Gatekeeper: only run trusted apps
Gatekeeper is a macOS feature that checks an app is from a known, trusted source before it opens. It's your first line of defence against dodgy software, and it's on by default.
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Check your setting
Go to System Settings, then Privacy & Security, and scroll to Security. The safest setting is App Store and identified developers, which allows apps from Apple's store and from developers Apple has verified. Leave it there unless you have a specific reason not to.
When an app is blocked
If you try to open something and macOS warns it can't check the app for malware, treat that as a red flag. Only override it if you're certain the app is genuine and you got it from the developer's official site, not a link in an email or a search advert.
Stick to trusted sources
The best habit is to install apps from the App Store or directly from the maker's own website. That way Gatekeeper rarely has to step in, and when it does, you should listen to it.
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