

The iOS App Store provides software downloads for the iPad and iPhone. For information about changing Gatekeeper settings, see Changing Gatekeeper settings in macOS. The macOS App Store is closely integrated with a macOS feature called Gatekeeper, which verifies the digital signature of all apps downloaded from the Internet. On macOS computers, the App Store is located in the Applications folder and as a default icon on the dock. The App Store is also used to install security updates and upgrade to newer versions of macOS. It is part of macOS and can find, download, and install software for a Mac. The macOS App Store was launched on January 6, 2011. If multiple updates are available, they can be installed by the app store all at once.

The user does not need to manually check for new updates.

The code of each app is reviewed to make sure it doesn't contain malware or viruses, and conforms to other guidelines for the user's device.

For instance, Apple inspects all software on the macOS and iOS App Stores, and Google inspects all software on the Play Store. The software available on an app store is officially approved by the store operator.
