macOS Notarization Process

macOS Notarization Process

Notarization is Apple's way of ensuring that macOS applications are safe to run. It is a security review process that Apple introduced with macOS Catalina. When you notarize your app, you send it to Apple's servers, where it is scanned for malware and checked for common security issues. Once approved, Apple issues a ticket that allows your app to run without showing a security warning to users.

The notarization process starts after you have signed your application. You upload your application to Apple using the xcrun notarytool command. Apple then runs a series of automated checks on your application. These checks include scanning for known malware, verifying that your code signing is valid, and checking that your application follows Apple's security guidelines. The process typically takes a few minutes.

After Apple approves your application, you need to staple the notarization ticket to your app. The ticket is a small file that proves Apple has notarized your app. When you staple it to your application, macOS can verify the notarization even when the user is offline. This is important because not all users have an internet connection when they first run your application.

Notarization is required for all macOS applications distributed outside the App Store starting with macOS Catalina. Without notarization, your app will show a warning saying that it cannot be opened because Apple cannot check it for malware. The notarization process has evolved over time, with Apple moving from the altool to the notarytool command-line interface, and more recently integrating it into the Xcode build process.