Installing an application on the Mac is very simple. Just sign in with your Apple ID and get the apps that you want. However, The macOS App Store is really limited in terms of apps, which sometimes leaves us with no other options than using third-party apps. Unfortunately, it is not easy to install a third-party app on Mac. The process is quite complicated and even you may put your Mac at risk. In this article, we will show you the steps on how to install third-party apps on your Mac.
Install Apps From Trusted Third-Party Developers
By default, your macOS will only allow you to install and open apps from Mac’s App Store. You will need to change its settings if you want to use a third-party app. Here are the steps to do this:
- Open System Preferences.
- Go to the Security & Privacy tab.
- Click on the lock icon and enter your password so you can make changes.
- You will see the Allow apps downloaded from section
There will be 2 options here. Simply check the box next to the App Store and identified developers, which allows you to install and open apps from some third-party developers. These apps will not contain any malware as they are trusted by Apple.
Install Apps From Any Third-Party Developers
There is a third, hidden option: ‘Allow apps from anywhere’. This option was hidden when macOS Sierra launched. It used to be an option from earlier versions. Basically, it allows you to install and open applications from any source without any warning. However, this setting may put you at risk of getting malware.
Open Terminal and enter “sudo spctl –master-disable” to get this option back. After that, press Return, and you will be asked to enter your password. Once that’s done, reopen the System Preferences and head to the Security & Privacy section again. Now you will see the third option here. You’ll have to click the padlock icon to make changes to the settings on this page. And there you go, now you can install and open apps from any source
Install Apps From Other Stores
The Mac’s AppStore is not the only app store that you can access on your device. In fact, there are also some third-party stores out there. For example, we have Steam – a well-known gaming store. This application will allow you to get games on its library without going through the AppStore. It will assume that you’ll launch purchased games from within its app rather than Applications.
Is it Safe To Install and Run unidentified apps?
There isn’t a correct answer for this question:
You should search for information about the developers as well as reviews from other users of the app you’re about to install. Keep in mind that dodgy companies can try to do fake reviews to give themselves the sheen of legitimacy, so keep searching until you get your answer. If you’re not satisfied, it may be safer to find an alternative from the App Store.
Another important thing is to make sure that your antivirus is updated when installing these apps. Keep in mind that if you get a message ‘unidentified developer’, that doesn’t mean the app contains malware. There is a good chance that your apps are not up-to-date.
So now you know how to install apps from third-party developers on your Mac. Make sure that you know what you are doing while trying to install a third-party app. Let us know in the comments if you have any questions!
