SlateBring the blocks and schedules from your iPhone to the screen where focus matters just as much. Slate blocks the websites and apps you choose across your Mac.
macOS shows two separate security prompts during first setup. Approve both. If either is dismissed, Slate can open normally but blocking will not activate.
Download the signed and Apple-notarized disk image. Both the app and the disk image carry stapled notarization tickets.
Signed and notarized by Apple
Double-click SlateMac-1.0.dmg. A window opens with the Slate icon and an Applications folder shortcut.
This is required, not just a Mac convention. macOS permits a system extension to install only when its containing app lives in /Applications. Running Slate from Downloads or the Desktop means blocking will never activate.
In Finder, click the eject icon next to the mounted Slate disk image. Then open Slate from Applications. Launching from the still-mounted image causes the same problem as running it from Downloads.
First macOS prompt
On first launch, macOS shows “System Extension Blocked”. Open System Settings and allow the Slate extension. The path depends on your macOS version.
Slate needs approval before its network extension can be activated.
System SettingsGeneralLogin Items & ExtensionsNetwork Extensions
Open Network Extensions, turn Slate on, then click Done.
System SettingsPrivacy & Securityscroll to SecurityAllow
You need an administrator password to approve the extension.
Second macOS prompt
Right after the extension approval, macOS shows a second, separate dialog: “Slate would like to filter network content.” Click Allow.
This can look like a repeat of the prompt you just handled, so it is easy to dismiss by reflex. It is not a repeat. Website and app blocking does nothing without this approval.
To sync with the app, sign in to the same iCloud account on both devices. Slate uses CloudKit for sync.
Most first-run issues come from one of the two macOS approvals being skipped. Start with the network filter.
The network filter was not approved. Open Slate, turn blocking off, then turn it back on to re-trigger the “Slate would like to filter network content”prompt from step 6. Click Allow.
If the prompt does not return, open System SettingsNetworkFilters, remove the existing Slate filter, then re-enable blocking in Slate.
Open System SettingsNetworkFilters and remove any existing Slate filter. Return to Slate and re-enable blocking. When the network-content dialog appears again, click Allow.
The extension must be approved by an administrator. Sign in with an admin account, or ask the Mac’s administrator to enter their password when macOS requests it.
/Applications to the Trash. macOS removes the system extension with its containing app.