Opening it the first time
macOS will refuse to open NotchHold the first time and offer to move it to the Bin. That is expected. It happens to every app that is not notarized by Apple, and it says nothing about what the app does.
Do this once
- Drag NotchHold into Applications, then double-click it. macOS blocks it. Click Done.
- Open System Settings → Privacy & Security.
- Scroll to the bottom. There is a line saying NotchHold was blocked. Click Open Anyway.
- Confirm, and authenticate with Touch ID or your password.
NotchHold opens and lives in the menu bar from then on. You never see this again, including after updates.
Installing with Homebrew
Convenient for upgrades, but it does not skip the step above: Homebrew marks every cask as downloaded from the internet, and offers no way to opt out.
Or, in one line
If you would rather not click through Settings, paste this into Terminal:
That removes the “downloaded from the internet” flag macOS attaches to the file, which is the thing triggering the check. Then open the app normally.
If it answers No such file, NotchHold is not in Applications yet — drag it across from the disk image first.
Why it happens
Apple notarizes apps for developers enrolled in the Apple Developer Program, which costs $99 a year. NotchHold is a $6.99 one-time purchase made by one person, and is not enrolled yet, so its builds are not notarized and macOS cannot vouch for them.
On macOS 15 and later the old Control-click → Open shortcut no longer works for this; System Settings is the only click-through route. The app is signed, just not by a paid certificate, so the signature still guarantees the download was not altered after it was built.
If any of that gives you pause, that is reasonable. The privacy page sets out exactly what the app touches, and you can ask me directly.