Apple today reminded Mac developers that it is encouraging them to have their apps notarized, meaning that the apps have been scanned by Apple and checked for malware and other security issues.

apple mac notarized
Notarization is not currently a requirement for apps distributed outside of the Mac App Store, but Apple says it will "more prominently highlight notarization status" starting in the spring of 2019. And in an unspecified "upcoming macOS release," Apple will require any Developer ID-signed apps to be notarized.

When users on macOS Mojave first open a notarized app, installer package, or disk image, they'll see a more streamlined Gatekeeper dialog and trust that it does not contain known malware. Starting spring of 2019, macOS Mojave will more prominently highlight notarization status. In an upcoming macOS release, Gatekeeper will require Developer ID–signed software to be notarized by Apple.

Apple introduced the notarization process for macOS Mojave back in June at WWDC, providing an extra level of confidence for users that apps are free of malware while also giving Apple finer-grained controls to shut down specific problematic releases instead of having to revoke an entire Developer ID.

Apple has stressed that notarization is not a full app review process and is only intended to analyze apps for security purposes.

Top Rated Comments

Red Menace Avatar
89 months ago

And why would a Mac user want/need something from outside the store when they could get it direct they Apple?
A better question would be why should a Mac developer have to put up with the App Store?
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
brenton289 Avatar
89 months ago
A better question would be why should a Mac developer have to put up with the App Store?
And why should consumers have to put up with the App Store, and Apple controlling and tracking what the applications they use?
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mac Fly (film) Avatar
89 months ago
Why doesn’t Apple protect less savvy users from installing MacKeeper. The OS literally needs built in protection from apps like this. And ftp clients like FileZilla shouldn’t be able to make so many changes without user permission. And Chrome shouldn’t be able to deactivate the cmd+Q shortcut. These sort of common sense practical user protections I would like to see.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
shareef777 Avatar
89 months ago
Apple might considering requiring all app developers for Mac who have an iOS app to release their Mac apps only via the Mac App Store.

This doesn’t solve the case for developers without an iOS app but it would provide a big lever for those that do if they want continued access to the iOS store. And there are many developers with both iOS and Mac versions of their apps.

Note, this doesn’t mean a developer couldn’t offer the same app outside of the Mac App Store, the could do both, but why would they want to? And why would a Mac user want/need something from outside the store when they could get it direct they Apple?
Get an iPad and be done with it. The rest of us have real work to get done.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stella Avatar
89 months ago
Apple might considering requiring all app developers for Mac who have an iOS app to release their Mac apps only via the Mac App Store.
Many Mac applications cannot be put on the Appstore due to Apple's requirements, such as sandboxing etc. The majority of applications that I ( and many others ) use on a daily basis for work would fit into that category.

Last few companies I've worked at would have no choice but to dump Macs and switch to Linux. That would be a real shame.



And why would a Mac user want/need something from outside the store when they could get it direct they Apple?
I much prefer to buy outside of the AppStore for good reasons: A few apps I've used have more capabilities than the Mac AppStore version.... why would I want a crippled Mac AppStore version at the same price as the full version? Additionally, I would not be able to use these Mac AppStore apps at work.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jtara Avatar
89 months ago
A better question would be why should a Mac developer have to put up with the App Store?
They don't.

There is nothing stopping developers from selling MacOS apps outside of the App Store. It's the developer's choice.
[doublepost=1543973456][/doublepost]
And why should consumers have to put up with the App Store, and Apple controlling and tracking what the applications they use?
They don't either.

People, stop making up non-existing problems.

The App Store is an optional market that developers can freely take or leave.

----
"notarization" is an unfortunate, and confusing name. In the U.S. at least, that word refers to having a signed document witnessed and attested by a government-enrolled agent (a Notary Public) who witnesses signatures for a small fee. I've *never* seen the word used in a different context before.

My mother was a Notary Public. I used to play with the embosser when I was a little kid. Shhhhhhh! ;) (Imagine Bart Simpson let loose with a Notary embosser! I didn't do any of the evil things he'd do with it - just stamp random blank sheets of paper.)

Can't techies stop overlaying the common usage of words with their own specialized meanings?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26 on iPhone Feature

Here's When iOS 26 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: Out Now!]

Monday September 15, 2025 12:00 am PDT by
Update 10:06 a.m.: iOS 26 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Today's the day! Apple is about to release iOS 26, which will deliver the biggest redesign since iOS 7 and bring a range of new features and improvements to iPhones worldwide. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at last week's iPhone event that...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Reportedly Plans to Launch These 10 Products in 'Coming Months'

Sunday September 14, 2025 8:45 am PDT by
Apple's annual September event is now in the rearview mirror, with the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, and AirPods Pro 3 set to launch this Friday, September 19. As always, there is more to come. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple plans to release many products in the...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

Apple Says Installing iOS 26 Might Impact Battery Life

Monday September 15, 2025 10:56 am PDT by
In the iOS 26 release notes, Apple is warning iPhone users that installing the new software might have a temporary impact on battery life, which is normal. A new support document explains that major iOS updates require background setup like indexing data and files for search, downloading new assets, and updating apps. Further, Apple says that new features could require more resources,...
apple n1 chip

Apple's New N1 Chip in iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Has a Wi-Fi 7 Limitation

Saturday September 13, 2025 10:01 am PDT by
The latest iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air models are equipped with Apple's all-new N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread connectivity. However, the chip has a Wi-Fi 7 bandwidth limitation. According to FCC documents reviewed by MacRumors, the N1 chip in all of the new iPhone models supports up to 160 MHz channel bandwidth for Wi-Fi 7, short of the...
iphone 17 lineup

iPhone 17 Models Launch on September 19 With These New Features

Friday September 12, 2025 7:58 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 lineup and ultra-thin iPhone Air in stores on Friday, September 19, and the company has already shown off the new devices at its fall event, which ran with the the tagline "Awe dropping." The iPhone 17 series brings a host of new features and enhancements. Here's a rundown of the biggest upgrades and changes: iPhone 17 Display Changes The iPhone...
iphone air all colors

iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Now Facing Extended Delivery Estimates

Saturday September 13, 2025 11:43 am PDT by
iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air pre-orders began on Friday in the U.S. and many other countries. iPhone 17 Pro Max delivery estimates quickly slipped beyond the Friday, September 19 launch day for those who had yet to place an order, and now the rest of the new models have started to follow suit. As of shortly after 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time today, select iPhone 17, ...
iPhone 17 Pro Air Boxes

iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Boxes Revealed

Sunday September 14, 2025 1:36 pm PDT by
T-Mobile President Jon Freier today shared real-world photos of Apple's boxes for the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 models, which launch on Friday. Image Credit: Jon Freier Apple has typically included iPhone box renders in its product environmental reports, but it did not do so for the latest models. However, Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program page does offer some images of the boxes, ...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 Get iOS 26 Features With New Firmware Update

Monday September 15, 2025 10:50 am PDT by
Apple today released updated firmware for the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4, introducing support for the new AirPods features that are included in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe. The firmware has a build number of 8A356, and it replaces the current 7E93 firmware. With Apple's new software updates, the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 support better audio quality for phone calls and...