All Mac OS versions run on a technology called Gatekeeper, It’s designed to ensure that only trusted software runs on your Mac. If the software you are trying to open is not certified you will see a message like this “can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.”
Top Examples
Make sure that you have enough storage available for a software update. You'll need at least 8 to 22 GB of free storage space to upgrade to a newer version of OS X or macOS. Check what version of OS X or macOS your Mac supports. The latest version of macOS, macOS Catalina, is supported on any Mac introduced in 2012 or newer. To update your Mac, open the System Preferences app, which has its own 'Software Update' menu. You can also check for updates through the 'About This Mac' menu, which can be found by clicking the.
- “mysqlworkbench” can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.
- “sourcetree” can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.
Note: Allowing apps to be installed manually brings potential risk from malware. Programs like Source Tree are legit, however try to make sure you are downloading the latest version of the software and from an authorized website before proceeding.
Bypass “Can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.”
Most applications can be easily opened by this method:
Time Needed :2 minutes
“Can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.”
- Method 1
System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> click “Open Anyway”.
- Method 2 – Right Click App
Instead of double clicking on the app, just right click and press Open.
You will get a notice “Can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.” however you will still get the option to open the program - Method 3 “Works for Mac OS Catalina”
Open “Terminal” App — Applications > Terminal. Use
xattrto remove the app from quarantine. Source Reddit$ xattr -d com.apple.quarantine <app-path>
Materials
- Mac OS Catelina, Mojave and Older
Apple has removed the option allow all third Party Applications.
Since the release of the Mac OS Catalina apple has removed the option in the Security and Privacy settings to allow programs from “Anywhere” to be downloaded. From now on only individual programs can be given permission to be installed.
- Why do I get the message “can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.”
Many programs have a notarization issue since the Catalina Update. Apple has tightened its privacy policies and has limited certification to apps only in the app store. Even though there are workarounds most users might feel an unease to install such programs.
Most Common “can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.” Errors
- “java 8 update 251” can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.
- “jdk 8 update 251.pkg” can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.
- “sourcetree” can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.
- “runescape” can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.
- “mongodb compass” can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.
- “mysqlworkbench”
- “Origin”
- “macperformance”
- “appium”
- “nox app”
- “install”
“mysqlworkbench” can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.
“mysqlworkbench” refers to MySQL Work Bench is a legitimate program and it should not be considered malware. It is a unified visual tool for database architects, developers, and DBAs. MySQL Workbench also provides data modeling, SQL development, user administration, backup, and much more. MySQL Workbench compatible with most version of Mac OS X, including the latest version Mac OS 10.15.5
“sourcetree” can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.
Sourcetree most definitely is not malicious. It interacts with your Git repositories and visualizes and manages your repositories through Sourcetree’s simple Git GUI. It is a Free Git client that is compatible with both Mac OS 10 and Windows 10. Make sure you have downloaded the latest version of SourceTree for Mac
“java 8 update 251” can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.
“Java 8 Update 251” (8u251) refers to the latest version of Java 8.0. This is not malicious software however you cannot download the software from the app store therefore the pop up message will show up in all cases. If you are interested in what the latest updates includes you can check out the official update release for Java here.
mysql-8.0.21-macos10.15-x86_64.pkg
The latest MySQL package for mac is appearing to have the same problem. Installing it directly from the official MySQL page will still lead to the same message “mysql-8.0.21-macos10.15-x86_64.pkg” can’t be opened because apple cannot check it for malicious software.
Alternative messages
Some users have been receiving a similar message “macOS cannot verify that this app is free from malware”. It is again related to gatekeeper technology where the application is not verified by apple. Many reputable applications have such a message when trying to install on a mac.
Cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer mac
In this case MacOS is not mentioning that this application is potentially dangerous. This is somewhat confusing as many unidentified developer apps for Mac do receive a message that it cannot be checked for malicious software. If you do however get this message you can still bypass and open the app with the same instructions above.
