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Use two separate macOS controls for two separate questions. To see whether Gatekeeper currently accepts an app, run spctl -vvv --assess --type exec "/path/to/Application.app". To remove access the app already has to protected data or hardware, open Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security, select the relevant category, and switch the app off. If you want macOS to ask again next time instead of leaving access disabled, use tccutil reset <service> <bundle-id>.
These checks are related but not interchangeable. Gatekeeper assessment concerns the app’s signing, notarization evidence and the Mac’s active security policy. Privacy controls concern what the app may access after it is running.
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What notarization tells you—and what it does not
Apple notarization is an automated service for submitted software. Apple Developer Documentation describes it this way: “The Apple notary service is an automated system that scans your software for malicious content, checks for code-signing issues, and returns the results to you quickly.” A successful notarization produces a ticket that macOS can use when evaluating distributed software.
Notarization is not the same as App Review, and it is not a guarantee that an app is harmless. It does not establish that the developer’s intentions are good, that the download came from a trustworthy source, or that the app will remain safe after a later update. Code signing and notarization also serve different purposes:
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- Code signing helps identify the developer and lets macOS detect whether signed content was altered.
- Notarization indicates that Apple scanned a submitted software item and issued a ticket.
- Gatekeeper assessment applies the Mac’s current security policies to the item at the time you check it.
Consequently, a local “accepted” result is useful evidence about what this Mac will allow under its current policy, but it is not an on-demand malware scan or a safety certificate. A developer can distribute an app that is signed but not notarized, and a notarized submission can still be a poor fit for your needs or request more access than you want to grant.
Check the app with Gatekeeper’s local assessment
Run the documented spctl command
Open Terminal and run:
spctl -vvv --assess --type exec "/path/to/Application.app"- Replace
/path/to/Application.appwith the actual path to the app bundle. Keep quotation marks if the path contains spaces. - Assess the actual application bundle, not an installer archive, a disk image, or an alias pointing somewhere unexpected.
- Run the command without changing the app’s contents or moving it during the check.
- Read the verbose result. It can report whether the item was accepted and identify the assessment source.
The --type exec option asks Gatekeeper to assess an executable application. The -vvv option requests verbose output so you can see more of the decision than a simple pass or fail. Save the output if you are comparing a developer’s update with an older copy or documenting what your Mac accepted at a particular time.
Interpret the result in context
spctl evaluates the app against the policies currently in effect on that Mac. System configuration, administrator settings and mobile-device-management restrictions can change what is accepted. A result that is accepted on one Mac is therefore not a universal statement about every Mac.
An accepted assessment means the current Gatekeeper policy accepts the item. It does not mean that Apple has just scanned the app, that every component is safe, or that the download source is trustworthy. Conversely, a rejection tells you that the app does not satisfy the active policy; it does not by itself identify the exact reason or prove that the app is malicious.
Use the command as one part of a decision. Confirm that the download came from the developer or another source you deliberately trust, check whether the developer offers a current build, and consider what the app will do once it is running. None of those questions is answered by a single line of spctl output.
| Question | Control | What it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Will this Mac accept the app under its active security rules? | spctl -vvv --assess --type exec |
A local Gatekeeper policy assessment, including an accepted result and assessment source when reported. |
| What protected resources may the app use? | System Settings > Privacy & Security | Which privacy categories currently grant the app access. |
| Should macOS ask for consent again? | tccutil reset <service> <bundle-id> |
Clears a remembered authorization so a later request can prompt again. |
When macOS says it cannot verify the app
“Apple cannot check [app] for malicious software”
This alert means macOS cannot complete its normal verification for the app. Apple’s recommended first response is to contact the developer or look for an updated or alternative app, rather than treating the warning as evidence that the software is safe.
“The app developer cannot be verified”
This wording indicates that macOS cannot verify the developer in the way required by the current policy. Check where the app came from, whether the developer provides a newer signed or notarized build, and whether the download was altered. The warning is a reason to pause, not a shortcut to determining notarization.
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Do not confuse the alert with a privacy prompt. The alert concerns whether macOS can establish the app’s launch trust under current policy. A privacy prompt appears when an already-running app requests a controlled resource. You may encounter either message, both messages, or neither, depending on the app and the Mac’s configuration.
Use Open Anyway only as a deliberate exception
If you are certain the app came from a trustworthy source and has not been tampered with, Apple documents this override sequence:
- Try to open the app once so macOS records the blocked launch.
- Open Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security.
- Scroll to the security section and select Open Anyway for the blocked app.
- Review the warning and confirm only if you accept the risk.
The exception allows later launches of that app. It does not prove that the app is notarized, does not turn off all Gatekeeper protections and does not replace checking the download source. It also does not grant the app access to your files, camera, microphone or other protected resources; those are controlled separately by Privacy & Security.
If the Open Anyway control is unavailable, a work- or school-managed Mac may be enforcing a restriction. The exact location and wording can vary by macOS release. Do not treat a missing button as a reason to weaken other security settings or to use a broad Terminal reset.
