Notarization Required for Mac Apps Created With New Developer IDs Starting in macOS 10.14.5

Monday April 8, 2019 2:10 PM PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released updated developer documentation letting developers know that as of macOS 10.14.5, all new software distributed with a new Developer ID must be notarized in order to run.

Apple plans to make notarization a default requirement for all software in the future.
Beginning in macOS 10.14.5, all new or updated kernel extensions and all software from developers new to distributing with Developer ID must be notarized in order to run. In a future version of macOS, notarization will be required by default for all software.
Notarization is a new concept introduced in macOS Mojave for apps distributed outside of the Mac App Store with the aim of protecting users from malicious Mac apps.

Mac app developers are encouraged to submit their apps to Apple to be notarized, and an Apple-notarized app includes a more streamlined Gatekeeper dialog to reassure users that an app is not known malware.

Apple provides trusted non Mac App Store developers with Developer IDs that are required to allow the Gatekeeper function on macOS to install non Mac App Store apps without extra warnings, but notarization takes it one step further.

With the new requirement in macOS 10.14.5, developers who are new to distributing Mac apps with a Developer ID will need to go through the notarization process for their apps to work on the Mac.

Apple late last year said that it would begin highlighting notarization status "more prominently" starting in spring 2019, and macOS 10.14.5 is apparently the update where that will begin happening.

The notarization process is designed for non Mac App Store apps and is not required for those that are submitted to the Mac App Store. More information on notarization can be found on Apple's developer site.

119 comments


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JetTester
11 weeks ago
Sounds suspiciously like the last step before requiring Mac apps to be released through the App Store, just like iOS. Slippery slope!
Rating: 32 Votes
Avatar
Internet Enzyme
11 weeks ago

Sounds suspiciously like the last step before requiring Mac apps to be released through the App Store, just like iOS. Slippery slope!


Honestly i think GateKeeper is one of the most annoying piece of **** Mac things. The computer thinks im dumb. I downloaded this app because i want to use it. I do not care what you think macos. Why do you make me go to sys prefs and click through like three dialogs to open an app i willingly downloaded if i get a virus i get a virus so be it
Rating: 17 Votes
Avatar
lunarworks
11 weeks ago

They got rid of the “open anywhere” option in Sierra. Apps from unidentified developers can only be opened through System Preferences. The dialog that appears when you open unidentified software doesnt give you an option to open it from the dialog anymore

Right Click. Open.
Rating: 15 Votes
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aaronhead14
11 weeks ago
While I appreciate privacy and security, this sounds like Apple trying to control what we can and can’t install on our devices. Doesn’t sound good....
Rating: 15 Votes
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cmaier
11 weeks ago

Honestly i think GateKeeper is one of the most annoying piece of **** Mac things. The computer thinks im dumb. I downloaded this app because i want to use it. I do not care what you think macos. Why do you make me go to sys prefs and click through like three dialogs to open an app i willingly downloaded if i get a virus i get a virus so be it

Most users are dumb.
Rating: 13 Votes
Avatar
cmaier
11 weeks ago
Ok, so long as unsigned apps still can be forced to work, which appears to be the case.
Rating: 12 Votes
Avatar
dogslobber
11 weeks ago

Honestly i think GateKeeper is one of the most annoying piece of **** Mac things. The computer thinks im dumb. I downloaded this app because i want to use it. I do not care what you think macos. Why do you make me go to sys prefs and click through like three dialogs to open an app i willingly downloaded if i get a virus i get a virus so be it

Only techie experts will want to run non-notarized software. For the other 99.852% of macOS users, they'll want to be protected by Apple.
Rating: 10 Votes
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Internet Enzyme
11 weeks ago

If that was going to happen, it would’ve happened in Lion. That’s how long your “slippery slope” is.
[doublepost=1554761641][/doublepost]
You don’t need System Preferences to open an app that Gatekeeper has blocked.


They got rid of the “open anywhere” option in Sierra. Apps from unidentified developers can only be opened through System Preferences. The dialog that appears when you open unidentified software doesnt give you an option to open it from the dialog anymore
Rating: 10 Votes
Avatar
Eorlas
11 weeks ago
"Mac app developers are encouraged ('https://www.macrumors.com/2018/10/19/apple-mac-app-notarization-reminder/') to submit their apps to Apple to be notarized, and an Apple-notarized app includes a more streamlined Gatekeeper dialog to reassure users that an app is not known malware."

No, god please no. Stop this. Dedicate more resources to software and hardware development, not policing applications. I'll figure out what's good to install/not. Thanks
Rating: 9 Votes
Avatar
martyjmclean
11 weeks ago

Sounds suspiciously like the last step before requiring Mac apps to be released through the App Store, just like iOS. Slippery slope!

If that was going to happen, it would’ve happened in Lion. That’s how long your “slippery slope” is.
[doublepost=1554761641][/doublepost]

Honestly i think GateKeeper is one of the most annoying piece of **** Mac things. The computer thinks im dumb. I downloaded this app because i want to use it. I do not care what you think macos. Why do you make me go to sys prefs and click through like three dialogs to open an app i willingly downloaded if i get a virus i get a virus so be it

You don’t need System Preferences to open an app that Gatekeeper has blocked.
Rating: 9 Votes
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