Switch network contexts
without touching a terminal

Named DNS mappings. One click to activate. System files stay untouched.

Download for Mac See how it works
macOS 14+ Apple Silicon & Intel
Locale app main window showing a duplicated context, hosts controls, and status feedback

How it works

Context switch.
No friction.

Each context holds a named list of host mappings. Activating one updates Locale's DNS proxy so matching requests resolve to your chosen IPs while everything else keeps using the normal resolver.

01
Define a context
Name it, give it a color. Add hosts entries: IP, hostname, optional note. Disable individual entries without deleting them.
02
Add host mappings
Add the IP, hostname, and optional note for each mapping. Disable individual rows without deleting the setup.
03
Apply Context
One click after system extension approval. Locale updates its DNS proxy configuration without touching host files.
04
Menu bar, always there
The active context shows in the menu bar. Switch without opening the main window.
Work VPN context · DNS proxy answers
# Locale: Work VPN (active)
# Matching questions answered locally
 
api.company.internal A 127.0.0.1
db.internal A 10.0.1.42
redis.internal A 10.0.1.10
# legacy-auth is disabled
logs.company.internal A 10.0.1.75
router.local A 192.168.1.1
 
# All other DNS is forwarded unchanged

Features

Everything in the right place

Built for the context-switching workflows developers actually have. Not a catch-all network manager.

Named contexts
Create as many as you need — Work VPN, Staging, Travel, local dev. Each fully independent.
Hosts management
Add, remove, disable individual entries inline. Sorted by IP, hostname, or status.
Context settings
Keep names, colors, active state, and host rows together for every environment.
Menu bar access
Active context always visible. One-click switch from anywhere, no window needed.
JSON import / export
Back up, share, or version-control your contexts. Human-readable JSON.
System files untouched
Locale applies contexts at DNS resolution time through a sandboxed Network Extension.
Locale new context dialog with name field, color choices, and preview
Create a context with a name, color, and live preview.
Locale main window showing the Home context active with hosts controls and status feedback
Active context controls stay visible while Locale reports the latest change.

Safety model

DNS proxy
Only matching hostnames resolve locally
App Group ✓
Main app and extension share active mappings
Forwarding
Unmatched queries use normal DNS
Revert
Clear Locale mappings

Menu bar

Always one click away

The active context shows in the menu bar. Switch between contexts without opening the main window. Locale stays running as a background app.

Locale menu bar popover listing contexts and quick actions

Install

Download Locale.

Locale is a notarized macOS app. Download it from GitHub Releases or build it from source.

Download the latest release from GitHub.
Locale-notarized.zip macOS 14+ · notarized ZIP
Requires
macOS 14 Sonoma or later
Apple Silicon or Intel
System extension approval on first launch
Data
Contexts stay on this Mac
Changes are previewed before apply
Source available on GitHub