Back to NotchAbove First launch · once

Seeing “NotchAbove Not Opened”? That’s expected.

NotchAbove isn’t notarized by Apple yet, so macOS asks you to approve it once. Every screen below is Apple’s own. Here’s exactly what to click.

About a minuteOnly the first timeUpdates skip all of this
Your Mac runs
Not sure? Apple menu → About This Mac

Already partway? Jump to what’s on your screen:

1“Not Opened” warning 2I clicked Done 3“Open NotchAbove?” 4It wants a password 5Keychain prompt
  1. 1

    Open NotchAbove, then click Done

    1. Open the NotchAbove download and drag the app into Applications.
    2. Double-click NotchAbove in Applications.
    3. macOS stops it with “NotchAbove Not Opened”. Click Done.

    Not Move to Bin. That deletes the app. (Did it already? Here’s the fix.)

  2. 2

    In Privacy & Security, click Open Anyway

    1. Open Apple menu → System Settings → Privacy & Security, or use the button below.
    2. Scroll down to Security.
    3. Next to “NotchAbove was blocked to protect your Mac”, click Open Anyway.
    Open Privacy & Security for me

    No Open Anyway button? It only shows for about an hour after macOS blocks the app. Bring it back.

  3. 3

    Confirm with Open Anyway

    macOS asks “Open NotchAbove?” once more. Click Open Anyway, the middle button.

    Don’t press Return here. The blue Move to Bin is the default button.

  4. 4

    Enter your Mac password, then OK

    Use the password you type to log in to this Mac (not your Apple ID), or Touch ID.

    This is Apple’s window. NotchAbove never sees your password. It approves this one app and leaves your Mac’s security on.

  5. 5

    Click Always Allow on the keychain prompt, twice

    NotchAbove opens and macOS asks whether it may use its own license, which is kept in your keychain. Enter your Mac password and click Always Allow.

    It asks twice. The same window comes back straight away. That’s normal. Do it again: password, then Always Allow. It never asks again after that.

  1. 1

    Right-click the app and choose Open

    1. Open the NotchAbove download and drag the app into Applications.
    2. In Applications, right-click (or Control-click) NotchAbove and choose Open.
    3. In the dialog that appears, click Open.

    A normal double-click only offers Move to Bin. Right-click → Open is what adds the Open button.

  2. 2

    Click Always Allow on the keychain prompt, twice

    Enter your Mac password and click Always Allow. The same window comes back straight away, so do it once more. It never asks again after that.

Done. Now look at the top of your screen.

Your notch grows into a welcome card. From here on, NotchAbove opens like any other app, and updates install without any of these steps.

  1. Click Activate on the welcome card.
  2. Paste the license key from your purchase email and click Activate.

Stuck? The common snags

There’s no “Open Anyway” button in Privacy & Security
macOS only shows it for about an hour after it blocks the app. Double-click NotchAbove in Applications again, click Done, then go back to Privacy & Security and scroll to Security. The button is back.
I clicked “Move to Bin”
Open the Bin (or Trash) in your Dock, right-click NotchAbove and choose Put Back. Or download it again from the link in your purchase email. Then start again at step 1.
I clicked “Deny” on the keychain prompt
Nothing breaks. macOS doesn’t remember a Deny, so the prompt comes back the next time NotchAbove needs its license. Choose Always Allow that time, both times it asks.
Is it safe to type my password?
Yes. Every password window in this guide belongs to macOS, not NotchAbove. The app never sees what you type. You’re telling macOS to trust this one app, and everything else stays protected.
Where’s my license key or download link?
Both are in your purchase email (search your inbox for “NotchAbove”, and check spam). Can’t find it? Email me and I’ll resend it.
Why does this happen? Apple skips this warning only for apps that go through its paid notarization ($99 a year) or the App Store. NotchAbove is made by one person, and notarization is planned once sales cover it.

Still stuck? Email sharmancm11@gmail.com. I answer every one.