How to Open a Blocked macOS App ("Apple Could Not Verify" Fix)
Seeing "Apple could not verify this app" on macOS? Here’s the quick way I open blocked apps safely using Privacy & Security settings.
Have you ever downloaded a macOS app from the internet, double-clicked it, and then seen this message:
App Not Opened
Apple could not verify app is free of malware that may harm your Mac or compromise your privacy.
And the only options available are:
- Move to Trash
- Done
No “Open Anyway.” No helpful button. Just… nothing useful.
This happened to me when I tried opening the old Mendeley Desktop app. macOS blocked it to “protect my Mac,” which sounds scary. But sometimes it just means the app isn’t notarized the way Apple wants.
The good news? You can still open it. Here’s exactly how I do it.
Not in the mood for reading? Watch the video instead.
Why macOS Blocks It
macOS has a security feature called Gatekeeper. If an app isn’t downloaded from the App Store or isn’t properly notarized, it gets blocked by default.
That doesn’t automatically mean the app is malicious. It just means macOS doesn’t recognize it as verified.
Most of the time, this happens with older macOS apps that are no longer maintained or have been abandoned by the developer. If you trust the source, there’s usually no problem or malicious content inside. You can override it safely.
How to Open a Blocked App
When you see the error message described above, follow these steps:
- Click Done (not Move to Trash)
- Open System Settings
- Go to Privacy & Security from the sidebar
- Scroll down until you see something like:
App was blocked to protect your Mac.
Apple could not verify app is free of malware that may harm your Mac or compromise your privacy.
- Click Open Anyway
- When another dialog appears, click Open Anyway again to confirm
- Authenticate with Touch ID or your password
And that’s it. The app will launch normally.
The next time you open it, macOS won’t block it again. You only need to do this once.
Quick Reminder
Just because you can bypass this doesn’t mean you always should. Only do this if:
- You downloaded the app from the official website
- You trust the source
- You know what the app is supposed to do
Don’t blindly bypass security warnings for random software. It could contain malicious code.
Video
Final Thoughts
This is one of those macOS moments where Apple tries to protect you but ends up being slightly annoying.
Once you know the trick: Privacy & Security → Open Anyway. It’s a 30-second fix.
Alright, that’s it for today. Thanks for reading, and see you next time 👋
