnosmooth amfi_get_out_of_my_way=0x1 amfi=0x80 | framebuffer + accelerator, 4 display heads; the AMFI args let WindowServer load the driver bundle |
Add every key you set to NVRAM → Delete as well, so the values are rewritten each boot.
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
UEFI → Quirks → ResizeGpuBars | 13 | 8 GB BAR: full memory bandwidth (tested on the RTX 5060) |
Booter → Quirks → ResizeAppleGpuBars | -1 | macOS sees the full BAR |
Kernel → Block | com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport, Strategy Exclude | otherwise the firmware framebuffer takes display index 0 from NVRMFB |
Misc → Security → SecureBootModel | Disabled | Apple Secure Boot refuses kexts Apple did not sign |
The macOS installer needs the opposite BAR settings (ResizeAppleGpuBars 0, ResizeGpuBars -1, IONDRVSupport
not excluded): it has no NVIDIA driver and runs on the firmware's screen. 1401 builds installers that way, and the 1401
Mac app switches to the values above when it installs the driver.
Also required:
- BIOS: Above 4G Decoding ON (the card maps memory above 4 GB), CSM OFF.
- SMBIOS: a Mac model that runs macOS 15 with a discrete GPU (tested:
iMacPro1,1, which 1401 uses). - Remove any
nv_disable=1, WhateverGreen NVIDIA patches, oragdpmod=pikerafor this card. - No
DevicePropertiesare needed for the NVIDIA card.
Verify after the reboot:
kmutil showloaded --list-only | grep nullmoth # 4 lines
system_profiler SPDisplaysDataType | head -20 # your GeForce, Metal: supported
Dual boot
Nothing in the driver touches other disks. OpenCore's picker boots Windows (ScanPolicy 0 or including NTFS) and Linux
(OpenLinuxBoot.efi in UEFI → Drivers, LauncherOption = Full) alongside macOS.
Uninstall
sudo ./uninstall.sh && sudo shutdown -r now
Build from source
Requires Xcode 16, Rust (stable), Meson/Ninja, and NVIDIA's open-gpu-kernel-modules at tag 610.57.04.
build/build_xlate.sh # translator -> libnvmtl_translate.dylib
RELEASE=1 build/build_plugin.sh # plugin -> NVMTLDriver.bundle (RELEASE=1 strips every diagnostic)
build/build263.sh # NVK: apply nvk/nvk-macos.patch to Mesa 17ca6174 first
build/accel_build.sh <src> <out> # kexts
License
Free of charge, source code included. Nobody may sell it or use it to make money.
plugin/,kexts/,build/,package/: PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 (seeLICENSE), © NullMoth Systems. Personal, research, educational and non-profit use is allowed; any commercial use is not.translator/: LGPL-3.0-or-later (seetranslator/LICENSE): it is based on metal2vulkan, whose licence carries over.nvk/: changes to Mesa (MIT).- GSP firmware: NVIDIA's redistributable firmware licence.
See NOTICE for third-party credits.
Similar repos
Metal driver for NVIDIA GeForce RTX cards on macOS 15 Sequoia (Intel / OpenCore). Free, source included.
See the codeSee what people are saying
README
NullMoth NVIDIA Driver for macOS
A Metal driver for NVIDIA GeForce RTX cards on Intel Macs and OpenCore systems running macOS 15 Sequoia. Your NVIDIA card drives the desktop, Metal apps, games, Core ML/MPS, and OpenCL — the way an Apple-supported GPU does.
Made by NullMoth Systems.
Installing macOS from Windows? Use 1401: https://github.com/nullmoth/1401
This driver is new and may not work on every PC. It is tested on an RTX 5060 under macOS 15.7.x. If your PC does not boot macOS with OpenCore yet, set that up first with the OpenCore Install Guide (OpenCore releases), then install the driver. The full write-up of how the driver works is in
docs/HOW-IT-WORKS.md.
Support the work: https://buymeacoffee.com/nullmoth
| macOS | 15 Sequoia (tested 15.7.x), x86_64 |
| GPUs | NVIDIA GeForce RTX (GSP firmware generation); tested on an RTX 5060 |
| Metal | Metal 3: argument buffers tier 2, ray tracing, mesh shaders, MPS, MetalFX path |
| Also | OpenGL (through Apple's GL-on-Metal), OpenCL, Core Image, Core ML |
How it works
Metal app ─► NVMTLDriver.bundle ─► translator (Apple AIR → SPIR-V) ─► NVK (Mesa Vulkan + NAK compiler) ─► kexts ─► GPU
| Component | Path on disk | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Metal driver plugin | /Library/GPUBundles/NVMTLDriver.bundle | plugin/ |
| Shader translator | inside the plugin (libnvmtl_translate.dylib) | translator/ (LGPL-3.0, based on metal2vulkan) |
| Vulkan back end (NVK) | /Library/GPUBundles/nvmtl/ | nvk/nvk-macos.patch on Mesa 17ca6174 |
| Kernel extensions | /Library/Extensions/NVRM, NVAccel, NVRMFB, NVRMAGDC | kexts/ |
| GPU firmware (GSP) | /Users/Shared/nvfw/nvidia/610.57.04 | NVIDIA, unmodified |
The kernel side runs NVIDIA's own open GPU kernel modules (r610) under macOS. NVRMFB is the display framebuffer, NVAccel the accelerator WindowServer composites through, NVRMAGDC the display-policy shim.
