How to start multiple TWS sessions on a Mac

Background: 

By default macOS does not allow the user to run multiple sessions of the same application. The following workaround can overcome this limitation in case you need to run the Trader Workstation for more than one user.

 

  • In case running different versions of the TWS is suitable to your needs, please follow the instructions on Procedure 1

  • In case you need multiple sessions of the same TWS version, please follow the instructions on Procedure 2

 

Procedure 1

1) Open the web page ibkr.com

2) Navigate to the menu Technology TWS Software.

3) First download and install one of the auto-updating TWS versions (TWS LATEST or TWS according to your preference).

4) Once you have completed the installation, download and install one of the offline versions (OFFLINE TWS LATEST or OFFLINE TWS according to your preference).

5) You will then see on your Desktop two different Trader Workstation icons. You can use the first shortcut to start the first TWS session and the second one to start the additional one (see Figure 1.). Note: the link containing the version number in the name is the OFFLINE version. This will be a version that needs periodical manual updates.

Figure 1.

 

 

 

 

Procedure 2

1) Launch the first session of the Trader Workstation using the TWS icon present on your Desktop. If you still do not have any Trader Workstation icon, please go to the web page ibkr.com and click on the menu Technology > TWS Software. Then download and install one of the TWS versions displayed.

2) Open the Finder and click on Applications on the left side menu. Then select Utilities and then launch Terminal (see Figure 2.).

Figure 2.

3) The Terminal will appear on the screen and will point to the home folder of your current macOS user. Then enter the commands listed below (see Figure 3.) on your Terminal. After each one, press ENTER on your keyboard.

cd Applications

cd Trader\ Workstation

open -n Trader\ Workstation.app

Figure 3.

4) The login window for your second TWS session will then appear on your Desktop. You can now close the Terminal.

 

Note: the procedure above presumes that the TWS executable is located in the following path: users/yourusername/home/Applications/Trader Workstation/Trader Workstation.app

If at the time you installed the TWS, you selected to install it for all the users of your system, then the TWS executable will be located here:

/Applications/Trader Workstation/Trader Workstation.app

and therefore you would need to issue the following commands in the Terminal:

cd /Applications

open -n Trader\ Workstation.app