“FontForge.app” cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified.

[Martina-C]

I downloaded the FontForge diskimage from fontforge.org today but when I clicked on the ff from the opened disk I got the message in the title, and a note saying that MacOS cannot verify that this app is free from malware. The message also said I had downloaded “FontForge-2022-03-08-74e2eca.app.dmg”.

Can I get help with this? I'm grateful to be able to (possibly) use the app but I know nothing about coding and I'm here just to post this issue.

Thanks.

[skef]

Try this first: https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/open-a-mac-app-from-an-unidentified-developer-mh40616/mac

[ctrlcctrlv]

Closing as duplicate of #4082 (comment)

[ctrlcctrlv]

Reopened per #5064 and #4082 (comment).

[ctrlcctrlv]

I pinned this issue as it's the most common problem new users have. If someone disagrees with the pin, feel free to unpin.

[ctrlcctrlv]

I may as well give an update on where I am with solving this issue. I mentioned on April 21 that MFEK Fndn Inc. may be able to share keys (#4082 (comment)). That's not going to happen. Apple makes the process way too complicated, with many hoops to jump through.

I gave up on jumping through those hoops when I heard about a new European Union law, Regulation (EU) 2022/1925, The Digital Markets Act, which is already in force, but without any organization set up by the EU to approve alternative gatekeepers to installation on Apple devices, it doesn't enter into force in practice until May 1, 2023. And, Apple will likely do all they can to stymie the process, because they are Apple. Mother Theresa, Inc. could want to become an EU DMA gatekeeper and they'd oppose it, I'm sure.

I'll be watching with great interest the plans of the Free Software Foundation Europe e.V.

They seem to be planning to become a gatekeeper under the DMA.

Once this happens, I am sure they will have no issues registering a certificate for FontForge.