Install — prebuilt (recommended)
Download nullmoth-nvidia-<version>.tar.gz from Releases, then:
tar -xzf nullmoth-nvidia-*.tar.gz && cd pkgroot
shasum -a 256 -c SHA256SUMS # every file must say OK
sudo ./install.sh # copies the files, rebuilds the Auxiliary Kernel Collection
sudo shutdown -r now # a reboot is required: logout does not load the driver
macOS asks you to allow the extensions in System Settings → Privacy & Security the first time. Allow, then reboot again.
1401 Mac app (easiest)
Download 1401-Mac-1.0.2.dmg from Releases, open it, and run 1401 (the driver package is inside the disk
image, so nothing else to download). Follow its four steps. It works on any OpenCore
setup, whether 1401 built it or you did: it finds the OpenCore that started your Mac (in EFI/OC or EFI/BOOT, on an
EFI or FAT32 partition), shows every change before making it, backs the config up, installs the driver, and adds
1401: Remove NVIDIA driver to the OpenCore boot picker. Choosing that entry removes the driver at the next start and
puts the Mac back exactly as it was before the install, OpenCore config included, then restarts by itself. The app also
maps your USB ports and, if the driver ever crashes the Mac, offers to make a crash report you can upload yourself
(it never sends anything on its own).
Something not working? Open 1401 > Crash report > Send logs to NullMoth. It sends what 1401 did, the driver's state, crash reports that name the driver and OpenCore's startup logs (names, serial numbers and addresses removed), each with a SHA-256 the site checks, and shows a report ID to quote in the NullMoth Discord.
macOS 26 Tahoe (beta): the package carries a Tahoe build of NVAccel. Click Prepare this Mac for Tahoe before updating in System Settings; the first start of Tahoe sets the driver up and restarts once. Not yet tested on hardware.
Keep the USB stick or disk OpenCore started your Mac from plugged in while the app runs: that is the config it changes. It only edits a config whose SMBIOS model matches this Mac, and stops if none is connected. After the install, restart; the first start with the driver pauses for up to a minute at "PCI configuration end" while the GPU comes up.
Wiring into an existing OpenCore setup
The kexts install into /Library/Extensions and load from the Auxiliary Kernel Collection — do not also inject
them from EFI/OC/Kexts. OpenCore only needs to set SIP and boot-args.
NVRAM → Add → 7C436110-AB2A-4BBB-A880-FE41995C9F82
| Key | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
csr-active-config | <430A0000> (Data) | the tested value: unsigned kexts, plus what root patches need |
boot-args | nvfb=1 nvaccel=1 nvfbheads=4 -nvkmsnosmooth amfi_get_out_of_my_way=0x1 amfi=0x80 | framebuffer + accelerator, 4 display heads; the AMFI args let WindowServer load the driver bundle |
Add every key you set to NVRAM → Delete as well, so the values are rewritten each boot.
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
UEFI → Quirks → ResizeGpuBars | 13 | 8 GB BAR: full memory bandwidth (tested on the RTX 5060) |
Booter → Quirks → ResizeAppleGpuBars | -1 | macOS sees the full BAR |
Kernel → Block | com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport, Strategy Exclude | otherwise the firmware framebuffer takes display index 0 from NVRMFB |
Misc → Security → SecureBootModel | Disabled | Apple Secure Boot refuses kexts Apple did not sign |
The macOS installer needs the opposite BAR settings (ResizeAppleGpuBars 0, ResizeGpuBars -1, IONDRVSupport
not excluded): it has no NVIDIA driver and runs on the firmware's screen. 1401 builds installers that way, and the 1401
Mac app switches to the values above when it installs the driver.
Also required:
- BIOS: Above 4G Decoding ON (the card maps memory above 4 GB), CSM OFF.
- SMBIOS: a Mac model that runs macOS 15 with a discrete GPU (tested:
iMacPro1,1, which 1401 uses). - Remove any
nv_disable=1, WhateverGreen NVIDIA patches, oragdpmod=pikerafor this card. - No
DevicePropertiesare needed for the NVIDIA card.
Verify after the reboot:
kmutil showloaded --list-only | grep nullmoth # 4 lines
system_profiler SPDisplaysDataType | head -20 # your GeForce, Metal: supported
Dual boot
Nothing in the driver touches other disks. OpenCore's picker boots Windows (ScanPolicy 0 or including NTFS) and Linux
(OpenLinuxBoot.efi in UEFI → Drivers, LauncherOption = Full) alongside macOS.
Uninstall
sudo ./uninstall.sh && sudo shutdown -r now
Build from source
Requires Xcode 16, Rust (stable), Meson/Ninja, and NVIDIA's open-gpu-kernel-modules at tag 610.57.04.
build/build_xlate.sh # translator -> libnvmtl_translate.dylib
RELEASE=1 build/build_plugin.sh # plugin -> NVMTLDriver.bundle (RELEASE=1 strips every diagnostic)
build/build263.sh # NVK: apply nvk/nvk-macos.patch to Mesa 17ca6174 first
build/accel_build.sh <src> <out> # kexts
License
Free of charge, source code included. Nobody may sell it or use it to make money.
plugin/,kexts/,build/,package/: PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 (seeLICENSE), © NullMoth Systems. Personal, research, educational and non-profit use is allowed; any commercial use is not.translator/: LGPL-3.0-or-later (seetranslator/LICENSE): it is based on metal2vulkan, whose licence carries over.nvk/: changes to Mesa (MIT).- GSP firmware: NVIDIA's redistributable firmware licence.
See NOTICE for third-party credits.