Need a hand? Open an issue at github.com/smandable/Saddle (opens in new tab) or email support@seanmandable.me and I’ll get back to you.
Saddle lists your external drives in the menu bar and mounts or unmounts one, or a whole group, in one click. It’s free, and it runs on macOS 13.5 (Ventura) or later.
Frequently asked questions
Is my data private? Yes. Saddle collects nothing, and its only network request is the update check, which asks GitHub for the latest version number. See the Privacy Policy.
How do I install Saddle?
Download the .dmg from GitHub Releases (opens in new tab), open it, and drag Saddle to Applications. Or install it with Homebrew: brew tap smandable/tap && brew install --cask saddle.
How do I mount or unmount a group of drives? In Settings ▸ Groups, create a group and check the drives that belong to it. The group then gets its own submenu in the menu bar, with Mount All and Unmount All for just those drives.
Can Saddle mount or unmount drives on its own? Yes, at launch and when your Mac wakes. Each group has a launch action (mount, unmount, or none) in Settings ▸ Groups. It runs at launch while Run group actions automatically at launch is on (on by default), and on wake if you turn on Run group actions automatically on wake (off by default). In Settings ▸ General you can also turn on Mount all drives automatically at launch or Unmount all drives automatically at launch, and the same pair for wake (all off by default). To start Saddle when you log in, turn on Start Saddle at login (off by default).
What does Preserve manual mount state do? When it’s on, the automatic Mount all and Unmount all at launch and on wake skip any drive you mounted or unmounted yourself in Saddle. In Settings ▸ General, turn on Preserve manual mount state (off by default).
How do I keep Saddle away from a drive? In Settings ▸ Drives, check Excluded next to the drive. Saddle moves it to the Excluded Drives submenu and leaves it out of every Mount All and Unmount All. To bring it back, choose Re-include for it in that submenu.
Can I rename a drive? Yes. Type an alias next to the drive in Settings ▸ Drives, and the menu shows the alias. The drive’s own name doesn’t change.
A drive won’t unmount. A file on it is probably still open in another app. Close the file or the app and try again. You can also turn on Force unmount (eject even if files are in use) in Settings ▸ General (off by default), but an app that still has a file open on the drive can lose unsaved changes.
The menu says Helper not responding. Choose Reconnect Helper in the menu. Saddle mounts and unmounts drives through SaddleHelper, a small helper inside the app, and Reconnect Helper restarts it. If it keeps happening, open an issue (opens in new tab).
How do I update Saddle?
Choose Check for Updates… in the menu. If there’s a newer version, Download opens its release page. To check each time Saddle starts, turn on Check for updates automatically in Settings ▸ General (off by default). With Homebrew, run brew upgrade --cask saddle.
How do I uninstall Saddle?
Quit Saddle and drag it from Applications to the Trash. Your settings stay in ~/Library/Application Support/Saddle/ until you delete that folder. With Homebrew, run brew uninstall --cask saddle.