---
title: 'X11 forwarding from Linux to Mac over SSH'
url: 'https://www.linuxserver.io/blog/2014-01-19-x11-forwarding-from-linux-to-mac-over-ssh'
markdown: 'https://www.linuxserver.io/blog/2014-01-19-x11-forwarding-from-linux-to-mac-over-ssh.md'
date: '2014-01-19'
description: 'There comes a point where it is useful to run Linux GUI apps elsewhere every once in a while and in my case virt-manager. Thus I set about figuring out how to use X11 forwarding from Arch Linux to Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks. This is how it’s done. Linux side configuration As usual, most of this inform…'
taxonomy:
  tag:
    - '10.9'
    - Apple
    - 'arch linux'
    - Mac
---

# X11 forwarding from Linux to Mac over SSH

There comes a point where it is useful to run Linux GUI apps elsewhere every once in a while and in my case virt-manager. Thus I set about figuring out how to use X11 forwarding from Arch Linux to Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks. This is how it’s done.

## Linux side configuration

As usual, most of this information comes from the fantastic Arch wiki [post here](https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Secure_Shell#X11_forwarding).

First you’ll need to install SSH if you havn’t already and set a root password.

```
pacman -S openssh 
systemctl enable sshd 
systemctl start sshd
```

Next edit a couple of config files under /etc/ssh first *ssh**d**\_config*

- Enable the **AllowTcpForwarding**
- Enable the **X11Forwarding**
- Set the **X11DisplayOffset**
- Enable the **X11UseLocalhost**

Next \*ssh\_config\***note the subtle file name differences.**

- Enable the **ForwardX11** option in `ssh_config`

Then restart SSH for these changes to take effect.

```
systemctl restart sshd
```

We are done on the Linux side now, time to move over to your Mac.

## Mac configuration

I use a program called XQuartz to do this which is [available here](http://xquartz.macosforge.org/landing/).

Download and install it then log out and in again.

Next load up your terminal client and connect to your Linux box with an ssh command with the -X option as follows:

```
ssh -X root@123.123.123.123
```

Once you’re in you should be able to load X based applications, in my instance I simply installed virt-manager via pacman and ran it from the command line with:

```
virt-manager
```

This was the outcome.

![Screen Shot 2014-01-19 at 12.41.31](https://www.linuxserver.io/user/pages/content/images/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2014-01-19-at-12_41_31_qcdhmh.png)

---

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- Parent: [Blog](https://www.linuxserver.io/blog.md)
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