Fix the macOS “app is damaged” warning

macOS attaches a quarantine flag to apps downloaded with a browser, which triggers the “damaged and can’t be opened” message. The installer is not actually damaged — clearing the flag fixes it.

The fix

  1. Make sure Clash Verge has been dragged into the Applications folder.
  2. Open Terminal (search for it in Launchpad).
  3. Run: sudo xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/Clash Verge.app"
  4. Type your login password (no characters are shown while typing), press Enter, and open the app again.

Why this happens

The macOS Gatekeeper shows this warning for internet-downloaded apps that have not gone through the notarization process. Clash Verge is open source — you can audit the entire codebase in the GitHub repository; removing the quarantine flag simply tells the system you trust the app.