How to Enable System Extensions on Mac [M1/M2/M3/M4]

When installing a third-party program or extension, the "System Extensions Blocked/Updated" error on your Apple Silicon Mac. Then you follow the onscreen instructions to bypass the block for system extensions on Mac, only to find that another error window pops up saying "To enable system extensions, you need to modify your security settings in the recovery environment" or remove Legacy System Extension.

Confused? This article provides a detailed tutorial on how to enable System Extensions on your M1/M2/M3/M4 Mac computer successfully. The tricks apply to all Apple Silicon Mac devices, including:

How to enable system extensions on an Apple Silicon Mac - video tutorial

Watch our video to enable system extension on an Apple Silicon Mac. The process is demonstrated on an M1 Mac running macOS Big Sur, and the procedure is almost the same for all Apple Silicon Mac models. The software interface may look different on different macOS versions.

How to enable system extensions on M1/M2/M3/M4 Mac - text tutorial

If you prefer a text guideline, you can follow the steps below.

1. Check the processor in the Apple menu > About This Mac to see if you have an Apple Silicon chip on your Mac, such as M1, M2, M3, or M4.

2. After installing iBoysoft NTFS for Mac or any other programs requiring macOS kernel extensions, click Open Security Preferences when you see a System Extension Blocked pop-up.

If you inadvertently click the Ignore button to dismiss the pop-up, you can also find the Privacy & Security (Gatekeeper) settings in the Apple logo > System Preferences (or System Settings).

3. Scroll down to find the Security section and select App Store and Known Developers (for macOS Sonoma & earlier, choose App Store and identified developers).

4. Click Enable System Extensions and enter your admin password.

5. When the pop-up shows "To enable system extensions, you need to modify your security settings in the Recovery environment", click the Shut Down button to turn off your Mac.

6. When your Mac is completely off, press and hold the power switch (Touch ID) until it says "Loading up startup options".

7. Click Options and then click Continue to boot the M1, M2, M3, or M4 Mac to macOS Recovery Mode. 

8. Select Utilities > Startup Security Utilities from the top menu bar.

9. When you see the startup disk, click on Security Policy... 

10. In Startup Security Utility, choose Reduced Security and check the option: Allow user management of kernel extensions from identified developers.

Q: Is playing around with Mac's default security settings and enabling system extensions safe?

A: If the software you are installing requires reduced security for installing kernel extensions, it is safe. That's because only Apple-identified and trusted developers can ask you to allow system extensions. Their software will never compromise the overall system security.

11. Click OK, enter the correct admin password, and wait until the security level change completes.

12. Restart your Mac.

13. Go to the Privacy & Security window again, and this time in the Security section:

Click the Allow button underneath the words like System software from developer "Chengdu Aibo Tech Co., Ltd." was blocked from loading.

If you have multiple system extensions to be enabled or updated, you will see the Details.. button instead, click it, and switch on the system extensions you want to allow, and click OK.

13. You will be asked to enter your admin password. 

14. Restart your Mac to make the change take effect, and then finish the installation if needed.

Read also:

Mac M2 vs M1: Should You Upgrade to M2?

System Extension Error at Startup: How to Rebuild or Re-enable it?

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