Safely open apps on your Mac

macOS includes a technology called Gatekeeper, that'southward designed to ensure that only trusted software runs on your Mac.

The safest place to get apps for your Mac is theApp Shop. Apple reviews each app in the App Store earlier it'due south accepted and signs it to ensure that it hasn't been tampered with or altered. If there's ever a trouble with an app, Apple can quickly remove it from the store.

If you lot download and install apps from the internet or directly from a developer, macOS continues to protect your Mac. When you install Mac apps, plug-ins, and installer packages from exterior the App Store, macOS checks the Developer ID signature to verify that the software is from an identified developer and that it has not been contradistinct. By default, macOS Catalina and later also requires software to be notarized, so y'all tin be confident that the software y'all run on your Mac doesn't comprise known malware. Before opening downloaded software for the first time, macOS requests your approving to make sure you aren't misled into running software you didn't expect.


Running software that hasn't been signed and notarized may expose your computer and personal information to malware that can impairment your Mac or compromise your privacy.

The alarm messages displayed beneath are examples, and it's possible that yous could meet a similar message that isn't displayed here. Please use caution if yous choose to install any software for which your Mac displays an alert.

View the app security settings on your Mac

By default, the security and privacy preferences of your Mac are ready to allow apps from the App Store and identified developers. For additional security, you tin chose to allow only apps from the App Shop.

In Organisation Preferences, click Security & Privacy, so click General. Click the lock and enter your password to make changes. Select App Store under the header "Allow apps downloaded from."

Security preferences window with Allow apps downloaded from: App Store selected

Open a developer-signed or notarized app

If your Mac is set to allow apps from the App Store and identified developers, the first time that you launch a new app, your Mac asks if you're certain you want to open it.

An app that has been notarized by Apple tree indicates that Apple checked it for malicious software and none was detected.

Notarized app alert

If yous come across a warning message and can't install an app

If you lot take fix your Mac to let apps only from the App Store and you lot endeavour to install an app from elsewhere, your Mac will say that the app tin can't be opened because it was not downloaded from the App Store.*

macOS alert window: App can't be opened because it was not downloaded from the App Store.

If your Mac is gear up to allow apps from the App Store and identified developers, and you try to install an app that isn't signed by an identified developer and—in macOS Catalina and later—notarized by Apple, yous besides see a alert that the app cannot be opened.

macOS alert window: App cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified.

If yous come across this alarm, it means that the app was not notarized, and Apple could not scan the app for known malicious software.

You may want to look for an updated version of the app in the App Shop or expect for an alternative app.

If macOS detects a malicious app

If macOS detects that software has malicious content or its authorization has been revoked for whatsoever reason, your Mac will notify yous that the app will impairment your reckoner. You should move this app to the Trash and check "Report malware to Apple to protect other users."

macOS malware app alert

If you lot desire to open an app that hasn't been notarized or is from an unidentified developer

Running software that hasn't been signed and notarized may expose your computer and personal data to malware that can impairment your Mac or compromise your privacy. If yous're certain that an app you want to install is from a trustworthy source and hasn't been tampered with, y'all can temporarily override your Mac security settings to open it.

If you lot still want to open an app for which the developer cannot be verified, open up System Preferences.*

Go to Security & Privacy. Click the Open Anyhow push button in the General pane to ostend your intent to open or install the app.

Security & Privacy System Preference window with "Open Anyway" button

The warning prompt reappears, and if y'all're absolutely sure you want to open the app anyhow, you can click Open.

macOS bypass unverified developer alert

The app is now saved as an exception to your security settings, and you tin can open up information technology in the future by double-clicking it, only equally you can any authorized app.

Privacy protections

macOS has been designed to keep users and their data safety while respecting their privacy.

Gatekeeper performs online checks to verify if an app contains known malware and whether the developer'due south signing certificate is revoked. We have never combined information from these checks with information virtually Apple users or their devices. Nosotros exercise non use information from these checks to learn what individual users are launching or running on their devices.

Notarization checks if the app contains known malware using an encrypted connexion that is resilient to server failures.

These security checks accept never included the user'south Apple tree ID or the identity of their device. To further protect privacy, we accept stopped logging IP addresses associated with Developer ID certificate checks, and we will ensure that any nerveless IP addresses are removed from logs.

In addition, over the the next yr we will introduce several changes to our security checks:

  • A new encrypted protocol for Developer ID document revocation checks
  • Potent protections against server failure
  • A new preference for users to opt out of these security protections

* If you're prompted to open the app in Finder and you're sure you desire to open information technology despite the alert, you lot tin control-click the app, cull Open from the menu, and and then click Open in the dialog that appears. Enter your admin proper name and password to open the app.

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