Level 1

11 points

After updating to Sequoia 15.3, all MP4s on my system give malware warning

I updated my 2024 Mac Mini to Sequoia 15.3 last night, and now every single MP4 I have gives a "Apple could not verify...mp4” is free of malware that may harm your Mac or compromise your privacy." and my only options are Done or Move to Trash. They will play (in icon) if I click the play control, but will not open in VLC or QuickTime Player. These are files that in some cases I have had for years. Nothing has changed other than updating to 15.3. Do I have any options other than waiting for Apple to address this? Is there a way to rebuild the desktop database or whatever they're looking at here. This is crucial for me professionally.

Mac mini, macOS 15.3

Posted on Feb 23, 2025 10:28 AM

Top-ranking reply

Luis Sequeira1

Level 9

73,188 points

Posted on Feb 23, 2025 12:39 PM

Instead of double clicking the file, try control-clicking and choosing Open. It should give you a similar warning but include an Open button. Once a file is open this way it should work with double clicking afterwards (but you may need to do this once for each file that is problematic).

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30 replies

Apr 8, 2025 4:23 PM in response to etresoft

This appears to be the answer. Can anyone advise a simple app I can use that has "advertised support for" .srt files as @etresoft mentions so that I can just double click .srt files again? I tried the BBEdit that @etresoft mentioned but it didn't work -- I had no complaints about TextEdit, all I wanted was to make simple edits of these simple text files, which I often do in a quick way then exit the app.

etresoft

Level 9

56,314 points

Apr 8, 2025 5:46 PM in response to ManHasAspirit

ManHasAspirit wrote:

This appears to be the answer. Can anyone advise a simple app I can use that has "advertised support for" .srt files as @etresoft mentions so that I can just double click .srt files again?

VLC supports them, but only as subtitles, not for editing.

It's an interesting problem. Building a simple text editor that opens SRT files would be trivially easy. But it's so easy that anyone could do it, and release a free version. It's a race to the top. The only way to complete would be to add features and more functionality. But it's an SRT file. How many users would such a tool have? And of those, how many would be willing to pay money? So before a developer writes the first line of code, the race turns around and goes to the bottom. In the end, you get nothing. The beauty of open source software.

Clyde Graham Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 23, 2025 10:39 AM in response to Clyde Graham

It automatically gives that warning when I attempt to open the file. It feels like their malware scan is just auto-failing.

dialabrain

Level 10

135,815 points

Feb 23, 2025 1:16 PM in response to leroydouglas

Just to add, I have never had that warning with any version of macOS.

Clyde Graham Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 23, 2025 2:09 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

No, it only gives me Done and Move to Trash

Clyde Graham Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 23, 2025 2:11 PM in response to leroydouglas

Changed it back to QuickTime Player. Same result.

dialabrain

Level 10

135,815 points

Feb 23, 2025 2:36 PM in response to Clyde Graham

Are they on an external drive? If so, how is it formatted?

Clyde Graham Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 23, 2025 6:26 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

I'd already done that, it doesn't work,

Clyde Graham Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 23, 2025 6:28 PM in response to dialabrain

Internal drive, but same behavior if they're on an external drive as well.

Clyde Graham Author

Level 1

11 points

Feb 23, 2025 6:29 PM in response to Clyde Graham

Also, all of this was working before the update last night.

Mar 26, 2025 10:05 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

I have to take it all back, IT DID WORK!

Thank you good Sir, you're a scholar and a life saver. Embarrassingly simple, fantastic!

Cheers mate and have a good one!

Stargazer

Mar 26, 2025 10:08 AM in response to Stargayzer

Apr 1, 2025 8:53 AM in response to ManHasAspirit

Select one srt file and press Command-I to open the Info window.

What application is set to open the file?

Select TextEdit, then click "Change All".

Does the problem persist after that?

ms1592

Level 1

12 points

Apr 8, 2025 10:23 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

this worked for me, was having the same issues with elmedia player. Thank you

Apr 8, 2025 10:56 AM in response to ManHasAspirit

Just to make absolutely sure: in addition to selecting TextEdit, did you also click on "Change All"?

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After updating to Sequoia 15.3, all MP4s on my system give malware warning