Cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified?

When installing an app downloaded from the web, you may receive a message that says "App cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified. macOS cannot verify that this app is free from malware." This error has been reported by many Mac users and can occur on any app whose developer macOS can't verify. Here are some examples of the affected apps or executables:

The notification will also give you the option to Move to Trash or Cancel. You can click Cancel and follow the solutions in this article to bypass the unverified developer error.

[Quick Fixes] Application cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified on Ventura/Monterey/Big Sur/Catalina and earlier:

Why do you get 'cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified'?

A primary way for malware to distribute is by embedding itself into a harmless-looking app. That makes apps downloaded from the web a major concern for malware infection. To protect against malware, Mac computers default to allow only apps from App Store and identified developers.

When you open an app downloaded from outside App Store, the operating system will check the developer ID signature to verify that it's from an identified developer and hasn't been modified. Since macOS Catalina and later, the app is also required to be scanned for known malware.

If you receive the message reading "Application cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified" on Mac, it means that the app you're trying to install is from an unverified developer or the app is from a verified developer but hasn't been reviewed and approved by Apple.

Although it's a safety measure, this unverified developer error may become a nuisance when you can't install an app that you know you can trust. Fortunately, there are ways to bypass the "App cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified" error on Mac. Continue reading the next section to figure them out.

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How to fix 'cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified' on Mac?

Here are the solutions to try when encountering the "Application cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified" message on your MacBook or desktop Mac. Be reminded that you should ensure the app you want to open is from a trusted resource before trying to use it.

Right-click to open the app

The fastest way to open the app that cannot be opened because its developer cannot be verified is from the context menu. It can override your Mac's system security and allow you to launch the app as you want.

After that, the error message will no longer appear when you open this app, as it's considered safe by the operating system now.

Click Open Anyway in Privacy & Security

You can also bypass "App cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified" by clicking the "Open Anyway" button in the Privacy & Security setting. If the "Open Anyway" button isn't showing up, you can close and reopen System Preferences/Settings several times or right-click the app and select Open to trigger it.

How to bypass "cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified" on Ventura and later:

How to bypass "cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified" on Monterey/Big Sur/Catalina:

The application will be allowed to run normally and won't be verified again the next time you open it.

Remove the quarantine attribute of the app

When a file is downloaded from the web, a particular quarantine flag will be added to it by the application that downloads it. This quarantine flag will then trigger Gatekeeper to verify the app. So, another way to bypass the unverified developer error is to remove the quarantine flag.

This method is especially helpful for eliminating the "vst" cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified" message. Since VSTs are loaded from another app, they may not open with the previous two methods.

How to fix "App cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified" via Mac Terminal:

Allow apps downloaded from anywhere

If the above fix doesn't work, you can disable Gatekeeper and allow applications downloaded from anywhere. This way, the app won't be verified and can be opened as usual. Note that you should reenable Gatekeeper after the app is successfully launched to turn on the security defense.

Hopefully, you have bypassed the "Application cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified" on your MacBook. If so, please share this post!