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See and turn off an app’s privacy permissions
Use System Settings for an ongoing denial
For current macOS releases, go to Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security. Select the category that corresponds to the resource you want to protect, then switch the listed app’s access off. Categories vary by macOS version and by the resource involved.
For folder-level access, choose Files & Folders. macOS can show separate switches for particular locations, allowing you to turn the app’s access on or off for those locations rather than changing unrelated permissions. This is useful when an app only needs one work folder but should not continue accessing other listed locations.
- Open System Settings from the Apple menu.
- Select Privacy & Security in the sidebar.
- Choose the relevant privacy category.
- Locate the app in the list. Authenticate if macOS asks for an administrator password or another approval.
- Turn the app’s switch off, or disable only the listed folder or resource you no longer want it to use.
- Quit and relaunch the app if it was running, then test the function that previously used the protected resource.
Turning a switch off is the appropriate choice when you want the denial to remain in place. The app may continue running but lose features that depend on the blocked resource. For example, an app denied access to a particular folder may still open, while a feature that reads or writes that folder stops working. macOS may show a new permission prompt if the app later requests access and the system considers that request eligible for user approval.
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Review only the category and location you intend to change. Turning off one folder entry is narrower than turning off every entry for the app, and leaving unrelated categories untouched preserves the principle of granting the minimum access required for the app’s job.
Older macOS labels
Older releases use System Preferences instead of System Settings and may label the pane Security & Privacy. The categories and exact wording can differ. If a category or app is not shown, that absence may reflect the macOS release, the resource involved, or a management policy rather than a technical failure.
Managed Macs
On a Mac controlled by an employer or school, an administrator can restrict privacy changes or hide controls. Do not assume that a missing switch means the app has no access. Check with the administrator who manages the device before attempting broad resets or policy changes. Management can affect both Gatekeeper decisions and the privacy controls available to the logged-in user.
Reset a remembered privacy decision with tccutil
Reset one service for one app
Apple documents this command pattern:
tccutil reset <service> <bundle-id>For example:
tccutil reset Calendar com.example.companyReplace Calendar with the actual privacy service and com.example.company with the app’s real bundle identifier. The example is a pattern, not a command to run unchanged for every app. A wrong service name or bundle identifier will not reset the decision you intended to change, so check each value before pressing Return.
A successful reset clears the remembered authorization. The next time the app requests that service, macOS can present a consent prompt again. Resetting is therefore useful when you want to reassess the request, troubleshoot a stuck or incorrect consent decision, or hand control back to the next prompt.
Reset versus deny
| Goal | Preferred method | Result | Scope | Ease |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keep the app from using a resource | Privacy & Security switch | Access remains turned off until changed. | The selected category, resource or folder for the listed app. | Graphical settings control. |
| Make macOS ask again | tccutil reset <service> <bundle-id> |
Stored consent is cleared; a later request can prompt again. | One service and, when the bundle ID is supplied, one app. | Terminal command. |
| Clear decisions broadly | A broad tccutil reset |
Multiple apps or resources may lose remembered decisions. | Potentially all apps or all resources covered by the reset. | Use only when that broad outcome is intentional. |
Do not use a broad reset when you only need to change one app. Apple also documents reset forms that affect all apps or all resources; those can create many new prompts and make it harder to tell which app requested access. A service-specific reset with the bundle ID is the safer fit for a single-app troubleshooting task.
What a reset does not do
- It does not establish that the app is notarized.
- It does not permanently deny future requests.
- It does not remove the app, its files or its code signature.
- It does not remove a Gatekeeper exception created with Open Anyway.
- It does not override administrator-enforced privacy policy.
After a reset, decide at the next prompt whether the app genuinely needs the service. If you want an enduring denial and macOS exposes that control, turn the permission off in Privacy & Security instead. If you reset and then immediately approve the next request, you have created a new consent decision; the reset itself was not a denial.
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A practical workflow for an unfamiliar downloaded app
- Confirm the source. Record where the app came from and whether the developer provides a current build. Neither notarization nor a Gatekeeper result repairs an untrustworthy download source.
- Assess the app before granting access. Run
spctl -vvv --assess --type exec "/path/to/Application.app"and retain the output for your own record. An assessment is a snapshot of the policy on that Mac at that time. - Handle a block conservatively. If macOS displays “Apple cannot check [app] for malicious software” or “the app developer cannot be verified,” seek an updated or alternative build. Use Open Anyway only after independently deciding that the source and file are trustworthy.
- Launch with the minimum exposure. Do not grant every permission simply because the app requests them. Consider the specific feature that needs each resource and leave unrelated categories disabled.
- Review privacy categories. In System Settings > Privacy & Security, inspect the categories relevant to what the app does, including Files & Folders when it needs particular directories.
- Grant the minimum access. Leave unrelated categories disabled. If the app cannot perform a needed function, enable only the specific resource and retest.
