The Mac app won't open or update
Gatekeeper on first launch, and what to do if an update seems stuck.
This applies to macOS.
“Downloaded from the internet”
macOS shows this the first time you open any newly downloaded app. Click Open and it won’t ask again.
Dayspring is signed and notarised by Apple, so you shouldn’t see anything stronger than that. If macOS claims the app is damaged, the download was probably incomplete — delete it, empty the Trash, and download it again.
How updating works
The Mac app checks for updates by itself and installs them quietly in the background. When one is ready you get a small prompt offering to restart. There’s nothing to download manually.
You can also check by hand in Settings → About.
An update that won’t apply
- Quit Dayspring properly — ⌘Q, not just closing the window. An update can’t replace a running app.
- Open it again and let it check.
- If it’s still stuck, download a fresh copy and drag it over the old one in Applications. Your writing isn’t in the app, so replacing it loses nothing.
Where your writing actually is
Not inside the app bundle. It’s in your Library folder and on our servers, so deleting and reinstalling the app never touches your journal.
Checking your version
Settings → About shows the version you’re on and what changed recently. Include that version if you report something — it saves a round-trip.