Mac Support
This guide helps you use the Dev Chip Board on macOS (including M1/M2 models). There are two possible behaviors when connecting the board.
- Scenario A – macOS Recognizes the Board Automatically
- Scenario B – macOS Does Not Recognize the Device
Scenario A – macOS Recognizes the Board Automatically
✅ Steps:
1. Connect the Dev Chip Board to a USB port on your Mac.
2. A dialog box will appear:
“Do you want to allow Silicon Labs CP2105 Dual USB to UART Bridge Controller to connect to this Mac?”
3. Click Allow or Always Allow.
4. To avoid this dialog showing every time:
- Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessories
- Change "Allow accessories to connect" to "Always Ask" or "Automatically" depending on your preference.
5. You can confirm that the board is recognized:
- Open System Information → USB
- Look for CP2105 Dual USB to UART Bridge Controller.
6. Optionally, use the Terminal:
ls /dev/cu.*7. Check for /dev/cu.SLAB_USBtoUART.
Done! Now, open ChipInventor and you should see the message:
“✅ ChipLoader is Ready!”
Scenario B – macOS Does Not Recognize the Device
If no prompt appears and the board is not listed in /dev/cu.*, follow the steps below to manually install the CP210x driver.
Follow the steps:
a) Download the Driver
-
Go to: https://www.silabs.com/developers/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers
-
Select the macOS version compatible with your system.
-
Download the .dmg file.
b) Install the Driver
1. Open the .dmg file.
2. Launch the .pkg installer.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions:
- Click Continue
- Accept the license
- Click Install
4. Restart your Mac.
c) Allow System Extension (if blocked)
1. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security
2. If you see a message like:
System software from developer ‘Silicon Labs’ was blocked
Click Allow
3. Restart again if requested.
d) Reconnect and Verify
1. Reconnect the Dev Chip Board.
2. Allow access if prompted.
3. Run:
ls /dev/cu.* Make sure /dev/cu.SLAB_USBtoUART appears.
4. Check in System Information → USB as well.
e) Final Step: Test with ChipInventor
1. Open ChipInventor → go to the Synthesis tab.
2. If all is working, you’ll see:
ChipLoader is Ready!