# Distribute for Mac?

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/distribute-for-mac/20502>\
**Category:** Development\
**Created:** [May 5, 2020, 12:50pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/distribute-for-mac/20502 "2020-05-05T12:50:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![martinH1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@martinH1](https://discourse.processing.org/u/martinH1)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 12:50pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/distribute-for-mac/20502/1 "2020-05-05T12:50:31Z")

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Hi,  
I wrote an App for distribution to students. With both windows and Macs the OS’s grumble it’s not a signed application I believe. With Windows this can be bypassed, but I i can’t seem to bypass with OSX. Is there a way around this without registering/paying for app signing?

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![jeremydouglass](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/jeremydouglass/32/20_2.png) [@jeremydouglass](https://discourse.processing.org/u/jeremydouglass)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2020, 11:08pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/distribute-for-mac/20502/2 "2020-05-06T23:08:47Z")

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The exact steps depend on the macOS version the students are using. One way is to right click on the application / control + click “Run”, then authorize the popup.

> **[How to Open Apps from “Unidentified Developers” on Your Mac](https://www.howtogeek.com/205393/gatekeeper-101-why-your-mac-only-allows-apple-approved-software-by-default/)**
>
> macOS has a feature called “Gatekeeper” designed to lock down your Mac, forcing it to only run Apple-approved software by default. But a Mac is locked down in the same way Android is locked down–you’re still free to run any application you want.

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**Author:** ![martinh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/848f3c/32.png) [@martinh](https://discourse.processing.org/u/martinh)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 7:44pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/distribute-for-mac/20502/3 "2020-05-12T19:44:19Z")

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Thanks. It was a bit more involved. Catalina first turns the Exe into a text doc which you need to use the Unix terminal to do a chmod on, then change it’s security and privacy settings. Whew!

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**Author:** ![jeremydouglass](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/jeremydouglass/32/20_2.png) [@jeremydouglass](https://discourse.processing.org/u/jeremydouglass)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 3:28am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/distribute-for-mac/20502/4 "2020-05-13T03:28:39Z")

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Thanks so much fo following up @martinh – do you have instructions that you have to your students that you would be willing to share here?

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**Author:** ![martinh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/848f3c/32.png) [@martinh](https://discourse.processing.org/u/martinh)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 11:51am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/distribute-for-mac/20502/5 "2020-05-13T11:51:06Z")

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I need to make a video clip to explain it, but here’s the basics:

- move it out of downloads
- for the app, “Right-Click” and Show Package Contents  
— open the MacOS folder, find your exe file (will be listed as a text)
- Open a terminal window  
— enter chmod +x  
— drag the exe file name to after the chmod +x  
— hit enter. The file should now be listed as Exe
- open the app
- when the warning pops up, hit the ? In that window. A help file will open  
— use the link in the help file to open the privacy and security window.  
— in that window, click the key at bottom to “log in” for it.  
— give the Ok for apps to run from the downloaded site.
- start the App. It’ll ask one more time if it’s ok to run, then it should be fine.

I’ll link to the YouTube video when I make it soon!! Should have just done that instead 😝

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**Author:** ![martinh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/848f3c/32.png) [@martinh](https://discourse.processing.org/u/martinh)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 5:14pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/distribute-for-mac/20502/6 "2020-05-13T17:14:03Z")

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Here’s a video link on how to set the app and security to allow operations on a Processing App downloaded to a Mac (Catalina) to run.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/q1RA2RD6Kq0/maxresdefault.jpg "Allowing Processing EXE to run on Mac Catilina OS") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1RA2RD6Kq0)

Hope it helps!