How To Fix “macOS Cannot Verify That This App Is Free From Malware.”

Published 2022-09-28

What To Do When Mac Itself Can’t Figure Out If An App Has Malware Or Not?

Have you ever opened an app on Mac and received “macOS cannot verify that this app is free from malware”? If yes, it could be that the app is malicious and you shouldn’t install it on your Mac for good, or, sometimes (and not always), your Mac’s defenses could prove to be overkill. In this post, we’ll discuss this issue in depth so that you won’t just be able to fix the issue but even wisely install apps.

But, before that, let’s quickly enlist some preventive measures to reduce your chances of falling prey to malicious apps.

What Is The Reason Behind “cannot verify that this app is free from malware”

How safe is it to install and click open an app that your macOS can’t seem to verify? First and foremost, an app goes through stringent measures. Even some legitimate apps find it hard to pass Apple’s authorization. So, if you are receiving “macOS cannot verify that this app is free from malware.” or “App cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified.” You must exercise caution. Here are some points.

– Check whether the source you are downloading the app from is reliable. You could also go through the reviews of the app.

– Let the app first pass through a third-party antimalware application (we have discussed this point below)

– Have there been reports of the app being malicious, or has the company developing the app been in the news for the wrong reasons? If yes, it would be better to uninstall the app immediately.

– Check if the developer is registered with Apple.

How To Solve “macOS Cannot Verify That This App Is Free From Malware.”

1. Check Your App and Mac for Malware

If your Mac’s unable to verify whether the app you have installed is free from malware or not, maybe, there is something fishy in the app, something that’s even deceiving Mac’s defenses – Gatekeeper. So, before you completely neglect your Mac’s defenses, take a second opinion of a third-party malware removal app for Mac. And, if they give the app the clean chit, you are all good to install it.

2. Solve The Issue Using Finder

You can open the problematic app in the Finder. By using the steps mentioned below, you will also be able to add the app to the whitelist as well after which your Mac will not return the error message –

Open Finder.
Select the app which returned the error “cannot verify that this app is free from malware.”
Control + Click on this application. This will open the shortcut menu.
Click on the Open option to run the application; this will also add the app to the whitelist.

3. Change Security and Privacy Settings

If you are sure that the app you want to install is safe and secure, you can make slight tweaks to the security and privacy settings of your Mac. Here are the steps for the same –

Click on the Apple menu.
Click on System Preferences.
Select Security & Privacyand then head to the General tab.
If you look at the bottom, you will see the name of the app and the message that “App Name” was blocked from use because it is not from an identified developer.
Click on the Open Anyway button next to it.

What If The App Installed Is Problematic?

Consider Uninstalling The App Using A Third-Party Uninstaller, and Here’s Why –

In the worst-case scenario – if you neglected all the red flags and installed the app and now you are facing issues, it’s time that you uninstall the app without any further ado. But, wait! The app is refusing to go; you just can’t seem to remove it altogether. What would you do? You can take the help of a third-party uninstaller like Advanced Uninstall Manager. It is the easiest way to uninstall Mac applications with no leftovers.

Why Trust Advanced Uninstall Manager?

Completely uninstalls apps with no leftovers.
Your computer is scanned for apps uninstalled. This included preference panes, downloads, internet/ Spotlight plugins, etc.
Once removed, you can see a significant amount of storage freed up.
You can exclude apps that you don’t want to uninstall.

How To Use Advanced Uninstall Manager?

Download, install and run Advanced Uninstall Manager.
Drag and drop the app you want to uninstall in the center of the dotted circle, as shown in the screenshot below.
Click on the bin icon next to the app you want to uninstall.

Wrapping Up

Ever been in a situation where after installing an app or during its installation, you received the error message “macOS Cannot Verify That This App Is Free From Malware”? Was the app legit? Please share your experience with us in the comments section below. And, if you found this post useful, share it with your friends, colleagues, family, and everyone you care for. We regularly come up with such content on WeTheGeek.