HexCodeYT · Jul 26, 2026 · Jul 26, 2026
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@ PlainLink watches the clipboard and removes known tracking parameters before you
 
 PlainLink accepts links with or without `https://` and keeps the original form.
 
-## Install Preview 4
+## Install Preview 5
 
-Preview 4 is for technical testers with an Apple silicon Mac. It is ad-hoc signed but not notarized, so macOS may incorrectly say the app is damaged. A normal drag-and-drop install will not bypass that warning.
+Preview 5 is for technical testers with an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 11 or later. It is ad-hoc signed but not notarized, so macOS may incorrectly say the app is damaged. A normal drag-and-drop install will not bypass that warning.
 
-1. Download `PlainLink-0.1.0-preview.4-macos-arm64.zip` from [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/HexCodeYT/PlainLink/releases).
+1. Download `PlainLink-0.1.0-preview.5-macos-arm64.zip` from [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/HexCodeYT/PlainLink/releases).
 2. Unzip it and drag `PlainLink.app` into `/Applications`.
 3. Run these commands in Terminal:
 
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ open dist/PlainLink.app
 
 The smoke test builds the Rust CLI and native Swift/AppKit menu bar app, verifies the app bundle and its embedded binaries, and writes `dist/PlainLink.app`.
 
-To package a local Preview 4 ZIP:
+To package a local Preview 5 ZIP:
 
 ```sh
-PLAINLINK_RELEASE_VERSION=v0.1.0-preview.4 scripts/package-macos-app.sh
+PLAINLINK_RELEASE_VERSION=v0.1.0-preview.5 scripts/package-macos-app.sh
 ```
 
 ## Use the CLI

diff --git a/docs/LAUNCH.md b/docs/LAUNCH.md
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ Secondary angles by audience:
 - [ ] Enable GitHub Discussions for rule requests, testing reports, ideas, and show-and-tell posts.
 - [x] Confirm the issue templates cover missing rules, false positives, app bugs, and feature requests.
 
-Preview 3 established the public download path. Preview 4 replaces it for launch because it refreshes an older installed watcher automatically.
+Preview 5 is the launch build. It includes Preview 4's automatic watcher refresh and explicitly targets macOS 11 in both bundled Mach-O executables.
 
 ## Landing page requirements
 
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ Ask for broken URLs and false positives. Do not ask for stars.
 Title:
 
 ```text
-Show HN: PlainLink - a local-first URL cleaner with a Rust core and native Mac app
+Show HN: PlainLink - a native Mac app that strips tracking from copied URLs
 ```
 
 Submit this repository URL, not a storefront or checkout page:

diff --git a/docs/RELEASE.md b/docs/RELEASE.md
@@ -11,16 +11,16 @@ Current status: release automation exists, but this repository does not currentl
 Use this for technical testers:
 
 ```sh
-PLAINLINK_RELEASE_VERSION=v0.1.0-preview.4 scripts/package-macos-app.sh
+PLAINLINK_RELEASE_VERSION=v0.1.0-preview.5 scripts/package-macos-app.sh
 ```
 
 This produces an ad-hoc-signed zip and checksum in `dist/packages/`. macOS Gatekeeper will warn users because the app is not signed with a Developer ID certificate and is not notarized.
 
 Preview artifacts include the preview suffix in the filename, for example:
 
 ```text
-dist/packages/PlainLink-0.1.0-preview.4-macos-arm64.zip
-dist/packages/PlainLink-0.1.0-preview.4-macos-arm64.zip.sha256
+dist/packages/PlainLink-0.1.0-preview.5-macos-arm64.zip
+dist/packages/PlainLink-0.1.0-preview.5-macos-arm64.zip.sha256
 ```
 
 ### Signed regular-user release
@@ -99,10 +99,10 @@ scripts/publish-github-release.sh v0.1.0
 For preview releases, the publish script expects preview-named artifacts and falls back to the base version notes if preview-specific notes do not exist:
 
 ```sh
-PLAINLINK_RELEASE_VERSION=v0.1.0-preview.4 scripts/package-macos-app.sh
-git tag -a v0.1.0-preview.4 -m "PlainLink v0.1.0 Preview 4"
-git push origin v0.1.0-preview.4
-scripts/publish-github-release.sh v0.1.0-preview.4
+PLAINLINK_RELEASE_VERSION=v0.1.0-preview.5 scripts/package-macos-app.sh
+git tag -a v0.1.0-preview.5 -m "PlainLink v0.1.0 Preview 5"
+git push origin v0.1.0-preview.5
+scripts/publish-github-release.sh v0.1.0-preview.5
 ```
 