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Here’s how to update OS on Mac at any time:
Go to System Preferences ➙ Software Update
If there’s a MacBook update available, click Update Now
In 95% of cases, that’s all you need to do to update Mac software. However, very rarely, you might also see an error saying that the macOS installation couldn’t be completed or macOS update could not be installed or something similar. And there are a few ways to fix that.
What To Do To Get A MacBook Update
When you start analyzing what gets your macOS Big Sur install stuck, the first thing to pay attention to is the version of your Mac. As new and more feature-rich macOS updates appear, they stop supporting older Macs that are simply not powerful enough.
Here are all the Mac models supported by macOS Big Sur:
- iMac (2014 or newer)
- iMac Pro (2017 or newer)
- Mac Pro (2013 or newer)
- Mac Mini (2014 or newer)
- MacBook (2015 or newer)
- MacBook Air (2013 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (2013 or newer)
If you compare macOS Big Sur 11 system requirements to those of macOS Catalina, you’ll notice the latest version moved a year to two years ahead. So make sure you have a compatible Mac before trying to install an update.
Well, it’s technically possible to run Big Sur on even older Macs by installing a third-party patch, but this is not officially supported by Apple and is not generally recommended for the security of your Mac. Since macOS support usually lasts for more than five years on various Macs, it might be time to actually upgrade your setup — it’s going to serve you well.
Running a brand new Mac? Here are some more things to consider to make sure you never have your macOS update stuck again.
Check the system status at Apple
Being one of the largest tech companies in the world, Apple’s systems are very stable and rarely have a glitch. Still, fate might have it that you’ve tried to update Mac software exactly at the time when a server was undergoing maintenance.
To check that the Apple software update download problem is not on their end:
Go to apple.com/support/systemstatus
Look for macOS Software Update and see if it’s green
Make sure your WiFi network is up
If the problem is not with Apple’s network, it might be with yours. Having a volatile WiFi connection could easily be the reason behind the macOS installation couldn’t be completed error. Luckily, it’s easy to test:
Visit speedtest.net and click Go to see your current internet speed
Try switching to the Ethernet connection, if that’s an option
Contact your internet provider for support
In case you still see your Apple software update downloading, maybe you should just give it some more time (e.g. a couple hours) and wait.
Restart the update and your Mac
Let’s say that a few hours have passed and your update doesn’t seem to be moving anywhere — just cancel the process if it’s downloading or restart your Mac, by holding the power button, if you find macOS update stuck in installation.
Update Mac software via App Store
It might come as a surprise for some, but Apple software update downloads are also available via Mac App Store. The only catch is that those updates have to be between major versions (e.g. Catalina ➙ Big Sur) and not minor releases of the same macOS.
So if you’re still running on Catalina:
- Open App Store on your Mac
- Type “Big Sur” in the search field
- Click Get
What if you need to get an incremental update? For example, macOS 10.15.3 to 10.15.4. You’re in luck, since Apple posts all its software versions on its website as well:
- Visit support.apple.com/downloads
- Click Download on any update that interests you
- Double-click the .dmg file from your Downloads folder to start the process
Set date and time to automatic
For one reason or another, you might have set your laptop to display custom time. Unfortunately, such a change might interfere with the MacBook update. To resolve this, try to set your time and date to be determined automatically:
Go to System Preferences ➙ Date & Time
Check the box next to “Set date and time automatically”
Go into Safe Mode
In some unique situations, you might have your Big Sur install stuck in black screen with no apparent ways out. Hold ⌘ + L to see the log of all activity and verify that no progress is being made. If not, it might be because some random processes are interfering with the proper installation, so you need to turn off your Mac and try to use it in Safe Mode.
Safe Mode starts up your Mac while blocking most of the external scripts, logs, or preferences, so nothing can get in the way of the system working properly.
