How to permanently allow opening .webp files in Photoshop on macOS Sequoia 15.4?

Sequoia 15.4.1 seems to be overprotective for even pure data files such as .xmp.

For example: Photos.app > select image(s) > File > Export > Export Unmodified Original > Export IPTC as XMP.

Then try to open the exported .xmp with TextEdit or BBEdit and you are greeted with this alert:

It does not help if you set BBEdit to open all .xmp by default:

You can open that .xmp file via Privacy & Security but that does not fix it for other .xmp files:

Photos.app inserts quarantine tag to the exported .xmp. My old .xmp files also have this tag but previous macOS versions have not refused to open them:

xattr image.xmp
com.apple.quarantine

You can remove that tag from a file or all files with:

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine image.xmp

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine *.xmp

Then TextEdit and BBEdit can open them.

I guess the same applies also to downloaded .webp images?

So after a bunch of testing, it's basically a "bad file association leads to gatekeeper panic" problem.

Apple have changed something, and it has broken how Adobe Photoshop (and GIMP) file association works, which means it triggers a gatekeeper alert if the file is associated with Photoshop (or GIMP), even if you try "open with" and another app.

Apple and Adobe both need to fix things. I have told Adobe about it. They definitely can do it properly and make it work because they did with Illustrator.

Unsure how to tell Apple, other than here (and suggesting Adobe tell them), and they're a bit "our way or the highway" so don't hold your breath!

Best bet for now as a workaround is to change the file association permanently to Illustrator or Preview and then drag it into PhotoShop or open it from within photoshop by "command + O" or the file > open menu. it's a **** workaround but them's the breaks.

So open finder info on a webp (same for avif) file, set the open with to "Adobe Illustrator" (or "Preview" if you don't have AI) and click "change all" button.

Now the webp (or avif) file won't trigger a gatekeeper panic when opened. Then you can open it in Preview or Illustrator or Photoshop or whatever opens webp. I know the "open with.." finder option makes you root through a directory dialogue for photoshop, hence the advice to drag it in or open it from within photoshop.

strayslacker wrote:

I don't want to convert the webp. I want to open it by double clicking it and having it open in the program of my choice like I've been doing for years.

For now the lossless workaround is to in Terminal remove the quarantine flag from all such .webp images in a folder with:

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine *.webp

Also a GUI app xattred.app can do that but it can remove that tag only one image at a time, not as a batch:

https://eclecticlight.co/downloads/

This is the only thing that globally worked for me:

In Terminal, enter this:

find / -name "*.webp" -exec xattr -d com.apple.quarantine {} \; 2>/dev/null

Use at your own risk. In theory, it should not present any kind of known security problem. I'm just happy to have a solution until Apple fixes this stupid oversight.

Still an issue in 15.5. This is 100% over-the-top mothering from Apple. By the way, drag and drop into Photoshop will open .webp files without tripping the nanny.

The only way possible now is to go in through terminal to disable, but only for images in the downloads folder. You can change the location. Yes, it's a big annoyance since webp is such a common image file, and we web people use and create these all the time. Not sure what Apple was thinking:

xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine ~/Downloads/*.webp

I have been struggling with the same issues since the latest update. I had Mac Sonoma. I finally upgraded to Sequoia, something I wanted to do for a while.

It hasn't been smooth sailing to be honest and I am still not sure of the point of all these new OS that bring nothing new per say except headaches at each iterations...

In terms of the problems with .webp and .asif files, I managed to partially solve the issue on my system (Mac Studio M2).

• For .webp files : right-click on a .webp file, select "Get Info", then under "Open With:", select "Adobe Photoshop 2025" and "Change All". It didn't work in Sonoma but it seems to work in Sequoia.

Double-check also that Adobe Bridge's preferences : in the file association tab, make sure the .webp files is associated with Photoshop.

Sadly, there is no such option for .avif files.

Photoshop can open them but through Camera Raw which is an integrated plugin so it can not be selected in "Get Info/Open With". If selecting Photoshop, we are back to square one, Apple Security prevents it to be opened and offers to cancel or move it to the bin unless you make an exception in apple security, which you have to do for each .avif file (...).

BUT, if you use Adobe Bridge, you can right click the .avif file and choose to open with Camera Raw. Then it works. Not as convenient if you want to open several images having different formats.