 The publish script creates a draft GitHub Release with:

diff --git a/docs/releases/v0.1.0-preview.5.md b/docs/releases/v0.1.0-preview.5.md
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# PlainLink v0.1.0 Preview 5
+
+PlainLink v0.1.0 Preview 5 is an ad-hoc-signed, unnotarized technical preview for Apple silicon Macs running macOS 11 or later.
+
+## Fixes
+
+- Corrects the Swift menu-bar executable's Mach-O minimum deployment target from macOS 27.0 to macOS 11.0.
+- Adds a packaging check that verifies both bundled executables match `LSMinimumSystemVersion` before an artifact is created.
+- Retains Preview 4's automatic watcher refresh, schemeless-link cleaning, and pause-state behavior.
+
+## Installation
+
+Because this preview is not Developer ID-signed or notarized, macOS may incorrectly report that the downloaded app is damaged. Follow the exact quarantine-removal instructions in the repository README.
+
+Expected artifact names:
+
+```text
+PlainLink-0.1.0-preview.5-macos-arm64.zip
+PlainLink-0.1.0-preview.5-macos-arm64.zip.sha256
+```
+
+## Tester Ask
+
+If you are running macOS 11 through macOS 26, please confirm that the menu-bar app launches and starts cleaning after installation.
diff --git a/scripts/build-macos-app.sh b/scripts/build-macos-app.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ SWIFT_SOURCE="$ROOT_DIR/app/macos/PlainLinkMenu/Sources/PlainLinkMenu.swift"
 INFO_PLIST="$ROOT_DIR/packaging/macos/PlainLink.app/Contents/Info.plist"
 SWIFT_MODULE_CACHE="$ROOT_DIR/target/swift-module-cache"
 ICON_FILE="$RESOURCES_DIR/PlainLink.icns"
+MIN_MACOS_VERSION="11.0"
+SWIFT_TARGET="$(uname -m)-apple-macosx$MIN_MACOS_VERSION"
 
 if [ "$(uname -s)" != "Darwin" ]; then
   echo "PlainLink.app can only be built on macOS." >&2
@@ -39,7 +41,7 @@ mkdir -p "$MACOS_DIR" "$RESOURCES_DIR" "$SWIFT_MODULE_CACHE"
 
 cp "$INFO_PLIST" "$CONTENTS_DIR/Info.plist"
 "$ROOT_DIR/scripts/generate-macos-icon.sh" "$ICON_FILE"
-swiftc -O -framework AppKit -module-cache-path "$SWIFT_MODULE_CACHE" "$SWIFT_SOURCE" -o "$MACOS_DIR/PlainLinkMenu"
+swiftc -O -target "$SWIFT_TARGET" -framework AppKit -module-cache-path "$SWIFT_MODULE_CACHE" "$SWIFT_SOURCE" -o "$MACOS_DIR/PlainLinkMenu"
 cp "$ROOT_DIR/target/release/plainlink" "$MACOS_DIR/plainlink"
 
 chmod 755 "$MACOS_DIR/PlainLinkMenu" "$MACOS_DIR/plainlink"

diff --git a/scripts/test-macos-app.sh b/scripts/test-macos-app.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ INFO_PLIST="$APP_DIR/Contents/Info.plist"
 ICON_FILE="$APP_DIR/Contents/Resources/PlainLink.icns"
 ICON_CHECK_DIR="$ROOT_DIR/target/macos-icon-check.iconset"
 
+minimum_macos_version() {
+  xcrun vtool -show-build "$1" | awk '$1 == "minos" { print $2; exit }'
+}
+
 "$ROOT_DIR/scripts/build-macos-app.sh"
 
 test -d "$APP_DIR"
@@ -19,6 +23,17 @@ test -s "$ICON_FILE"
 
 plutil -lint "$INFO_PLIST" >/dev/null
 codesign --verify --deep --strict --verbose=2 "$APP_DIR"
+PLIST_MIN_OS=$(/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Print :LSMinimumSystemVersion" "$INFO_PLIST")
+MENU_MIN_OS=$(minimum_macos_version "$MENU_BIN")
+CLI_MIN_OS=$(minimum_macos_version "$CLI_BIN")
+test "$MENU_MIN_OS" = "$PLIST_MIN_OS" || {
+  echo "PlainLinkMenu minimum macOS version is $MENU_MIN_OS; expected $PLIST_MIN_OS" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
+test "$CLI_MIN_OS" = "$PLIST_MIN_OS" || {
+  echo "plainlink minimum macOS version is $CLI_MIN_OS; expected $PLIST_MIN_OS" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
 rm -rf "$ICON_CHECK_DIR"
 iconutil -c iconset -o "$ICON_CHECK_DIR" "$ICON_FILE"
 test -s "$ICON_CHECK_DIR/icon_512x512.png"

diff --git a/tests/macos_app_bundle.rs b/tests/macos_app_bundle.rs
@@ -57,10 +57,14 @@ fn macos_menu_app_assets_are_wired() {
     assert!(build_script.contains("cargo build --release"));
     assert!(build_script.contains("scripts/generate-macos-icon.sh"));
     assert!(build_script.contains("swiftc"));
+    assert!(build_script.contains("MIN_MACOS_VERSION=\"11.0\""));
+    assert!(build_script.contains("-target \"$SWIFT_TARGET\""));
     assert!(build_script.contains("-module-cache-path"));
     assert!(build_script.contains("codesign --force --sign -"));
     assert!(test_script.contains("--smoke-test"));
     assert!(test_script.contains("plutil -lint"));
+    assert!(test_script.contains("vtool -show-build"));
+    assert!(test_script.contains("LSMinimumSystemVersion"));
     assert!(test_script.contains("PlainLink.icns"));
     assert!(test_script.contains("codesign --verify --deep --strict"));
     assert!(test_script.contains("icon_512x512.png"));