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AutoFirma on Mac: what it is and how macDNIe relates to it
Guide updated: 20 July 2026
AutoFirma is the Spanish government's official e-signature application, and many government sites invoke it directly to sign a submission. macDNIe doesn't force it out: it's interoperable with AutoFirma, and it separately handles browser sign-in and standalone document signing on its own, without leaving your Mac.
What is AutoFirma?
AutoFirma is the e-signature client distributed free of charge by the Government of Spain. Many Spanish e-government sites (Agencia Tributaria, Social Security, DGT and others) invoke it from the browser when a submission needs to be signed on the spot. macDNIe is not AutoFirma or an official substitute for it: it's an independent application by nexoapex that reads your DNIe, signs you in and signs documents on its own.
Does macDNIe replace AutoFirma?
No. Sites that invoke AutoFirma directly to sign a submission still need it — that doesn't change. What macDNIe offers is interoperability with AutoFirma — it doesn't interfere with it, and you can have both installed on the same Mac — plus it independently handles two things that don't always require AutoFirma: signing in to a browser session, and signing a document that isn't part of a government-site submission flow.
When you use which
| Situation | What you use |
|---|---|
| Signing in to a government site from Safari, Chrome or Edge | macDNIe (native CryptoTokenKit integration) or AutoFirma, whichever the site asks for |
| Signing in to a government site from Firefox | macDNIe, via its PKCS#11 module (direct-download edition) |
| Signing a submission the site itself invokes on the spot | AutoFirma — the site calls it directly; macDNIe doesn't step in there |
| Signing a PDF or other document on your own (PAdES, CAdES, XAdES) | macDNIe, without going through any government site |
| Validating an already-signed document | macDNIe |
AutoFirma and macDNIe, side by side
| AutoFirma | macDNIe | |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | Government of Spain | nexoapex (unofficial product) |
| Price | Free | €10/year or €150 lifetime license |
| What it does | E-signature invoked by government sites | Reads the DNIe, signs you in to the browser, and signs documents with PAdES/CAdES/XAdES |
| Signature formats | PAdES, CAdES, XAdES | PAdES, CAdES, XAdES, with an RFC-3161 timestamp |
| Telemetry | Not covered by this comparison | Zero — no analytics, no identifiers, no "usage statistics" |
The AutoFirma row summarizes its public role and cost; for its full feature set, see the official source at firmaelectronica.gob.es.
Do I need to install Java for any of this?
Not for macDNIe: it's a native macOS application, with no Java, no system configuration and no profiles. You only need macOS 13 or later (Intel or Apple Silicon), a USB contact card reader, your DNIe and your PIN.
What about Firefox?
Firefox doesn't use the native macOS integration (CryptoTokenKit) that Safari, Chrome and Edge rely on. That's why macDNIe ships its own PKCS#11 module, available in the direct-download edition, so your DNIe certificate shows up in Firefox too.
More on what macDNIe does or how to get it. If you're looking for help with a blocked PIN or an expired certificate, see the blocked or expired PIN guide.
Does macDNIe replace AutoFirma?
No. It's interoperable with AutoFirma, not a forced replacement. Sites that invoke AutoFirma directly to sign still need it; macDNIe doesn't interfere and both can coexist on the same Mac.
Do I need to install Java to use macDNIe?
No. macDNIe is a native macOS application: no Java, no system configuration, no profiles. Just a Mac on macOS 13+, a USB contact card reader, your DNIe and your PIN.
Can I sign in to the Tax Agency or Social Security without AutoFirma?
In Safari, Chrome and Edge, yes: macDNIe uses macOS's native integration (CryptoTokenKit) so your certificate shows up in the browser's own dialog. In Firefox, macDNIe adds its own PKCS#11 module in the direct-download edition.
Does macDNIe work in Firefox, where AutoFirma can be trickier?
Yes. Firefox doesn't use macOS's native integration, so macDNIe includes its own PKCS#11 module — in the direct-download edition — so you can sign in from Firefox like any other browser.