Installing on macOS

Step-by-step guide to install SquirrelDisk on macOS

The SquirrelDisk binary is not code-signed with an Apple Developer certificate. macOS Gatekeeper will prevent the app from opening on first launch. Follow the steps below to bypass this security warning.

Download

Download the latest macOS disk image (.dmg) from the GitHub releases page.

Installation Steps

1. Open the DMG File

   Double-click the downloaded .dmg file to mount the disk image. A Finder window will open showing the SquirrelDisk application.

2. Install the Application

   Drag the SquirrelDisk icon to your Applications folder to install it.

3. Bypass Gatekeeper (First Launch)

   Because the app is not signed with an Apple Developer certificate, you need to bypass Gatekeeper:

   1. Right-click (or Control-click) on the SquirrelDisk app in your Applications folder
   2. Select “Open” from the context menu
   3. A warning dialog will appear - click “Cancel” or it will close automatically
   4. Right-click on SquirrelDisk again and select “Open” a second time
   5. Now you’ll see an “Open” button in the warning dialog - click it to launch the app

   You only need to do this process once. After the first successful launch, you can open SquirrelDisk normally by double-clicking.

4. Grant Permissions

   When you first launch SquirrelDisk, macOS will ask for permissions:

   • Full Disk Access: Required to scan all directories on your system
   • Grant the requested permissions in System Preferences when prompted

System Requirements

• macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) or later
• 64-bit Intel or Apple Silicon (M1/M2) processor
• Minimum 2GB RAM recommended

Troubleshooting

Alternative Method to Bypass Gatekeeper

If the right-click method doesn’t work, you can use the command line:

xattr -cr /Applications/SquirrelDisk.app

Then try opening the app normally.

”SquirrelDisk is damaged and can’t be opened”

This error can occur due to Gatekeeper quarantine attributes. Remove them with:

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/SquirrelDisk.app

App Can’t Access Certain Folders

If SquirrelDisk can’t scan some directories:

1. Open System Preferences > Security & Privacy
2. Go to the Privacy tab
3. Select Full Disk Access from the left sidebar
4. Click the lock icon to make changes (requires admin password)
5. Click the + button and add SquirrelDisk from your Applications folder
6. Restart SquirrelDisk

App Crashes on Launch

• Check that your macOS version meets the minimum requirements
• Try removing the app and reinstalling from a fresh download
• Check Console.app for crash logs related to SquirrelDisk
• Report the issue on the GitHub issue page with crash logs

Apple Silicon (M1/M2) Issues

SquirrelDisk should run natively on Apple Silicon. If you encounter issues:

• Ensure you downloaded the correct version for your architecture
• Try running with Rosetta 2 if the native version has issues:
  1. Right-click SquirrelDisk in Applications
  2. Select “Get Info”
  3. Check “Open using Rosetta”

Updates

SquirrelDisk includes an auto-updater that checks for new versions when you launch the app. You’ll be notified when updates are available.

When an update is available, you’ll see a notification dialog. The app will download and install the update automatically.