Ollama setup on macOS

Follow these steps to allow the Cognito Chrome extension to connect to Ollama on your Mac.

1. Install Ollama

If you haven't already:

Download Ollama from ollama.com.
Open the downloaded .dmg, drag Ollama to Applications, and open it.
Optionally pull a model from the app or from Terminal: ollama pull llama3.2.

2. Set OLLAMA_ORIGINS

Ollama blocks connections from browser extensions by default. You need to tell Ollama which origins (websites / extensions) are allowed to connect. This is done by setting an environment variable called OLLAMA_ORIGINS.

There are two ways to do this on macOS. Read both and pick the one that works best for you.

Method A: Terminal command (quick, but resets on reboot)

Best for: Trying things out, or if you don't mind running a command after each reboot.

Open Terminal (press Cmd + Space, type "Terminal", press Enter) and run:

Bash

launchctl setenv OLLAMA_ORIGINS "*"

That's it. The value is now set for the current session.

Advantages:

Very quick — one command and you're done.
Easy to remember and type.

Disadvantages:

The setting is lost when you restart or shut down your Mac. You'll need to run the command again after every reboot.
If Ollama auto-starts at login, it may start before you open Terminal, so it won't see the value until you quit and reopen Ollama.

Method B: Launch Agent (automatic, persists across reboots) — Recommended

Best for: A permanent "set it and forget it" setup. Works even if you never open Terminal after rebooting.

A Launch Agent is a small file that tells macOS to run a command automatically every time you log in — before apps like Ollama start. This ensures Ollama always sees the correct OLLAMA_ORIGINS value.

Step 1 — Create the Launch Agent file

Open Terminal and paste this entire block, then press Enter:

Bash

mkdir -p ~/Library/LaunchAgents

cat > ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.ollama.origins.plist << 'EOF'
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN"
  "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
  <key>Label</key>
  <string>com.ollama.origins</string>
  <key>ProgramArguments</key>
  <array>
    <string>/bin/launchctl</string>
    <string>setenv</string>
    <string>OLLAMA_ORIGINS</string>
    <string>*</string>
  </array>
  <key>RunAtLoad</key>
  <true/>
</dict>
</plist>
EOF

Step 2 — Activate it

Still in Terminal, run:

Bash

launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.ollama.origins.plist

This registers the agent. From now on, macOS will run launchctl setenv OLLAMA_ORIGINS "*" automatically every time you log in.

Advantages:

Persists across reboots — you never need to touch it again.
Runs automatically at login, before Ollama starts, so Ollama always picks up the value.
No need to open Terminal after restarting your Mac.

Disadvantages:

Slightly more setup the first time (copy-pasting the block above).
If you ever want to change or remove the setting, you need to edit or delete the file (see "How to remove" below).

How to remove the Launch Agent (if needed):

Bash

launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.ollama.origins.plist
rm ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.ollama.origins.plist

Which value to use?

Value	Description	When to use
`*`	Allow all origins	Recommended for most users. Simple and safe — Ollama only listens locally.
`chrome-extension://bcejicipnpgpcbmnafmnlgmpdingjkdk`	Allow only the Cognito extension	Use if you want tighter access control. Update the ID if it changes.

Using * is recommended. Ollama only listens on 127.0.0.1 (your machine), so it is not exposed to the internet.

To use the extension-only value, replace * with chrome-extension://bcejicipnpgpcbmnafmnlgmpdingjkdk in the commands above. If you use a different build (e.g. unpacked), check the Cognito extension → Ollama panel for your extension's ID.

3. Restart Ollama

After setting OLLAMA_ORIGINS for the first time, you need to quit and reopen Ollama so it picks up the new value:

Find the Ollama icon in the menu bar (top-right of your screen).
Click the icon → choose Quit Ollama.
Open Ollama again from Applications or Spotlight (Cmd + Space → type "Ollama" → Enter).

You only need to do this once. After a reboot, Ollama will start with the correct value automatically (if you used Method B).

4. Verify the setting

To confirm OLLAMA_ORIGINS is set correctly, open Terminal and run:

Bash

launchctl getenv OLLAMA_ORIGINS

You should see * (or your chosen extension origin) printed. If it shows nothing, the variable isn't set yet — go back to Step 2.

5. Check that it works

Open the Cognito extension in Chrome.
Go to Ollama / provider settings and select Ollama.
Use Refresh or Check connection in the extension. It should show a successful connection and list your models.
Start a chat and choose an Ollama model.

Quick reference

Method	Persists across reboots?
A — Terminal command	No — resets on reboot
B — Launch Agent	Yes — automatic at login

Troubleshooting

Connection still fails after setting OLLAMA_ORIGINS: Make sure you quit and reopened Ollama after setting the variable. New env vars only apply to new processes.
launchctl getenv shows nothing: The variable isn't set in the GUI environment. Try running launchctl setenv OLLAMA_ORIGINS "*" again, or check that the Launch Agent file was created correctly.
echo $OLLAMA_ORIGINS shows * but extension still can't connect: echo shows your shell's variable, which is separate from the GUI/app environment. Use launchctl getenv OLLAMA_ORIGINS to check what Ollama actually sees.
Permission error: launchctl setenv doesn't need admin rights — run Terminal as your normal user.
Ollama not in PATH: If you installed via the app, ollama is usually in PATH. Otherwise use the full path (e.g. /Applications/Ollama.app/Contents/Resources/ollama).

After setup, pull more models with ollama pull <model> or from the Cognito extension's Ollama panel.