Fix Damaged Apps

Why macOS says an app is “damaged”

You download an app, drag it into Applications, double-click it, and macOS tells you it’s damaged and should be moved to the Bin. Most of the time the app is fine. Anything that comes from outside the App Store gets a quarantine flag, and Gatekeeper looks at that flag the first time you open the app. If the app isn’t signed or notarized the way Apple wants, you get this message instead of the usual “are you sure” prompt.

Once in a while the file really is broken, for example when a download stopped halfway. If you’re not sure, delete it and grab it again from its page on our site. Also make sure you picked the right build for your Mac (Apple Silicon or Intel) and that it supports your version of macOS.

The fix

It’s a single Terminal command, and it only touches the app you point it at.

1. Move the app into your Applications folder.
2. Open Terminal. The quickest way is to press ⌘ Space, type Terminal and hit Return.
3. Copy the command below and replace AppName with the real name of your app. There’s an easier way too: type sudo xattr -cr followed by a space, then drag the app from Applications into the Terminal window and it fills in the path for you.
4. Press Return and type your Mac password. Nothing shows up while you type, that’s normal. Press Return again.
5. Open the app.

If it still won’t open

Some apps need more than that. You can switch Gatekeeper off for a while, but keep in mind it’s off for every app on your Mac, not just this one, so turn it back on when you’re done.

On macOS Sequoia (15) and newer the command alone isn’t enough. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll down to the Security section and choose “Anywhere”.

Open your app once, then put the check back:

Apps you’ve already opened will keep working. If one stops opening later, just run the first command on it again. And since all of this skips a check Apple put there on purpose, only use it for apps you trust.