Application can't be opened - VLC and Transmission

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Level 1

118 points

Application can't be opened - VLC and Transmission

Since running Mac OS Mojave, VLC and Transmission cannot be opened.

Did all the steps in http://kb.mit.edu/confluence/display/istcontrib/Allow+application+installations+ and+temporarily+disable+Gatekeeper+in+OS… but still not working.

Seems like GateKeeper in Mac OS Mojave is really strict and prevent any unsigned app from opening.

Is there any workaround?

Transmission torrent app is the best I used so far, others like uTorrent has many adware with it.

VLC is a very good media player too.

iMac with Retina 5K display, macOS Mojave (10.14)

Posted on Sep 27, 2018 5:17 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

VikingOSX

Level 10

123,446 points

Sep 27, 2018 5:30 AM in response to Nee Kun

VLC 3.0.4 works fine on the released Mojave.

It is not wise to follow that MIT video to circumvent built-in macOS security such as Gatekeeper. There is a one-time ritual when first downloading an application that is not from the Mac App Store.

Once the application is installed, one simply right-clicks on the application icon and chooses just Open. There will be a short validation progress on the file, followed by another panel that has Open on it too. Click Open. After the application has launched, quit it. That's it. Future use of the application is simply the normal launch procedure.

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Answer 2

dialabrain

Level 10

136,127 points

Sep 27, 2018 6:26 AM in response to Nee Kun

In System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General, do you have "App Store and identified developers" checked? If so, try switching to App Store then back.

Make sure to unlock the padlock.

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Answer 3

dialabrain

Level 10

136,127 points

Sep 27, 2018 5:33 AM in response to Nee Kun

VLC 3.0.4 works for me as does Transmission 2.94

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Answer 4

dialabrain

Level 10

136,127 points

Sep 27, 2018 5:57 AM in response to Nee Kun

On a new install of VLC, all you should have to do is double its icon and you will get this window…

There's no need to right click on it and choose "Open".

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Answer 5

dialabrain

Level 10

136,127 points

Sep 27, 2018 6:14 AM in response to Nee Kun

Do you have an antivirus or "cleaning" program installed?

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Answer 6

Nee Kun Author

Level 1

118 points

Sep 27, 2018 5:50 AM in response to VikingOSX

This is exactly what I did, go to Application folder and RIGHT click VLC to open it. No validation progress and VLC still giving same "App cannot be opened" message on subsequent launch. I did the same on my previous High Sierra and it worked, not for Mojave.

Please help 🙂

This is the recorded video :

Dropbox - Screen Recording 2018-09-27 at 8.41.27 PM.mov

Suddenly, after kept clicking Transmission it finally opened after the one-time ritual, I sweared this one-time ritual never appeared before this when I kept RIGHT click to open it. But VLC still no luck despite kept clicking and it does not trigger the one-time ritual.

This is so weird!!

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