Uncork: frequently asked questions
Updated 29 September 2026 · Uncork version 0.16.2
Short answers to the questions we are asked most. If your answer is not here or feels incomplete, write to hello@uncork.win: a person replies.
The basics
What is Uncork?
Uncork is a paid Mac app for Apple Silicon (M1 and later, macOS 14 or later). It runs Windows games from Steam and the Epic Games Store through a compatibility layer, reads the mouse straight from the device and evens out frame delivery in single-player games. Three days free, then 5 € a month or 50 € a year. It is one person's private project, not a company.
How much does Uncork cost, and is there a free trial?
5 € a month or 50 € a year. The first three days are free: the count starts not at sign-up but the first time you sign in to the app on your Mac. There is one trial per Mac, so it is safe to create an account ahead of time. Pupils of a partner school get another week on top. You pay in your profile on the site when you decide to stay.
How can I pay, and can I get a refund?
Payment is by Telegram Stars or TON; a card is not available yet. Paid time is added to whatever you already have. For the first 14 days after a payment your money is returned with no reasons asked: write to hello@uncork.win and it goes back the way it came. Details are in the terms.
Which Macs does Uncork run on?
Any Mac with Apple Silicon: M1 and later, macOS 14 or later. It does not run on Intel Macs. Rosetta 2 is also required: until it is installed, the app will not let you create a bottle and shows an install button. We took our frame-rate measurements on one machine, a MacBook Pro 14″ with an M3 Pro and 18 GB, and on others they will differ.
Do I need a Steam account?
Yes, your own. Uncork installs the Windows version of Steam, you sign in to it yourself and install the games you bought. Your Steam password and Steam Guard code are entered only in the Steam window itself; Uncork does not ask for them, see them or store them. There is also an optional Steam Web API key, needed only so the library can show games you own but have not installed.
Safety and first launch
Is Uncork safe?
We try to make sure nothing happens silently: the app's log shows what it does during setup and launch (the install commands and the engine's output), and “Check environment” explains what is installed and what is broken. We never ask for your Steam password. The app is signed with an Apple Development certificate (not Developer ID) but not notarized by Apple, so the first launch needs a manual confirmation. Uncork does not bypass anti-cheats.
What permissions does Uncork ask for?
Two main ones, both optional. “Input Monitoring” is for reading the mouse directly: without it the driver behaves like the standard one. “Accessibility” is for the gamepad mode that moves the pointer on the Mac, and for friends mode. Without them games still start, just without those features. If you turn on the Spotify track in Assetto Corsa, macOS may also ask to let Uncork control Spotify.
Why will macOS not open Uncork on first launch?
Because the app is not notarized: notarization needs the paid Apple Developer Program, and we do not pay for it yet. Right-click and “Open” no longer help in recent versions of macOS. When macOS refuses the first time, press “Done” (not “Move to Trash”: that deletes the app). Then open System Settings, Privacy & Security, scroll to the Security section and press “Open Anyway”. A second, similar dialog appears: press “Open Anyway” there too, then confirm with Touch ID or an administrator password.
What data does Uncork store about you?
In short: the email and name you sign in with, an irreversible fingerprint of your computer that ties access to one Mac, payment records, the app version and anonymous step marks (for example that a game started, with no title or duration). We do not store your Steam password, your list of games or your play time, and the site has no counters or ads. The full list is in the privacy policy.
Games and compatibility
Which games work in Uncork?
We promise only what we have tested ourselves: Counter-Strike 2, BeamNG.drive, Assetto Corsa, MiSide and Tiny Bunny, and of the stores, Steam and the Epic Games Store. We know nothing about other games: without a kernel-level anti-cheat a game may or may not start, and we promise nothing. The full list with measurements, machine and dates is on the Games page.
Which games will not run?
Games with an anti-cheat that runs as a driver in the Windows kernel: Valorant, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Destiny 2, PUBG, Rainbow Six Siege and recent Call of Duty titles. It is not a setting or a bug: macOS has no Windows kernel. Uncork does not bypass such protection. Details and what to do instead are on the anti-cheat page.
Can I play Counter-Strike 2 on a Mac?
Yes. On a MacBook Pro 14″ with an M3 Pro we saw 100–120 fps on Dust II; the upper 120 is set by fps_max 120 in the game's config. Details, settings and limits are in the report CS2 on a Mac. VAC has not got in the way in our checks, but Valve does not officially support running the game this way, and nobody can promise you against account bans.
Does Logitech wheel force feedback work?
For the Logitech G923 in its PlayStation and PC version, yes: tested live in Assetto Corsa. The Xbox version has not been tested. The G29 is supported in code but not tested on real hardware, and other wheels have not been tested. Details are on the Assetto Corsa page.
Why does aim feel floaty on a Mac, and how is it fixed?
macOS delivers mouse movement to an app in batches once per display frame, so a 1000 Hz mouse turns into 120 events a second on a 120 Hz display. Uncork reads the mouse straight from the device. Measurements and code for developers are in the article “Why aim feels floaty on a Mac”.
Money and access
Does Uncork work offline?
Yes, for up to seven days. The driver key lives for a week, the app renews it itself while there is a network, and it never outlives your paid time by more than an hour. Without a connection for longer than a week games will not start until you go online once.
What happens if I stop paying?
Games stop launching when the paid time runs out. The app itself still opens and shows your library and settings. Everything on disk stays yours: the bottle, the Steam installed in it and the games. We erase and lock nothing; only launching through Uncork is switched off.
Can I move my access to another Mac?
Yes, but not by yourself: one access is tied to one Mac so that one code does not travel across several machines. Write to hello@uncork.win and we will release the binding.
What comes next
What happens to Uncork when Apple removes Rosetta?
According to Apple, macOS 27 is the last version with full Rosetta, and macOS 28 keeps only the part needed by older games. Uncork runs on top of Rosetta today, so this is the project's main risk: builds without Rosetta so far exist only as test previews and have no D3DMetal; we do not promise it. On macOS 27 Rosetta has to be reinstalled after the update; when it is missing, Uncork shows a banner with an “Install Rosetta” button (we have not yet tried it live on macOS 27).
How is Uncork different from Highball, Sikarugir and others?
The main difference is input: Uncork reads the mouse from the device (we found nothing like it in the apps we checked), evens out frames in single-player games, and gives a Logitech G923 wheel force feedback. Competitors have things we lack: being free, open source, notarization and a public compatibility database. The comparison with its date of checking is on the Compare page.
What can I use instead of Whisky?
Whisky is no longer maintained. There are free open-source apps and paid ones, Uncork among them. We have not tested moving bottles over from Whisky. Details are on the page “What to use instead of Whisky”.
Read next
- How to play Windows games on an Apple Silicon Mac: every method — every way to play Windows games on Apple Silicon, with price and limits
- Which games we have tested on a Mac — the games we have run ourselves, with frame rates, machine and date
- Apps for Windows games on a Mac, compared — price, licence, stores and notarization of nine apps as of 29 September 2026