How do I check if a Mac app is notarized?

Run spctl --assess --verbose followed by the path to the app in Terminal. An accepted app reports that it came from a notarized developer.

How can I see which permissions an app has?

Open System Settings, then Privacy & Security, and look through the Camera, Calendars, Reminders, Automation and Accessibility lists.

Should a notch app need Accessibility access?

Usually not. Be wary if a simple notch app asks for it, and check why.

Mac Notch App Privacy Checklist

A notch app sits at the top of your screen all day and often touches your clipboard, calendar or camera. Here is how to judge one before you trust it.

1. Where does it come from?

Prefer the developer’s own site or a store you trust. Check that the page names the company and has a privacy policy.

2. Is it signed and notarized?

Apple notarizes apps it has scanned for known malware. After installing, run this in Terminal:

spctl --assess --verbose /Applications/AppName.app

An accepted, notarized app says so. Some free apps are not notarized, and that is a choice to make knowingly.

3. Which permissions does it ask for?

Look at the permission prompts. A notch app might reasonably ask for Calendars or Reminders, Camera (for a mirror) or Automation (to control Music). It should ask when you use the feature, not at launch. Be wary of Accessibility or full disk access.

4. Does it need an account?

A tool that only runs on your Mac should not need one. If it asks you to sign in, find out why.

5. What does it send over the network?

A privacy policy should say plainly. You can also watch with a firewall tool such as Little Snitch or Lulu and see whether it connects anywhere you did not expect.

6. What does it store, and where?

For clipboard history especially, check whether it keeps history in memory or on disk, and whether it ignores password manager copies.

7. Can you remove it cleanly?

A good app can be deleted by dragging it to the Trash. If it installs helpers or login items, you should be able to turn them off in System Settings.

How NotchStar measures up

NotchStar has no account, measures nothing unless you opt in to anonymous version info, keeps clipboard history in memory only, honours the concealed flag, and asks for calendar, reminders or camera access only when you open the tool that needs it. Version 1.0 is signed but not yet notarized by Apple, so macOS asks you to confirm the first launch; we say so on the install page and plan to notarize later. See our privacy page.

A privacy checklist for any Mac notch app