Where Does Gatekeeper Store Quarantine Info?
Gatekeeper flags downloads with quarantine attributes and checks policies in a system database.
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Gatekeeper marks internet downloads with a quarantine flag stored as a file attribute, not in any folder. Double-clicking a flagged app triggers the verification dialog instead of a direct launch.
The flag travels with the file through copies and zips, which is why unzipping on another Mac keeps the warning. System policy data backing these checks lives in protected system databases. Remove the flag per file only when you trust the source, since it exists to catch exactly the downloads you forgot about.
Where macOS stores this, by platform
Quarantine xattr on downloaded files (com.apple.quarantine)
Per-file quarantine flags, visible with xattr in Terminal. Clear per app through right-click Open, never by disabling Gatekeeper system-wide.
Frequently asked questions
macOS refuses to open my downloaded app. How do I allow it?
Right-click the app and choose Open, then confirm. That explicit approval clears the flag for that app without disabling system protection.
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