Installation Guide
How to Install CoreLock
CoreLock works on macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel). Follow the steps below to get set up.
macOS Installation
Download the DMG
Go to the download page and click the macOS button. Choose Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) or Intel depending on your Mac.
Open the DMG
Double-click the downloaded CoreLock DMG file (for example, CoreLock-2.0.7-arm64.dmg).
Drag to Applications
Drag the CoreLock icon to the Applications folder in the window that appears.
Open CoreLock from Applications, not from the disk image or Downloads, so it can update itself.
Open CoreLock
Open CoreLock from your Applications folder. macOS may ask you to confirm since it was downloaded from the internet — click Open.
CoreLock is signed and notarized by Apple, so you should not see any "damaged" or "unidentified developer" warnings.
You don't need an account for the local checks. In the main window, click Scan to run your first six-check scan. Here's what each check looks at.
Full Disk Access (optional) CoreLock works without it, but the privacy check needs it to read which apps have permissions like camera, microphone, Screen Recording and Accessibility. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access and toggle CoreLock on.
Troubleshooting
CoreLock isn't updating
CoreLock can only install updates when it runs from your Applications folder. A copy opened from the disk image or your Downloads folder runs from a temporary, read-only location, so updates can't install. Quit CoreLock, drag it into Applications in Finder (or download it again from the download page and drag it in from the disk image), then open it from Applications. CoreLock 2.0.5 and later offer to move themselves there. To check your version, choose CoreLock › About CoreLock.
macOS: "CoreLock.app is damaged"
This should not happen with our signed builds. If you see this, you may have an older version. Download the latest from our download page.
macOS: "unidentified developer" warning
CoreLock is signed and notarized by Apple, so this should not appear. If it does, on macOS 15 or later open System Settings › Privacy & Security, scroll down to Security and click Open Anyway, then enter your login password. The button shows for about an hour after you try to open the app. On macOS 13 or 14, Control-click the app in Finder, choose Open, then click Open again.
Still having issues?
Email us at info@corelock.net with a screenshot of the error and we'll help you get set up.