Sideloading iOS Apps No Longer Possible on M1 Macs

Apple this week implemented a server side blocking mechanism to prevent M1 Mac owners from sideloading iOS apps that have not been made available on the Mac by iOS app developers.

m1 mac sideload disabled

Image via 9to5Mac

As noted by 9to5Mac, it is no longer possible to use third-party apps like iMazing to obtain an app .ipa file to install it on an ‌M1‌ Mac, a workaround that has been available since M1 Macs launched.

Attempting to sideload an app using the previously working method now results in an error that says "This application cannot be installed because the developer did not intend for it to run on this platform."

App developers have the option to make their iPhone and iPad apps available on ‌M1‌ Macs, but they can also choose not to do so. Popular apps like Netflix, Hulu, Instagram, and others have opted not to make their iOS apps available on ‌M1‌ Macs and it was previously possible to install and use them with apps like iMazing or Apple Configurator 2, but that has ended.

The only ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ apps that can be installed on ‌M1‌ Macs are those that developers have expressly flagged and greenlit for use on Macs. Sideloaded apps already up and running can still be used, as this only affects new app installations. The same goes for previously downloaded .ipa files.

Apple has disabled the sideloading app feature on ‌M1‌ Macs running macOS Big Sur 11.1 and the macOS Big Sur 11.2 beta.

Top Rated Comments

Protocol41 Avatar
38 months ago
Did you really think you owned your Apple hardware?
Score: 85 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cupcakes2000 Avatar
38 months ago

Apple being Apple. All of a sudden old macs become gems.
Good luck sideloading iPad apps on those ?
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
edk99 Avatar
38 months ago

Haha. That’s so Apple. That’s the way isn’t heading isn’t it? Apple will decide what you can and cannot run.
Nope you have it wrong. It is the developer of the app that has decided that they don't want it to run on M1 Macs. Apple is just enforcing what the developer wants.
Score: 48 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArPe Avatar
38 months ago

Did you really think you owned your Apple hardware?
You own your hardware. But software since the 70s has always had a license agreement that you agree not to pirate or use software that hasn’t been distributed according to official agreements. That goes for whether you buy software in a physical store or online.
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Marbles1 Avatar
38 months ago
Haha. That’s so Apple. That’s the way isn’t heading isn’t it? Apple will decide what you can and cannot run.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
38 months ago
Cultured Code will be sighing relief.

Now there's no choice but to spend £50 on their Mac App Things, which conveniently is identical to their £10 iOS app.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
iOS 17

28 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in December's iOS 17.2 Update

Friday December 1, 2023 2:57 am PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 28 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released this December. 1. Help...
anker new xmas

Anker's Cyber Week Sale Enters Final Days With Up to 60% Off Sitewide

Friday December 1, 2023 12:05 pm PST by
Anker's Black Friday/Cyber Week event is entering its final days this weekend, and it's still offering up to 60 percent off sitewide. There are also a few "mystery boxes" that can include hundreds of dollars in savings, if you're willing to risk not knowing what you're buying ahead of time. All of these sales will end on December 3. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.1.2 With Security Fixes

Thursday November 30, 2023 10:12 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2, small updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating systems that Apple introduced in September. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 come a few weeks after the release of iOS 17.1.1, another bug fix update. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update....
iPhone 16 Mock Header Updated 1

iPhone 16 to Include Action Button Across Entire Lineup

Thursday November 30, 2023 4:08 pm PST by
The release of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max saw the introduction of an entirely new user-configurable button known as the Action button, and now, MacRumors has seen extensive evidence confirming Apple is planning to include the Action button on the entire iPhone 16 range. Designs and plans for the Action button date back to at least 2021, as the button was intended for release alongside hapt...
top stories 2dec2023

Top Stories: iOS 17.1.2 Released, NameDrop Misinformation, and More

Saturday December 2, 2023 6:00 am PST by
Apple employees are back to work following a Thanksgiving break, and that means this week saw a number of new operating system updates for both public release and beta testing. This week also saw some misinformation about Apple's new NameDrop feature making the rounds, while Apple and Goldman Sachs appear to be on the verge of a break-up in their Apple Card and savings account partnership,...
paramount plus logo

Apple and Paramount Considering Discounted TV+ Streaming Bundle

Friday December 1, 2023 4:40 am PST by
Apple and Paramount have discussed bundling their TV streaming services at a discount, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal. The companies have talked about offering a combination of Paramount+ and Apple TV+ that would cost less than subscribing to both services separately, according to people familiar with the discussions. The discussions are in their early stages, and it is ...
General Apps Messages

Green Bubbles on iPhone to Gain These 7 New Features Next Year

Thursday November 30, 2023 9:00 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it will finally support RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting later next year. This change will result in several improvements to the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices. RCS will become the new default standard for messaging between iPhones and Android devices, but these conversations will still have green bubbles like...