Overnotch
Overnotch

macOS won't let you open Overnotch?

That is expected, it takes about thirty seconds to fix, and you only do it once.

Why does this happen?

Overnotch is built by one independent developer and has not gone through Apple's notarization yet. macOS blocks apps it cannot trace back to a registered developer, so it stops the first launch and shows a warning. The wording is deliberately alarming because the same warning covers genuinely harmful software.

It is not a sign that anything is wrong with the file. It is a sign that Apple has not checked it. You can verify the download yourself further down this page.

Opening it, step by step

For macOS 15 Sequoia and macOS 26 Tahoe.

  1. Try to open the app once

    Double-click Overnotch in your Applications folder. macOS shows a warning and refuses. Click Done. This first attempt is what puts Overnotch on the list you need in the next step, so do not skip it.

  2. Open System Settings, then Privacy & Security

    Apple menu in the top-left corner, then System Settings. Pick Privacy & Security from the sidebar.

  3. Scroll all the way down to Security

    It is the last section on that page, below everything else. You will see a line saying Overnotch was blocked, with an Open Anyway button next to it.

  4. Click Open Anyway, then confirm

    macOS asks for Touch ID or your password. Say yes to the last dialog and the app opens. You only ever do this once — every launch after this one is normal.

On macOS 14 Sonoma it is quicker

Control-click Overnotch in your Applications folder, choose Open, then Open again in the dialog. Apple removed this shortcut in macOS 15, which is why newer versions need the longer route above.

Verify what you downloaded

If you would rather check than trust, run this in Terminal against the file you downloaded. The result must match the checksum below, character for character.

shasum -a 256 ~/Downloads/Overnotch.dmg

The checksum appears here once a build is published.

It says the app is damaged

Nothing is damaged. macOS attaches a quarantine flag to files from the internet, and on some downloads it reports that as damage. Make sure you dragged Overnotch into Applications first, then follow the four steps above. If it still refuses, write to us — do not force anything.

Stuck? Contact support or email support@overnotch.com.