sudo launchctl enable system/com.apple.tftpd sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/tftp.plist sudo launchctl bootstrap system /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/tftp.plist Step 5: Test It From the same Mac, run:
tftp 127.0.0.1 get somefile.txt quit If it connects, you’re live. Your TFTP root is /private/tftpboot .
brew install tftp-hpa Then run:
sudo mkdir -p /private/tftpboot sudo chmod 755 /private/tftpboot sudo chown root:wheel /private/tftpboot Apple moved to a restricted launchd setup. Enable the TFTP socket:
If you’re coming from the world of Cisco switch upgrades, VoIP phone firmware, or PXE network boots, you know the drill: you need a TFTP server . While Windows admins often scramble for third-party tools, macOS has a secret weapon—it comes with a built-in TFTP server.
ls /usr/libexec/tftpd If you see tftpd , you’re good to go. By default, macOS looks for files in /private/tftpboot . Create it and set permissions: