The first time they open v2rayN, many macOS users see a system popup saying it "cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer," sometimes without even an "Open Anyway" option visible. This is macOS's Gatekeeper security feature at work — it doesn't mean the app itself has a problem. Either of the two methods below will open it normally.
Why This Prompt Appears
macOS has a built-in security review system called Gatekeeper, which by default only allows apps that are signed and "notarized" by Apple to run. This certification requires developers to pay an annual developer account fee and submit every version to Apple's automated review process. For open-source tools maintained by individuals or small teams, that ongoing cost and process often isn't worth it, so many open-source projects skip notarization and distribute unsigned or only lightly signed installers — which triggers the system's block prompt the first time you open the app.
It's worth stressing that this prompt is only macOS's generic way of saying "this developer hasn't gone through Apple's official certification" — it doesn't mean the software itself is malicious or unsafe. Plenty of well-known open-source tools and command-line software trigger the same prompt. Whether a piece of software is worth using should come down to whether its source code is public and its community actively maintained, not simply whether it passed a system signature check.
Method 1: Allow It Manually in System Settings
- Open "System Settings" → "Privacy & Security," and scroll down to the "Security" section.
- You'll see a message saying "v2rayN" was blocked because it's from an unidentified developer — click "Open Anyway" next to it.
- The system will show one more confirmation dialog — click "Open," and from then on double-clicking the icon will launch it normally with no more prompts.
On some newer macOS versions, this message might not stay visible on the "Privacy & Security" page — it may only appear briefly after you try to open the app. If you miss it, double-click the app icon again and check System Settings once more.
Method 2: Right-Click (or Control-Click) to Open
- Find the v2rayN icon in your Applications folder, then hold Control and click it (or right-click with a trackpad).
- Select "Open" from the menu that appears. The system will show a confirmation dialog — click "Open" again.
- This method works even if you don't see the corresponding entry in System Settings. It's an older workaround that's still valid on the newest macOS versions.
Why We Don't Recommend Disabling System Security Entirely
Some guides suggest running a terminal command to fully disable Gatekeeper's signature check. While this solves every similar prompt at once, it also means the system stops checking signatures for every app afterward, noticeably raising the security risk. It's not worth turning off a system-level security feature just to open one app — the two methods above, which allow a single app, are already enough to solve the problem without giving up overall security.
Interface Differences Across macOS Versions
As macOS gets updated, the exact wording and location of this message in "Privacy & Security" changes slightly — older versions might call it "Security & Privacy," and the button might say "Open Anyway" instead of "Open." The overall logic stays the same either way: find the app name in System Settings, allow it, then go back and open the app once more to confirm. If you can't find the right entry at all, Method 2 (right-click to open) is usually the most reliable option across versions.
Will It Prompt Me Again After the First Time?
Once you've successfully opened it using either method, the system remembers that "allow" decision — after that, double-clicking the icon just launches it normally with no repeat prompts. The only time you might see the same prompt again is after downloading a fresh installer or updating to a new version that replaces the whole app bundle, since the file's signature info changes. That's normal — just handle it the same way, no need to be confused each time.
If Neither Method Works
First check that the installer downloaded completely without being corrupted — you can grab a fresh copy from the download page, remove the old app, and drag the new one into Applications again. If the same error shows up after redownloading, check whether your Mac has an Apple Silicon (M-series) or Intel chip, and make sure the installer you downloaded matches your device's architecture. If it's still not working, walk through the full macOS guide from the start to confirm every step was done correctly.
Haven't Installed v2rayN Yet?
If you haven't installed v2rayN yet, just head to the download page to grab the current latest version. If you run into the prompt described at the top of this article the first time you open it, handle it with either method above once, and you won't be affected again after that.
Overall, this prompt is more like a one-time "just confirm this" step macOS puts in front of open-source software users, not a real security alarm. Once you understand why it happens, you'll be able to handle similar prompts calmly in the future too — not just for v2rayN, but for any other tool that hasn't gone through Apple's notarization process — instead of giving up the moment you see "cannot verify developer."