Fact · Voice privacy and security
Apple says an app that has been notarized has been checked for malicious software, and none was detected.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“An app that has been notarized by Apple indicates that Apple checked it for malicious software and none was detected.”
Safely open apps on your Mac, Apple, Apple Support, 2026, Section on notarization and Gatekeeper.
Open the original- What it measures
- Apple describes Gatekeeper as a set of checks that run before macOS opens downloaded software. Apple says that by default macOS Catalina and later also requires software to be notarized.
- What it does not show
- Notarization is a check for known malware at the time of the check. It does not verify the code's behavior, its privacy practices or its quality, so it is one signal among several.