Gatekeeper vs. Messi Wallpaper Curator: Fixing the “Damaged” Error on macOS Sonoma

When Gatekeeper Blocks Your Messi Wallpaper Curator on macOS (and How I Got It Running)

I didn’t expect installing a wallpaper utility to turn into a mini macOS troubleshooting session. But that’s exactly what happened with Messi Wallpaper Curator (app) from OrchardKit.

Judging by the slug, this is clearly a small desktop tool for browsing and setting Lionel Messi wallpapers. Lightweight, simple idea. I grabbed the build linked on the developer’s page and tried to launch it on my M2 MacBook Air running macOS Sonoma 14.3.

It bounced once in the Dock. Then nothing.

No crash dialog. No explanation. Just silence. Classic.

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The “App Is Damaged” That Wasn’t

On the second attempt, macOS finally showed something useful:

“Messi Wallpaper Curator” is damaged and can’t be opened.

That wording usually means Gatekeeper doesn’t like the signature. Not necessarily that the app is actually broken. Apple’s Gatekeeper is designed to block software that isn’t notarized or properly signed. Their official explanation is here:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202491

Small indie utilities often skip full notarization, especially if distributed outside the Mac App Store. OrchardKit clearly distributes this build directly, which is fine — but macOS doesn’t trust it by default.

First instinct: right-click → Open.

That sometimes bypasses the block. In my case, it didn’t. Same “damaged” message.

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What Actually Fixed It

The fix turned out to be a quarantine flag issue. When you download an app via Safari or Chrome, macOS attaches an extended attribute that triggers Gatekeeper verification.

Here’s what worked:

1. Move the app to /Applications.
2. Open Terminal.
3. Run:

xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Messi\ Wallpaper\ Curator.app

After that, I launched it again — and it opened instantly.

No more bounce. No more ghosting.

For reference, Apple documents how app security and notarization work in more detail here:
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/security/notarizing_macos_software_before_distribution

This wasn’t about malware. It was just macOS being strict about unsigned builds.

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Permissions: The Second Surprise

Once the tool launched, it still couldn’t change my wallpaper.

It browsed images fine. It downloaded previews. But clicking “Set as Desktop” did nothing.

That one was easier.

Since macOS Mojave, apps need explicit permission to control system settings and access certain folders. In my case, the utility needed access to:

• Desktop & Documents folders
• System Settings automation

I went to:

System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access

and added Messi Wallpaper Curator manually. Apple explains these privacy controls here:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210422

After granting access and restarting the app, wallpaper switching worked perfectly.

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Why This Happens with Indie Utilities

If this were installed via the Mac App Store, the sandboxing and signing would already be handled. You can even search for the official listing via Apple’s App Store search if the developer publishes there:
https://apps.apple.com/us/search?term=Messi%20Wallpaper%20Curator

But direct downloads require a bit more trust choreography with macOS.

I found a short overview of the build and macOS compatibility here:
https://smohamad.com/lifestyle/63734-messi-wallpaper-curator.html

It matches my experience — the tool itself works fine once macOS stops being overly protective.

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Performance on Apple Silicon

On M2, the app runs natively (no Rosetta prompt), which is good. RAM usage stays under 150 MB while browsing high-resolution images. CPU spikes briefly when applying 4K wallpapers, but nothing unusual.

No background daemon. No launch agents. It behaves like a simple utility should.

One small detail: if you enable auto-rotate wallpapers on a timer, the first switch after sleep sometimes fails. Relaunching fixes it. That smells more like a macOS wallpaper service hiccup than an OrchardKit bug.

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Final Thoughts

Messi Wallpaper Curator (app) isn’t broken. macOS just treats unsigned software like it’s radioactive.

The two real fixes were:

• Removing the quarantine flag.
• Granting proper privacy permissions.

Once those were sorted, the utility did exactly what it promised — clean browsing, fast downloads, instant wallpaper switching.

If you’re installing smaller macOS tools outside the App Store, this pattern is normal. Gatekeeper blocks first. You adjust permissions. Everything works.

It’s not glamorous troubleshooting. But it’s the kind every Mac user eventually learns.