VM File Viewer

Browse, inspect, and live-edit files on remote Linux VMs over SSH with native macOS Finder simplicity.

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Version 1.0 · 2.9 MB · macOS 12 Monterey or later · Apple Silicon & Intel Universal

Prerequisite: SSH Key Authentication Required

VM File Viewer connects directly from your Mac to your remote VMs via OpenSSH. To ensure security and prevent plaintext password exposure, you must have SSH keys already set up between your machine and your target VMs before using this app.

If you can already connect to your VM from Terminal without entering a password (via ~/.ssh/id_ed25519, ~/.ssh/id_rsa, or your ~/.ssh/config), you're ready to go!

Why VM File Viewer?

Editing code and inspecting logs on remote cloud instances or local dev VMs usually forces you to juggle terminal less commands, clunky SFTP GUI clients, or heavy IDE remote tunnels. VM File Viewer gives you a lightweight (under 3MB), retina-crisp macOS desktop interface designed purely for exploring and viewing remote filesystems at lightning speed.

Dual-Pane Finder Hierarchy

Collapsible directory tree on the left and full table/grid view on the right with instant search filtering, sortable columns, and breadcrumb path jumps.

Live Markdown & Text Editor

Double-click any remote markdown or text file to view formatted rich text or toggle split view with code editor. Hit Cmd+S to save directly back to the VM.

Quick Access Bookmarks

Pin frequently used directories on each VM with a single right-click. Quick Access bookmarks are automatically grouped by remote host.

In-App Visual Bug Reporter

Notice an issue? Right-click anywhere, crop an area of your screen, draw freehand notes, and file a GitHub issue directly without leaving the app.

Setting it up

Verify your SSH Key Setup

Confirm you have an SSH public key copied to your remote VM. If you haven't set this up yet, run:

ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub user@your-vm-ip

Test it in Terminal: ssh user@your-vm-ip. If it logs in immediately without asking for a password, your key authentication is active.

Install the App

Download and unzip VM-File-Viewer.zip, then drag VM File Viewer.app into your /Applications folder.

Connect and Explore

Launch VM File Viewer, click Connect in the top toolbar, enter your VM's hostname or IP, your username, and your private key path (defaults to ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 or ~/.ssh/id_rsa). Click Connect to start exploring.

Security & Zero Intermediaries

VM File Viewer communicates directly with your remote host via standard SSH port 22 (or your custom SSH port). No telemetry, no usage tracking, and no cloud relays exist between your Mac and your virtual machines. Your private SSH keys never leave your local machine.