[PR #6962] [client] launch macOS GUI as the logged-in user after install/update #27636

New Issue

saavagebueno · 2026-08-05T07:08:59-04:00

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 07:08:59 -04:00

Original Pull Request: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/pull/6962

State: closed
Merged: Yes

Describe your changes

In unattended installs/updates there may be no logged-in user, so there's no context to start the GUI (nor anyone to see it).

The bug is the GUI being started in the wrong user context / inheriting the wrong $HOME (OS mechanics aside).

Today the GUI is started by a per-user LaunchAgent, i.e. on behalf of the user who logs in — no login ⇒ no GUI.

The patch aligns to this: it launches the GUI on behalf of the logged-in console user if one exists, otherwise it delegates the launch to the per-user LaunchAgent at next login.

Additionally it logs when default UI settings are applied.

Note (small caveat): the LaunchAgent auto-starts the GUI at login only once it's been registered — which happens on the first GUI launch in the user's context. On an MDM/unattended fresh install done with no user logged in (where the user has never run the GUI before), they may need to start it manually once; it self-registers from then on.

Issue ticket number and link

No public issue — reported internally (community report on Slack: macOS advanced-view + onboarding reset on every update, esp. via MDM/Munki). Buggy line on main: dd2bdc0de3/release_files/darwin_pkg/postinstall (L33)

Stack

Checklist

Is it a bug fix
Is a typo/documentation fix
Is a feature enhancement
It is a refactor
Created tests that fail without the change (if possible)

By submitting this pull request, you confirm that you have read and agree to the terms of the Contributor License Agreement.

Documentation

Select exactly one:

I added/updated documentation for this change
Documentation is not needed for this change (explain why)

Internal macOS installer / GUI-launch behavior. No public API, CLI, or configuration change: the fix only changes the user context the desktop GUI is launched in after a pkg install/update.

Docs PR URL (required if "docs added" is checked)

Paste the PR link from https://github.com/netbirdio/docs here:

N/A

^{Need help on this PR? Tag @codesmith-bot with what you need. Autofix is disabled.}

Summary by CodeRabbit

Bug Fixes
- Improved macOS installation and updater UI launching to occur only when an active, valid GUI console session is detected.
- Prevented UI launches during unattended/system, root, or login-window-related installs.
- Ensured the app is launched in the correct console-user context, and skips cleanly when username/UID resolution fails.
Improvements
- Added clearer informational logging when the UI preferences file is not found and default preferences are used.

**Original Pull Request:** https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/pull/6962 **State:** closed **Merged:** Yes --- ## Describe your changes In unattended installs/updates there may be no logged-in user, so there's no context to start the GUI (nor anyone to see it). The bug is the GUI being started in the wrong user context / inheriting the wrong `$HOME` (OS mechanics aside). Today the GUI is started by a per-user LaunchAgent, i.e. on behalf of the user who logs in — no login ⇒ no GUI. The patch aligns to this: it launches the GUI on behalf of the logged-in console user if one exists, otherwise it delegates the launch to the per-user LaunchAgent at next login. Additionally it logs when default UI settings are applied. Note (small caveat): the LaunchAgent auto-starts the GUI at login only once it's been registered — which happens on the first GUI launch in the user's context. On an MDM/unattended fresh install done with no user logged in (where the user has never run the GUI before), they may need to start it manually once; it self-registers from then on. ## Issue ticket number and link No public issue — reported internally (community report on Slack: macOS advanced-view + onboarding reset on every update, esp. via MDM/Munki). Buggy line on main: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/blob/dd2bdc0de3aa14dd14dc90611c69c420bb3d3eb2/release_files/darwin_pkg/postinstall#L33 ## Stack  ### Checklist - [x] Is it a bug fix - [ ] Is a typo/documentation fix - [ ] Is a feature enhancement - [ ] It is a refactor - [ ] Created tests that fail without the change (if possible) > By submitting this pull request, you confirm that you have read and agree to the terms of the [Contributor License Agreement](https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/blob/main/CONTRIBUTOR_LICENSE_AGREEMENT.md). ## Documentation Select exactly one: - [ ] I added/updated documentation for this change - [x] Documentation is **not needed** for this change (explain why) Internal macOS installer / GUI-launch behavior. No public API, CLI, or configuration change: the fix only changes the user context the desktop GUI is launched in after a pkg install/update. ### Docs PR URL (required if "docs added" is checked) Paste the PR link from https://github.com/netbirdio/docs here: N/A  --- <a href="https://app.blacksmith.sh/netbirdio/codesmith/netbird/pr/6962"><picture><source media="(prefers-color-scheme: dark)" srcset="https://pr-comments-assets.blacksmith.sh/codesmith/view-with-codesmith-dark-v2.svg"><source media="(prefers-color-scheme: light)" srcset="https://pr-comments-assets.blacksmith.sh/codesmith/view-with-codesmith-light-v2.svg"><img alt="View with [code]smith" src="https://pr-comments-assets.blacksmith.sh/codesmith/view-with-codesmith-dark-v2.svg"></picture></a> <a href="https://backend.blacksmith.sh/track/enable-autofix?expires=1787923973&installation_model_id=427504&pr_number=6962&repository=netbirdio%2Fnetbird&return_to=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fnetbirdio%2Fnetbird%2Fpull%2F6962&signature=5226bbc7986fc60eb8b4ab77e98ac17a6534864763fc6407048bcbbb1550394b"><picture><source media="(prefers-color-scheme: dark)" srcset="https://pr-comments-assets.blacksmith.sh/codesmith/autofix-with-codesmith-dark.svg"><source media="(prefers-color-scheme: light)" srcset="https://pr-comments-assets.blacksmith.sh/codesmith/autofix-with-codesmith-light.svg"><img alt="Autofix with [code]smith" src="https://pr-comments-assets.blacksmith.sh/codesmith/autofix-with-codesmith-dark.svg"></picture></a> <sup>Need help on this PR? Tag <code>@codesmith-bot</code> with what you need. Autofix is disabled.</sup>    ## Summary by CodeRabbit - **Bug Fixes** - Improved macOS installation and updater UI launching to occur only when an active, valid GUI console session is detected. - Prevented UI launches during unattended/system, root, or login-window-related installs. - Ensured the app is launched in the correct console-user context, and skips cleanly when username/UID resolution fails. - **Improvements** - Added clearer informational logging when the UI preferences file is not found and default preferences are used.

saavagebueno added the pull-request label 2026-08-05 07:08:59 -04:00

saavagebueno closed this issue

2026-08-05 07:09:00 -04:00

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Reference: DYNR/netbird#27636