FAQ Port Forwarder

Q1: Is it really free?
Yes. Port Forwarder is free, with no account, no license key and no feature limits.

Q2: Does it send my cluster data or kubeconfig anywhere?
No. The app only runs the kubectl on your computer against your own cluster. The only request it makes to us is the update check, which downloads a small version file.

Q3: It says kubectl was not found.
Install kubectl (brew install kubectl on a Mac, winget install -e --id Kubernetes.kubectl on Windows) and open the app again. On a Mac the app reads the PATH of your login shell, so a kubectl that works in Terminal is found.

Q4: Which clusters does it work with?
Any cluster that kubectl can reach: Amazon EKS, Google GKE, Azure AKS, Rancher, k3s, minikube, kind and others. Cloud login plugins (aws, gcloud, kubelogin) work as they do in your terminal.

Q5: The list is empty or shows "Forbidden".
Check the namespace in the header. When the namespace name is wrong, Kubernetes usually answers Forbidden instead of Not found. Then check the context: click the context name in the header and open the Contexts tab.

Q6: A forward says the local port is already in use.
Another program holds that port, often a kubectl left over from an earlier run. The row shows its name and PID. Click "Free port" to stop it and reconnect, or edit the row and choose another local port.

Q7: Can I forward a Service instead of a pod?
The app forwards to a running pod of the workload and picks a new pod when that one goes away, which is what a Service forward does under the hood, without dying when the pod is replaced.

Q8: Where are my settings stored?
In .port_forwarder.json in your home folder: services, presets, namespaces, theme and language. Copy that file to move your setup to another computer.

Q9: How do updates work?
The app checks for a new version in the background, downloads it, and asks you to restart. If you choose Later, the update installs the next time you quit.

Q10: Windows says the file is not commonly downloaded / SmartScreen warning.
The Windows installer is not code-signed yet. Click "More info" and then "Run anyway". The Mac app is signed and notarized by Apple.