Apple removes Control-click option for skipping Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper gets more strict in macOS Sequoia



You’ll no longer be able to override Gatekeeper in macOS Sequoia with a keyboard shortcut as Apple continues to crack down on unsigned software.

Until macOS Sequoia, users could hold Control and click on a freshly installed app to avoid Gatekeeper’s warnings about running unsafe software. Now, users must navigate to System Settings then Privacy & Security to allow the app to run.

It’s a slight inconvenience for users trying to install apps from the web, but it doesn’t prevent them from running the app. In fact, many installers include instructions or a direct link to the System Settings page, so the Control-click shortcut hasn’t always been necessary.

Apple, of course, recommends that any app destined for macOS that is distributed outside the App Store be notarized. The process scans the software for security risks and gives it a ticket for Gatekeeper to treat it as a trusted app.

Some see this as a direct attack on web-sourced software that Apple is babying its customer base with nanny-like protections. In the end, it is just an extra step that could prevent someone from running malware and does nothing to stop people from running what they want on Mac.

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