Parall

Running multiple instances of the same app on macOS has been a challenge since forever. Parall was created to solve this by enabling independent, isolated macOS app shortcuts that keep your data and settings separated - without scripts, system hacks, or background services.

Parall is the first macOS app of its kind to do this properly and natively.

Currently, full automatic data separation is supported only for Chrome-based browsers (such as Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Chromium). The list of supported apps will continue to expand over time as new app types are added. For all other apps, Parall allows adding custom command-line arguments to help you manually configure separate data directories, profiles, or sessions when supported by the target app.
You can also override the HOME environment directory, which may help certain apps store their data separately even if they don’t support profile arguments.

Parall makes it easier than ever to start multiple instances of the same macOS app - each with its own Dock icon and configuration - just as if they were separate apps. Instead of relying on workarounds or complex scripts, Parall creates independent shortcuts that launch apps in parallel, allowing you to use multiple profiles or sessions simultaneously.

Each shortcut remains directly connected to the original app bundle, meaning that whenever the original app is updated, all your Parall-created shortcuts automatically use the updated version as well. You never need to recreate or maintain them manually.

Parall is developed by Ihor July, a cybersecurity expert and reverse engineer dedicated to creating secure and privacy-respecting macOS tools.
He is also the developer behind DockLock Lite and DockLock Plus - trusted macOS utilities known for enhancing Dock functionality.
With deep expertise in macOS internals and sandboxing, Ihor designed Parall to empower users with isolated app environments without compromising security or privacy.

The app is built natively in C++ for performance and sandboxed for maximum safety. Parall reflects years of research and development focused on delivering practical, privacy-first solutions for macOS users.

The shortcuts created by Parall are standalone macOS app bundles that directly execute the target app’s binary. These shortcut bundles are not sandboxed - by design - because they must launch the original application directly without additional layers.

Each shortcut is unsigned since any modification to an app bundle removes its original signature. macOS may display a message suggesting the shortcut is “trying to modify another app,” but this is a generic system notification triggered by access, not by modification. Parall does not modify any system files or applications.

By design, Parall only creates shortcut bundles that mirror the original app structure and configuration. It never alters, injects, or writes into existing apps or the operating system, ensuring your Mac remains secure and unchanged.