macOS 15 Sequoia: Gatekeeper blocks app after every update, no workaround available

Summary

Every time Claude desktop app updates on macOS 15 Sequoia, macOS Gatekeeper blocks the new version and requires manual approval in System Settings > Privacy & Security. This is a recurring friction point on every update.

Environment

• macOS 15 Sequoia (Darwin 25.x)
• Claude desktop app (installed in /Applications/Claude.app)

Steps to Reproduce

1. Claude auto-updates to a new version
2. Try to open Claude
3. macOS blocks it with "Claude cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer" or similar Gatekeeper prompt
4. Must navigate to System Settings > Privacy & Security and manually click "Allow"

Why This Is Hard to Work Around

On macOS 15, previously available workarounds no longer work:

• xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Claude.app → fails with [Errno 1] Operation not permitted (app is notarized/SIP-protected)
• sudo spctl --add /Applications/Claude.app → This operation is no longer supported (removed in macOS 15)

Expected Behavior

The updater should handle Gatekeeper approval automatically, or the update should not re-trigger Gatekeeper (e.g., by updating in-place rather than replacing the bundle with a freshly quarantined download).

Suggested Fixes

• Distribute via the Mac App Store (bypasses Gatekeeper entirely)
• Fix the auto-updater to strip the quarantine flag before replacing the app bundle (requires the updater to run with appropriate entitlements)
• Use a Sparkle-based or similar updater that handles this correctly on macOS 15