macOS 'The application can't be opened' error fix

macOS 'The application can't be opened' – what's going on

You double-click an app on your Mac—maybe something you just downloaded, maybe something you've used for years—and instead of opening, you get that message: 'The application can't be opened.' Sometimes it adds 'because it is not supported on this architecture' or 'because the identity of the developer cannot be confirmed.'

I've seen this on macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia. Usually it's Gatekeeper blocking an app from an unverified developer. Occasionally it's a corrupted download or a permissions issue. Here's how to fix it, from the quickest fix to the more involved one. You can stop at any step that works.

Step 1: The 30-second fix – open from System Settings

This works 80% of the time. Apple's security system often blocks apps silently, but it leaves a trail in System Settings.

1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS). Click the Apple logo top-left, then System Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & Security – it's in the left sidebar. Click that.
3. Scroll down to the Security section on the right. Look for a message that says something like: “App Name” was blocked from opening because it is not from an identified developer. Right below that, you'll see a button that says Open Anyway.
4. Click Open Anyway. A pop-up will ask you to confirm. Click Open.
5. The app should launch now. If it doesn't, or if you don't see that message, move to Step 2.

What to expect: After clicking Open Anyway, the app will either launch immediately or you'll get a second confirmation dialog. That's normal. Once it opens, it'll remember the permission and won't ask again.

Step 2: The 5-minute fix – remove the quarantine flag via Terminal

Didn't see the 'Open Anyway' option? The app might still have a quarantine flag attached. macOS uses this flag to mark files downloaded from the internet. Sometimes Gatekeeper holds onto it even after you approve the app. We're going to strip that flag.

1. Open Terminal. You can find it in Applications > Utilities > Terminal, or just search for it with Spotlight (Cmd+Space, type 'Terminal').
2. Type this command, but don't press Enter yet:

   xattr -d com.apple.quarantine 

   Leave a space after 'quarantine'.
3. Find the app in Finder. Open a new Finder window, go to Applications (or wherever the app is).
4. Drag the app file from Finder into the Terminal window. That'll paste the full path to the app. The command should look something like:

   xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/SomeApp.app

5. Press Enter. You won't see any success message—that's fine. The flag is gone.
6. Try opening the app now. Double-click it from Finder. If it still won't open, move to Step 3.

One thing to watch out for: If the app is actually damaged (truncated download, bad extension), xattr won't help. You'll get a different error like 'The application is damaged and can't be opened.' That means you need to redownload it.

Step 3: The 15+ minute fix – reinstall the app and check architecture

If you've tried both steps above and the app still refuses to open, there's a good chance it's either corrupted or it's an Intel-only app trying to run on an Apple Silicon Mac (M1, M2, M3, M4). Let's figure out which.

Check if the app is compatible with your Mac

If you have an M-series Mac (Apple Silicon) and the app was built only for Intel, macOS will sometimes refuse to open it without Rosetta 2 installed. Here's how to check:

1. Open System Settings > General > About. Under 'Processor' or 'Chip', it'll say 'Apple M1' or 'Intel Core'. If it's Apple M-series, you're on Apple Silicon.
2. Install Rosetta 2 if you haven't already. Open Terminal and type:

   softwareupdate --install-rosetta

   Agree to the license, wait a minute, and restart the app.
3. If the app still won't open, check the app's website. Some older apps (like Adobe CS6 or some 32-bit games) simply won't run on modern macOS. They need an update or a replacement.

Redownload the app fresh

A corrupted download is more common than people think. Here's the drill:

1. Delete the current app – drag it to Trash. If it has a helper app in ~/Library/Application Support, delete that too.
2. Redownload from the official source – the developer's website, the Mac App Store, or a trusted repository like Homebrew.
3. Before opening it immediately, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and see if the 'Open Anyway' message appears. If it does, use that. If not, try Step 1 or Step 2 on the fresh download.

When to give up and find an alternative

Some apps are dead. If the developer hasn't updated it in 5+ years and it's a 32-bit app (macOS Catalina and later don't support 32-bit), no amount of tinkering will fix it. Look for a modern replacement—there's almost always one.

If you get a persistent 'The application can't be opened' message even after all three steps, check the Console app (Applications > Utilities > Console). Filter by 'error' and the app's name. You might see a specific crash reason like 'Library not loaded'—that tells you a dependency is missing. Then you can track down that library.

But for most people, Step 1 or Step 2 handles it. Start there, and you'll save yourself a headache.