Bifrost is one of the very few macOS apps that manages Hyper-V directly. You don’t need to RDP into the host or sit at a Windows machine — Bifrost talks to Hyper-V over WinRM (the same channel PowerShell Remoting uses) and gives you a native interface for your virtual machines, checkpoints and virtual switches.
What you can do
- Virtual machines — list, start, stop, save, pause and reset; create and configure VMs (CPU, memory, generation, secure boot, network adapters).
- Console — open a VM’s raw console (VMConnect): its screen even before the guest OS boots or when it has no network. Send Ctrl+Alt+Del, or start a VM and open its console in one step.
- Checkpoints (snapshots) — create, apply and delete checkpoints, with the full checkpoint tree.
- Replication (Hyper-V Replica) — enable and configure replication (replica server, port, frequency, compression), then suspend, resume, resync, run a planned failover, or remove it — with live health and state.
- Virtual switches — create, rename, edit and remove the host’s virtual switches.
Before you start
Hyper-V uses the same plumbing as PowerShell Remoting, so the host side is identical. If a connection fails, work through the WinRM setup guide first. In short, on the Hyper-V host:
- Enable WinRM — in PowerShell as Administrator:
Enable-PSRemoting -Force - Make sure the network profile is Private or Domain, not Public.
- Connect with an account in the Hyper-V Administrators (or local Administrators) group.
1. Add a Hyper-V connection
In Bifrost, create a new connection and choose Hyper-V. Fill in:
- Host — the Hyper-V server’s name or IP.
- Username —
DOMAIN\usernametyped directly (e.g.CONTOSO\jdoe), or.\Administratorfor a local account. - Authentication — leave the default (NTLM works on domain and standalone hosts over HTTP and stays stable for hours). Use Kerberos only for a domain host reached by its FQDN.
Open the connection and Bifrost loads the host’s virtual machines.
2. Work with virtual machines
Select a VM to see its state, resources and configuration. The toolbar and context menu give you start / stop / save / pause / reset, and the detail panel lets you adjust CPU, memory, network adapters and boot settings. Bulk actions let you act on several VMs at once.
3. Open a VM’s console
Open a VM’s console to see its screen directly. This is VMConnect — Bifrost connects to the host on port 2179 with the VM’s ID — so it’s the raw console: it works even before the guest OS has booted, or when the VM has no network and RDP inside it isn’t possible. You can also start a VM and open its console in one step, and send Ctrl+Alt+Del from the menu.
4. Checkpoints (snapshots)
Open a VM’s checkpoint panel to create a checkpoint before a risky change, apply one to roll back, or delete old ones. The full checkpoint tree is shown, so you always know which state you’re on.
5. Replication (Hyper-V Replica)
Set up disaster recovery without leaving your Mac. Enable replication on a VM — pick the replica server, port, authentication, frequency and compression — and Bifrost configures Hyper-V Replica and starts the initial replication. From there you can suspend, resume or resync it, run a planned failover (optionally reversing replication and starting the VM on the replica), or remove replication. Health and state are shown live.
6. Virtual switches
Manage the host’s networking from the Switches tab: create a switch (external / internal / private), rename it, change its type or settings, or remove it — no need to open Hyper-V Manager on the host.
Free vs Pro
Hyper-V management is a Bifrost Pro feature (both viewing and actions). Every feature is unlocked during the 14-day free trial.
Troubleshooting
“Failed to connect.”
It’s almost always the Windows side. Run through the WinRM guide: WinRM enabled, network profile Private/Domain, correct DOMAIN\username.
Connects, but no VMs show. Your account isn’t a Hyper-V administrator on that host. Add it to the Hyper-V Administrators local group (or use an Administrator account) and reconnect.
“No route to host” on the first try. A macOS Local Network permission step, not a firewall. Allow Bifrost under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network and reconnect — see the dedicated note.
Still stuck? Get in touch — include the exact error text Bifrost shows.