← Back to ShipCheck
ShipCheck support

Release trouble?
Start with the artifact.

ShipCheck examines the finished app or DMG you intend to distribute. If something looks wrong, these are the best first checks before changing your project.

ShipCheck Support

ShipCheck Support

ShipCheck is intentionally simple: drop in a .app or .dmg, let the inspection finish, and read the release verdict. If the result is unexpected, work through the items below.

Input

ShipCheck does not accept the file

Make sure you are dropping a real macOS .app bundle or .dmg disk image. ShipCheck is a release-preflight tool and does not inspect Xcode projects, archives, ZIP files, folders, or source code.

Signature

Code signing reports a failure

Inspect the exact app or DMG you planned to distribute, not a different build. A successful Xcode build does not guarantee the exported or packaged artifact still has the signing state you expect.

Notarization

The notarization check fails

Confirm that the release artifact was notarized and that the notarization ticket was stapled to the artifact you are testing. ShipCheck evaluates the finished release item, not the earlier archive or project settings.

Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper does not accept the app

Treat this as a release problem worth resolving before distribution. Gatekeeper reflects the security path a downloaded app will encounter on another Mac, so an unexpected rejection should not be ignored.

DMG integrity

The disk image itself fails

Recreate the DMG from a known-good app and inspect the new image again. A valid app inside a damaged or malformed disk image is still a bad release package.

Embedded app

The DMG passes, but the app inside does not

ShipCheck checks both layers. The outer disk image can be structurally valid while the packaged application has a signing, notarization, Gatekeeper, or metadata problem of its own.

Metadata

The app identity or version looks wrong

Verify that you packaged the correct build. ShipCheck reads the identity information from the selected artifact, including the application version, build number, executable, and supported macOS information.

Release Evidence

The report is not saving where expected

Use Release Evidence after the inspection has completed, then choose the destination you want in the macOS save panel. The exported report records the result of the artifact you just inspected.

Unexpected result

A known-good release shows a warning or failure

First test the exact file again. If the result repeats, keep the artifact unchanged and include the ShipCheck verdict and the failing check when contacting support. That gives us something concrete to investigate.

Clean install

ShipCheck itself will not open normally

Make sure you are using the current ShipCheck download from Tom Glander Digital. If macOS shows a security message, note the exact wording and include it with your support request.

READY TO SHIP

The release checks completed without a blocking issue.

REVIEW BEFORE SHIPPING

Something deserves attention before you release the artifact.

DO NOT SHIP

ShipCheck found one or more release failures that should be resolved first.

Still stuck?

Email support@tomglanderdigital.com. Include ShipCheck, your macOS version, whether you were checking an app or DMG, the verdict shown, and a short description of what happened. If useful, attach the exported Release Evidence report.