- Revoke when circumstances change. Return to the same category and switch access off when you stop using the app, replace it, or no longer want that feature available.
- Reset only when you want a new decision. Use the service-specific
tccutilform with the app’s bundle ID, then evaluate the next prompt rather than treating the reset as a denial.
This workflow keeps three decisions visible: whether the Mac accepts the app, whether you choose to bypass a launch warning, and what the running app may access. Making one decision does not silently make the other two.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting common outcomes
The command says the app is not accepted
Recheck the path and make sure you assessed the actual application bundle, not an installer archive or an alias. Then verify that the app is current and came from a source the developer controls. If the Mac is managed, its policy may intentionally reject software that another Mac accepts. Treat the rejection as a signal to investigate, not as proof of maliciousness or as an invitation to bypass the policy.
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The app opens after Open Anyway, but you still cannot tell whether it is notarized
Open Anyway is an exception to the launch decision. It is not a notarization report. Treat the exception and the spctl assessment as separate facts, and do not infer that a successful launch proves Apple issued a ticket. A launch exception also says nothing about which privacy categories the app can use.
The app is absent from a privacy list
Not every resource appears in every macOS release, and an app may not appear until it requests a service. Check the category that matches the resource, confirm that you are looking at the correct user account, and consider whether device management hides the control. Absence from one list is not evidence that Gatekeeper rejected the app or that notarization failed.
The app keeps asking for access
If you reset a service, repeated requests are expected: the reset deliberately removed the stored decision. If you need a continuing denial, use the relevant Privacy & Security switch instead of repeatedly resetting the database. Also check whether another component of the app is making a separate request under a different service.
A permission switch is unavailable or cannot be changed
Authenticate when prompted and check whether the Mac is managed. A work or school administrator can restrict privacy settings, in which case only that administrator can change the policy. Older macOS versions may also place the control under a differently named pane.
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That result is consistent with a permission being required for the feature you tested. First identify the specific resource involved, then decide whether the app still needs it. If you choose to restore access, enable only that category or folder entry and retest; do not restore unrelated permissions automatically.
Security boundaries to keep in mind
- Acceptance is policy-dependent. Gatekeeper reports what the current Mac accepts, not what every Mac will accept.
- Notarization is not a guarantee. Apple’s automated scan addresses malicious content and code-signing issues in the submitted item; it is not App Review or a promise of risk-free behavior.
- Permissions are independent. An app can be accepted by Gatekeeper and still have no access to a protected folder, camera, microphone or other controlled resource until the user grants it.
- Open Anyway is an exception. It changes the launch decision for the app after a warning; it does not verify notarization or grant privacy access.
- Revocation is reversible. Turning a switch off changes ongoing access; a later user action can turn it on again. A reset intentionally invites a fresh decision.
- Management policies win. Organization-controlled settings can alter both what Gatekeeper accepts and which privacy controls the user can edit.
- Scope matters. A reset for one service and bundle ID is materially different from a reset affecting all apps or all resources. Match the command to the smallest scope that solves the problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an accepted spctl result prove that an app is notarized?
No. It reports that the current Mac’s Gatekeeper policy accepts the app and may show the assessment source. Notarization is Apple’s automated scan and ticket process, while Gatekeeper is the local policy decision.
Is notarization the same as Apple App Review?
No. Notarization checks submitted software for malicious content and code-signing issues. It is not App Review and does not guarantee harmless behavior.
What should I do when macOS says “Apple cannot check [app] for malicious software”?
Contact the developer or look for an updated or alternative app. Use Open Anyway only if you are certain the source is trustworthy and the file has not been tampered with.
How do I permanently deny an app’s access?
Open Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security, choose the relevant category, and turn the app or specific folder entry off. This is different from resetting consent.
What does tccutil reset do?
It clears a remembered authorization for the specified service and bundle ID. The next eligible request can prompt again; the command does not create a lasting denial.
Should I use a broad tccutil reset?
Only when you intentionally want multiple apps or resources to lose remembered decisions. For one app, use the service-specific form with that app’s bundle ID.
Why can’t I find the app in Privacy & Security?
The app may not have requested that service, the macOS release may organize the resource differently, or device management may hide the control. A missing entry does not by itself establish notarization status.
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Yes. Work- or school-managed Macs can restrict Gatekeeper behavior and privacy settings. Contact the administrator if a switch or Open Anyway control is unavailable.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Use spctl -vvv --assess --type exec to see how this Mac’s current Gatekeeper policy evaluates an app; do not treat the result as a safety guarantee or an on-demand malware scan. Handle “Apple cannot check [app] for malicious software” and “the app developer cannot be verified” warnings conservatively, using Open Anyway only as a deliberate exception. To keep access denied, turn the relevant permission off in System Settings > Privacy & Security. To make macOS ask again, reset one service for one bundle ID with tccutil, and avoid broad resets unless you truly intend their wider effect.
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