Support

Ergo for macOS · requires macOS 15 or later

Trying Ergo without a cluster

On first launch Ergo creates a built-in sample cluster called prod-eks and selects it. It runs entirely inside the app — no network, no credentials, no account — and every feature works against it. It is the fastest way to see what Ergo does, and it stays available for as long as you keep it.

Connecting your own clusters

From a kubeconfig file

Add a connection and choose your kubeconfig. You can select several files at once and Ergo merges their contexts using the same precedence kubectl applies to KUBECONFIG: the first file to define a context name wins. Because Ergo runs in the macOS App Sandbox, it remembers each file through a security-scoped bookmark, so it keeps working across restarts without needing access to your whole home directory.

From EKS, GKE, or AKS

Sign in to the provider and Ergo discovers your accounts, projects, and clusters and mints cluster tokens itself — no cloud CLI, no exec credential plugin, nothing to install. Signing out clears the tokens Ergo holds. Note that Ergo cannot end your browser's own session with the provider; use the provider's sign-out for that, or "Use another account" to force the account chooser.

Common problems

A kubeconfig context using an exec credential plugin doesn't work

This is a real limitation, not a bug. Mac App Store apps run inside the App Sandbox and cannot launch arbitrary external binaries, which is exactly what an exec credential plugin is. Use Ergo's native EKS, GKE, or AKS sign-in instead — it replaces the plugin for those providers. For other plugin-based setups, a context with a static token or client certificate will work.

EKS: cluster discovery works, but the cluster returns 401

Discovery and TLS succeeding while the Kubernetes API returns 401 almost always means the cluster has no access entry for the IAM role you are actually signed in as. Ergo reports the exact principal it is signing with and the role ARN your EKS access entry needs to name — create the access entry for that ARN. Assumed-role session ARNs are not what EKS wants; Ergo shows you the underlying role ARN to use.

Terminal or port forwarding is unavailable

Pod exec and port forwarding use the Kubernetes WebSocket protocols, which older API server releases either lack or hide behind a feature gate. Ergo checks your cluster's version first and tells you which release or feature gate is needed rather than failing with an opaque socket error.

A terminal session says "Reconnecting…"

Ergo keeps exec sessions alive with keepalives and reconnects automatically with backoff if the connection drops. A clean exit or closing the window will not reconnect. If it never recovers, the pod has usually been replaced.

Subscriptions

Ergo Pro unlocks committing changes to a cluster; browsing and server-side dry runs are free. See the terms for the full subscription terms.

• Restore a subscription on a new Mac, or after reinstalling: open the paywall and choose Restore Purchases. Make sure you are signed in to the same Apple Account that bought it.
• Manage or cancel: App Store → your name → Account Settings → Manage Subscriptions. Cancelling takes effect at the end of the period you have already paid for.
• Refunds are handled by Apple, not by us — request one through Apple.
• When a subscription lapses, nothing is deleted. Your connections and settings stay exactly as they were.

Reporting a problem

Use the Help → Report a Problem… menu in Ergo, or contact Apple Support through the Mac App Store. Include your macOS version, the Ergo version from Settings → What's New, your Kubernetes server version, and what you expected to happen.

If the problem is a crash or a hang, open Settings → Diagnostics and use Share Diagnostics… to save the on-device report. Ergo never uploads diagnostics on its own — that export is the only way they leave your Mac, so nothing reaches us unless you send it.

Contact

For everything else, reach out through the Mac App Store page or the Help menu in Ergo. For anything about your data, see the privacy policy.