hluk/CopyQ

Homebrew cask is now deprecated because CopyQ fails Gatekeeper checks

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#3498 opened on Mar 25, 2026

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help wantedmacOS

Description

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe. Homebrew now warns that the copyq cask is deprecated because the app does not pass macOS Gatekeeper checks, and the warning says the cask will be disabled on 2026-09-01.

That makes signing/notarization more than a UX issue now: it also threatens the continued availability of the official Homebrew install path for macOS users.

Current brew install --cask copyq output on macOS includes:

Warning: copyq has been deprecated because it does not pass the macOS Gatekeeper check! It will be disabled on 2026-09-01.
==> Caveats
copyq is not signed and requires Accessibility access,
so you will need to re-grant Accessibility access every time the app is updated.

A related runtime/install issue is already tracked in #2652, but this separate issue is specifically about the Homebrew deprecation and distribution impact.

Describe the solution you'd like Please make the macOS distribution pass Gatekeeper checks, ideally through proper code signing and notarization for release artifacts used by Homebrew.

That would:

  • remove the current deprecation warning
  • avoid the planned cask disable date
  • improve first-run trust and installation UX for macOS users
  • reduce the need for manual workarounds like ad-hoc signing or quarantine removal

Describe alternatives you've considered Users can work around this locally with quarantine removal and ad-hoc signing, but that is brittle, not ideal for less technical users, and does not solve the Homebrew cask deprecation itself.

Additional context Related issue: #2652

Contributor guide

Tech stack
cppobjective c
Domain
desktoprelease
Issue type
feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
macOS development environmentApple Developer account for code signing
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
20
Research direction
Examine the macOS build configuration in CMakeLists.txt to understand how the app is currently signed or notarized. Look for any existing code signing settings and the notarization process in the CI scripts. The issue references Homebrew deprecation; review the linked issue #2652 for related runtime issues. Consider adding a step to the build pipeline that signs and notarizes the app bundle before release, potentially using Apple's `codesign` and `xcrun altool` or `notarytool`.