Fix "Apple Could Not Verify Pluely" Error on macOS

If macOS shows a warning like "Apple could not verify 'Pluely' is free of malware" or "'Pluely' cannot be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software," this is a standard Gatekeeper message, not a sign that anything is wrong with the app.

Since Pluely 1.1.0 you should not see it at all. Every macOS build is now signed with an Apple Developer ID and notarized by Apple, so it opens with a plain double-click. The quickest fix is therefore to download the current version from the downloads page and replace the app in Applications.

Why this happens

The warning appears with a build older than 1.1.0, which shipped before notarization, or with a copy that did not come from pluely.com (a mirrored download, a re-packaged file, or an app copied from another Mac). In those cases macOS's Gatekeeper blocks the first launch as a caution step, not a malware detection, and it only needs to be cleared once per install. If you need to keep the older copy, use any of the three options below.

Option 1: Right-click and Open

This is the simplest method and works on every recent macOS version.

1. Open Finder and go to Applications.
2. Find Pluely, but instead of double-clicking, right-click (or Control-click) on it.
3. Choose Open from the context menu.
4. macOS will show the same warning, but this time with an Open button available directly in the dialog. Click Open.
5. Pluely will launch, and macOS remembers this choice — future launches work with a normal double-click.

Option 2: Allow it from Privacy & Security settings

If the right-click method doesn't show an Open button, or you already dismissed the warning once:

1. Try opening Pluely normally (double-click) — it will be blocked again.
2. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security.
3. Scroll down past the main privacy toggles to the Security section near the bottom.
4. You'll see a message noting that Pluely was blocked, with an "Open Anyway" button next to it.
5. Click Open Anyway, then confirm in the follow-up dialog.
6. Pluely will launch normally from now on.

Option 3: Clear the quarantine flag from Terminal

If you're comfortable with Terminal, you can clear the "downloaded from the internet" attributes macOS attaches to the app. This is the one-line fix the Pluely community shared in the project's macOS issue — many users confirmed it works when the menu steps don't.

1. Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal, or search with Spotlight).

2. Run this command, adjusting the path if Pluely isn't in the default Applications folder:

   xattr -cr /Applications/Pluely.app

3. Press Return, then open Pluely normally — it should launch without the warning.

If Terminal replies with "Operation not permitted," give Terminal permission to modify the app and use the quarantine-specific command instead:

1. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access and enable Terminal.

2. Quit and reopen Terminal.

3. Run:

   sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Pluely.app

4. Enter your Mac password when prompted (it stays hidden as you type), then open Pluely:

   open /Applications/Pluely.app

Prefer to clear it before installing?

You can also run the same command against the downloaded disk image before you drag Pluely into Applications — replace the filename with the version you downloaded:

xattr -cr ~/Downloads/Pluely_1.0.0_aarch64.dmg

This only needs to happen once

Whichever method you use, macOS remembers that you've approved Pluely, so you won't see this warning again for that installation. Once you update to 1.1.0 or later, through the app's own updater or a fresh download, none of this is needed again.

Still stuck?

If Pluely still won't open after trying these steps, confirm you downloaded it from the official Installation page rather than a mirrored or re-packaged copy, then check the FAQ or reach out from the Pluely website.