How to Open Files from Unidentified Developers on Mac

How to Open Files from Unidentified Developers on Mac. unidentified developer mac.

By default, macOS restricts the opening of applications not registered in the Mac App Store. Mac App Store apps are certified safe by Apple. They do not result in a warning that on first boot “a particular application or file cannot be opened because it is not from an identified developer.”

We will walk you through the process of checking the security of an application and adjusting the security configuration of your Mac to allow applications from unknown developers.

Table of Contents – Table of contents

The Gatekeeper Technology Explained

Laptops and Macs come with several security-focused technologies, such as “Gatekeeper” technology, which validates the legitimacy of a file or application and blocks files from unknown developers to protect your data and help you run applications securely.

You should only bypass the gatekeeper limitation if you are confident that the application in question is safe.

Open Files from An Unidentified Developer Through the Shortcut Menu

The macOS context menu is the easiest way to open apps from unknown developers.

Control-hold (or right-click) the application or file you want to open and choose Open.

Select “Open” again at the confirmation prompt to open the application. This frees the app from your Mac’s security settings and makes macOS believe the app came from a trusted source.

You may be prompted for your Mac’s administrator name and password to open or install the application.
In the future, you can open an application simply by double-clicking its icon.

Open Unidentified Apps Through System Preferences

You can bypass macOS gatekeeper protection in the security section of macOS System Preferences. When you receive a warning, close the dialog and open your Mac’s security settings to whitelist the gateway restriction.

Open System Preferences.
Select Security & Privacy and go to the General tab. Select “Open Anyway” next to the notification at the bottom of the page to confirm that you want to open the app regardless of the warning.

To continue, select “Open” at the confirmation prompt.

Modify Your Macâ€™s Security Settings

Follow the steps below to set up your Mac so you can open files from unknown developers not registered with the App Store.

Go to System Preferences> Security & Privacy> General.
Click the lock icon in the lower left corner to unlock security and privacy settings.

Enter your Mac password or log in with Touch ID.

Select App Store and specify developers under “Allow downloads of apps from”.

Make sure you can open the app or file without getting an error message.

If the error message persists, continue to the next section.

Open Files From Unidentified Developers Using Terminal

MacOS has a hidden security option that lets you install apps or open files from unknown developers on your Mac. If your Mac is running macOS El Capitan or earlier, you’ll find this option in System Preferences. For devices running macOS Sierra or newer, you need to display this option via Terminal.

Close the System Preferences window and do the following:

Go to Finder> Applications> Utilities and select Terminal.

Paste the following command into a terminal console and press Enter.

sudo spctl â€“master-disable

Enter your Mac administrator password and press Enter.
Open System Preferences, select Security & Privacy, select General, click the lock icon in the lower left corner, and enter your Mac’s password.

Select “Anywhere” under “Allow downloading applications from”.

If you do not find the Anywhere option on the page, close and reopen System Preferences and check again.

Hide the Anywhere option if you want your Mac to not open files from any developer. Paste sudo spctl â€“master-enable into a terminal console and press Enter. Enter your Mac password in the console and press Enter to continue.

Open With Caution

While some unidentified applications are safe and free of malicious code, others may contain viruses and malware. Use a Mac antivirus app or online antivirus scanners to ensure files from unknown sources are safe before opening them. Another good way to check the security of an application before installing it is to read reviews from other Mac users on the Internet – in forums, social networks, etc.

If you are installing third-party software from the Internet, download the application disk image or package file directly from the developer’s website. Also, make sure you download the latest version of the app – older versions may contain bugs or malware that will trigger a warning during installation.