What is notarization on a Mac?
Checked October 30, 2026
Notarization is Apple's automated scan of software distributed outside the Mac App Store. If it finds no malicious content or signing problems, Apple issues a ticket that Gatekeeper can find. It is not App Review. A person at Apple does not use the app, so notarized means "no known malware found", not "approved" or "safe".
Signed, notarized and reviewed
| What happens | Who does it | What it tells you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Developer ID signed | The maker signs the app with a certificate from Apple | The maker | Who signed it, and that it has not changed since |
| Notarized | The signed app is uploaded and scanned | Apple's automated service | No known malicious content was found |
| App Review | Apple reviews the app against its guidelines | Apple, for the App Store | It met the store's rules |
Since macOS 10.15, software built after June 1, 2019 and distributed with Developer ID must be notarized. Mac App Store apps do not need it, because Apple says the store process includes equivalent security checks.
What "identified developer" means
macOS uses that phrase for a developer with a valid Developer ID signature. It confirms the software comes from an identified developer and has not been changed. It does not say anything about whether the company is reputable. That part is still for you to judge.
What Gatekeeper does with it
Gatekeeper is the part of macOS that decides whether a downloaded app can open. By default, it expects software from the App Store, or software signed by a registered developer and notarized. It also asks you to approve a downloaded app the first time it opens.
How to check an app
spctl -a -vv /Applications/YourApp.app
Look for source=Notarized Developer ID. Our safety guide explains the other results.
For makers
Notarizing needs a Developer ID certificate, the hardened runtime and a secure timestamp. Xcode's Organizer can do it, or you can use notarytool and stapler in a build script. Apple's documentation says scanning usually takes less than an hour. Stapling attaches the ticket to your app, so Gatekeeper can find it without going online. If you skip stapling, Apple still publishes the ticket online.