Your Mac won't let you open an app you downloaded
Gatekeeper is macOS's security feature. If you trust the app's source, right-click the app and click Open. This gives you a button to override the warning. Only do this for apps from sources you trust.
Gatekeeper verifies that apps are safe before letting them run. When you download an app, your Mac checks if it's trusted. If the app isn't signed by Apple or a known developer, Gatekeeper blocks it to protect you. You can override this if you trust the source.
- ✓Know where you downloaded the app from
- ✓Have confirmed it's from a trusted source
- ✓Be ready to right-click instead of double-click
Fix-IT-Bot will walk you through each step, just tap, no typing needed.
Skip, I just want a technicianCommon mistakes to avoid
- Double-clicking the app repeatedly instead of right-clicking — only right-click shows the Open button
- Changing security settings to Allow Anywhere instead of just overriding one app — this disables Gatekeeper entirely
- Not checking the app source before bypassing Gatekeeper
Signs you need professional help
- You can't check if an app is legitimate or safe. Gatekeeper blocks an official App Store app — that's unusual. An app worked before but is now blocked — it can be corrupted.
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