To get your Mac in Safe Mode:
Turn it off
Press the power button while holding Shift
Try to do the MacBook update once again
Reset NVRAM on your Mac
A more involved step beyond getting into Safe Mode is wiping your non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM) clean. NVRAM is used to store certain settings and preferences while your Mac is turned off, which could make it difficult to update Mac software if a logging error has crept in somewhere there.
Software Needs To Be Updated Macbook Pro
To wipe out NVRAM, restart your Mac and hold ⌘ + Option + P + R. Then try to initiate the update once again.
Reinstall macOS in Recovery Mode
If neither Safe Mode nor resetting NVRAM helps, you could try the most definitive solution — reinstalling macOS in Recovery Mode.
Unlike Safe Mode, Recovery Mode basically forces you to get a brand new version of the operating system, preferably deleting all the contents of your hard drive in the process (using Disk Utility) to ensure that errors like “macOS could not be installed on your computer” don’t appear again in the future.
To reinstall macOS in Recovery Mode:
Hold ⌘ + R when you’re restarting your Mac to get the same macOS. For the newest version possible, use ⌘ + Option + R.
Choose Reinstall macOS out of the options given
Click Continue
Go through the installation process
Read more about how do I update my operating system on my Mac
How to restore your Mac from backup
For active Mac users who haven’t done much in the realm of optimization for a while, it’s strongly suggested to delete all their hard drive contents during the reinstallation of macOS using Disk Utility. Naturally, no one wants to lose years of their data — that’s why frequent backups are so essential.
Get Backup Pro is by far the most complete backup solution available today. You can easily do straightforward backups, and the app will compress the size of the archive by up to 60%, or you can do backups incrementally, only updating the files that have changed since the last backup. Other options include cloning your whole volume to a new external drive, so you can have your Mac with you anywhere on the go, and synchronizing folders between Macs to always have the same access to critical information.
What’s more, with Get Backup Pro you can schedule all the processes to never forget to update your backups and never lose more than a few days (or even hours) of data.
How to keep your Mac optimized
What if the macOS update could not be installed because your Mac is simply too old? Don’t despair, you can still get a lot of the perks of having a brand new macOS by properly optimizing your Mac.
Prepare Mac for new macOS
Too much clutter and system junk can cause macOS installation problems. Get CleanMyMac X to optimize Mac before upgrading.
CleanMyMac X will do wonders by instantly speeding up any setup you’ve got. It’s essentially a powerful system-wide booster that scans any areas of your Mac and finds ways to make them work better, whether that’s your browser, email client, RAM, or simply various useless logs sprinkled throughout.
How To Update The Software On My Mac
To accelerate your Mac’s speed with CleanMyMac X:
Open the app and go to Smart Scan
Click Scan
After the process is complete, select Review Details…
Uncheck everything you don’t want to happen and hit Run
Repeat the process every few weeks and you’d be surprised how fast your Mac can be. And it doesn’t even have to be an old Mac — CleanMyMac X helps all!
Software Needs To Be Updated Mac Os
How to monitor your Mac’s performance
So you’ve learned how to update OS on Mac, back it up with ease, and generally increase its speed. Now what? Basically, you need to make sure that none of those pesky errors ever happen again. In other words, you need a good monitoring solution.
iStat Menus is an all-in-one system data collector that’s always handily accessible from your menu bar. It shows your current CPU and GPU load, RAM availability, internal temperature, battery capacity, network bandwidth, and much more. The idea here is that you can spot your Mac underperforming in real time and fix the issue way before it becomes a problem. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as they say.
Now you can see that even if you thought the macOS installation couldn’t be completed, with the right approach it’s still possible. In addition, it’s highly recommended that you create frequent backups with Get Backup Pro, optimize your Mac with CleanMyMac X, and monitor its state for any inconsistencies with iStat Menus.
Best of all, Get Backup Pro, CleanMyMac X, and iStat Menus are available to you at no cost whatsoever through a seven-day trial of Setapp, a platform with more than 200 indispensable apps that would make every task on your Mac a breeze. Sign up today for free and see for yourself!