The executable is located with in the.app folder 2 folders down. Open.app folder I find folders: contents/MacOS/linux executable. Does the command line tool you mentioned know to look down that many folders to find the linux executable or should I be accounting for those extra file layers in the path? You should now see one or more folders inside the application. Locate the executable file inside this folder. This is usually inside /Contents/MacOS. The executable often has the same name as the application, but it could have another name, such as 'run.sh.' The executable file icon is usually a black square with the word 'exec' in small letters. The second way to automatically launch apps and documents uses OS X’s built-in Folder Actions, which allow you to trigger a script when the contents of a specified folder is changed.
Loading programs automatically upon startup is a very convenient function, especially if the user knows exactly the list of applications that he needs regularly every day. When you turn on your PC that works on Mac OS, whether it’s a MacBook or a desktop computer, you can configure a set of programs that will start automatically. Some applications will offer you an automatic load option at the very moment you install them and run them for the very first time; others do not provide this option by default. In this article we are going to tell you how to add applications to Auto Program Startup on Mac OS, and how to remove them from there.
How to add applications to the auto program startup on Mac OS using dock
The first way, which we are going to describe in this article, involves adding to the Auto Program Startup applications that are placed on the lower Dock-panel. Usually, these are the most used programs.
To add a new program to the Dock, you just need to transfer it from the list of all applications (Launchpad). After that, in the Dock, right click on the program that you would like to download automatically and select “Options” from the drop-down menu, and then set “Open at Login” option.
Important: After the “Open at login” option is checked, a checkmark will appear on it, which means that this application will be started automatically. If you need to remove the program from startup just right-click on it in Dock and uncheck the “Open at Login” option from the options list.
How to add or remove application from auto program startup on Mac OS using settings
Method that we described above is not the only one available in Mac OS. You can use the operating system settings to add or remove applications from startup. To do this:
- Go to “System Preferences” by clicking an apple sign in the upper left corner of the screen and selecting the corresponding item in the drop-down menu;
- In the preferences window find the “Users and groups” section (you can do it by yourself or use search). Go to it;
- At the top of the menu, select the “Login items” tab to get to the list of programs for Auto Startup;
- You will see a list of applications that start automatically with the operating system;
- To add new program to Auto Startup you need to click on the “Plus” at the bottom of the window, and open the standard Finder. Here you can choose which exactly applications should start automatically when you turn on your computer. You can add not only the application, but also a separate file or something else. Select the desired application and click “Add”. After that, the program will be added to Startup list.
If you would like to remove one of the applications from the current startup list select it at the list of login items and click on “Minus”. After that, the selected application will stop starting automatically every time you turn on the computer on Mac OS.
Note that there is also a “Hide” column in the list of Login Items, where you can set the checkbox. If you enable the checkbox for one program in this column, it will not open on the whole screen when you start automatically, but will remain running at the background. For example, this can be useful for programs like Skype, Telegram and other messengers.
The safest place to get apps for your Mac is the App Store. Apple reviews each app in the App Store before it’s accepted and signs it to ensure that it hasn’t been tampered with or altered. If there’s ever a problem with an app, Apple can quickly remove it from the store.
If you download and install apps from the internet or directly from a developer, macOS continues to protect your Mac. When you install Mac apps, plug-ins, and installer packages from outside the App Store, macOS checks the Developer ID signature to verify that the software is from an identified developer and that it has not been altered. By default, macOS Catalina also requires software to be notarized, so you can be confident that the software you run on your Mac doesn't contain known malware. Before opening downloaded software for the first time, macOS requests your approval to make sure you aren’t misled into running software you didn’t expect.
Running software that hasn’t been signed and notarized may expose your computer and personal information to malware that can harm your Mac or compromise your privacy.
View the app security settings on your Mac
By default, the security and privacy preferences of your Mac are set to allow apps from the App Store and identified developers. For additional security, you can chose to allow only apps from the App Store.
In System Preferences, click Security & Privacy, then click General. Click the lock and enter your password to make changes. Select App Store under the header “Allow apps downloaded from.”
Open a developer-signed or notarized app
If your Mac is set to allow apps from the App Store and identified developers, the first time that you launch a new app, your Mac asks if you’re sure you want to open it.
An app that has been notarized by Apple indicates that Apple checked it for malicious software and none was detected:
Prior to macOS Catalina, opening an app that hasn't been notarized shows a yellow warning icon and asks if you're sure you want to open it:
If you see a warning message and can’t install an app
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If you have set your Mac to allow apps only from the App Store and you try to install an app from elsewhere, your Mac will say that the app can't be opened because it was not downloaded from the App Store.*
If your Mac is set to allow apps from the App Store and identified developers, and you try to install an app that isn’t signed by an identified developer or—in macOS Catalina—notarized by Apple, you also see a warning that the app cannot be opened.
If you see this warning, it means that the app was not notarized, and Apple could not scan the app for known malicious software.
You may want to look for an updated version of the app in the App Store or look for an alternative app.
If macOS detects a malicious app
If macOS detects that an app has malicious content, it will notify you when you try to open it and ask you to move it to the Trash.
How to open an app that hasn’t been notarized or is from an unidentified developer
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Running software that hasn’t been signed and notarized may expose your computer and personal information to malware that can harm your Mac or compromise your privacy. If you’re certain that an app you want to install is from a trustworthy source and hasn’t been tampered with, you can temporarily override your Mac security settings to open it.
In macOS Catalina and macOS Mojave, when an app fails to install because it hasn’t been notarized or is from an unidentified developer, it will appear in System Preferences > Security & Privacy, under the General tab. Click Open Anyway to confirm your intent to open or install the app.
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The warning prompt reappears, and you can click Open.*
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The app is now saved as an exception to your security settings, and you can open it in the future by double-clicking it, just as you can any authorized app.
*If you're prompted to open Finder: control-click the app in Finder, choose Open from the menu, and then click Open in the dialog that appears. Enter your admin name and password to open the app.