Another option, is to use an app to convert the .avif files to .jpg or .png. You can find free apps on the App Store such as "Avif Converter".

Quite annoying but until Photoshop integrates this format automatically as supported without going through Camera Raw, or Apple Security stops to wrongly consider each .avif files as apps, then we will have to go through these convoluted steps...

What is the point of having all those ads for Apple Intelligence if they can't even have a system that understand the difference between an .avif image file and an app.

I may have a partial solution, this worked for me:

Open Terminal: You can find Terminal in the Utilities folder within the Applications folder, or you can search for it using Spotlight (Command + Space bar).  

Enter the command: In the Terminal window, type or paste the following command:

sudo spctl --master-disable

Press Enter: After typing the command, press the Return or Enter key.

Enter your administrator password: You will be prompted to enter your administrator password. Type your password and press Enter. Note that you won't see any characters appear as you type your password in the Terminal – this is normal for security reasons.  

Verify in System Settings (optional): After running the command, you can go back to System Settings > Privacy & Security. You should now see the "Anywhere" option available under "Allow applications downloaded from:". You can select it.

BUT (always a caveat, it seems...) even though you can now right-click to open with Photoshop, you will have to answer the confirmation screen for every file - not quite as bad but still irritating.

BTW the Image Processor script in Photoshop works perfectly fine with webp's...

Here is a partial solution that works for me:

Open Terminal and type or paste the following command:

sudo spctl --master-disable

Press Enter: After typing the command, press the Return or Enter key.

Enter your administrator passw Note that you won't see any characters appear as you type your password in the Terminal – this is normal for security reasons.  

After running the command, you can go back to System Settings > Privacy & Security. You should now see the "Anywhere" option available under "Allow applications downloaded from:". You can select it.

BUT even though you can now right-click to open with Photoshop etc., you will have to answer the confirmation screen for every file - not quite as bad but still irritating.

BTW the Image Processor script in Photoshop works perfectly fine with webp's with no nag screens...

It's definately something they should fix, but a workaround that's been working for me is rather than trying to open the file directly, I can go through the open dialog in Photoshop and it will open the file without issue. It's a pain and an extra step, but it works till they get around to fixing it.

Solution:

Drag all WEBP images into Apple Photo App... Select them all.

go to FILE > Export "x" Photos

It will ask you file format and quality, then next will ask for the location.

Done!!!

[Edited by Moderator]

FWIW, another thread gave me an idea. Select one of the WebP files, press command+i, change "Open with:" to whatever app you would prefer, then click the "Change All…" button. See if that helps.

Best one I have found (if you use Firefox) is adding an extension called Webp Avif Image Converter. It will add an option when right-clicking an image in the search engine. Instead of using the usual "save as" option, by choosing "Convert and save as", the image will automatically be saved as a jpeg file.

For past saved files, I have tried various converter and I have found XnVConvert the best as it allows batch conversion of various formats, and it gives you the option to replace the original files which helps streamline the process.

All this should not be necessary of course, but as Apple want to control more and more of what we are "allowed" to do, I am afraid we will not see the end of it. Especially as they are in a battle over the monopoly of App Store. One way or another they don't want to give access to "outsiders" and want to keep their profits at any cost.

I am still amazed at the cost we pay for an Apple computer and still these silly issues come up, again and again, without proper support.

Just like this inability to put a computer to sleep without issues, especially if you use external storage.

£3000 for a computer that can not be put to sleep without problems (...).

I have been an Apple user (Mac Pro, Trash Can, Mac Studio, iPad Pro, iPhone, MacBook Pro,... you name it) for about 2 decades but I feel I am nearing the end of it and seriously consider going back to Windows.

Apple was more expensive but offered more stability and ease of use but if this is not the case anymore, what is the point of the premium price?

Valefar wrote:

ALL of my apps are being prevented from opening .webp files. It is an Apple Security problem.

I'm afraid it's not. It's something local to your machine. I have three Macs running Sequoia 15.4 and WebP files open in all of them.

If you have any antivirus apps installed disable or uninstall them.

The interesting thing about this is that, while Gatekeeper prevents the files from being opened manually, the Image Processor script in Photoshop will open and resave WebP's in a new format wth no issues. Hopefully this will be resolved in the next update.