How to Fix "App is Damaged and Can't Be Opened" on macOS

If you see the error:

"Chainless" is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Trash.

when launching Chainless on your Mac, don't worry! This is a common issue for apps downloaded from the internet, especially if they are not yet notarized by Apple.

Why Does This Happen?

macOS adds a security flag called "quarantine" to files downloaded from the internet. If the app is not notarized, Gatekeeper may block it and show this error.

How to Fix

1. Move Chainless to your Applications folder.
2. Open the Terminal app (you can find it in Applications > Utilities).

3. Run the following command:

   xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Chainless.app
   

4. Try opening Chainless again.

Is This Safe?

This command simply removes the quarantine flag. Only do this for apps you trust and have downloaded from official sources.