Do pre-installed macOS system apps need to be manually added to an allowlist policy?Solved

Participant
Discussion
5 days ago Jun 01, 2026

Hey team, need a clarity on allowlist policy. Should the mac system apps need to be added before pushing the policy to work? I remember seeing in a doc that apps not added will not be accessible. 

Replies (3)

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Participant
5 days ago Jun 01, 2026
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Some fundamental system apps like Finder, Siri, etc., bypass the restriction and stay accessible because they constantly run in the background. However, any other standard pre-installed applications like System Settings, Terminal, etc., you want your users to access will definitely be blocked if you don’t explicitly add them to the allowlist.

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Participant
5 days ago Jun 01, 2026
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Ok got it. Can I push two allowlist policies to same device? Because I want to allow some common apps to all devices and users but want to allow specific apps based on their departments.

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Hexnode Expert
5 days ago Jun 01, 2026
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Hello @lila_ace

Hexnode UEM allows you to associate multiple allowlist policies with the same device by merging the payloads on the endpoint. This enables you to deploy your configurations efficiently using a layered approach: 

  • Create a Baseline Policy: Build a primary allowlist policy containing your essential system utilities and company-wide applications (like communication or browsing tools) and target it to all your Mac endpoints. 
  • Layer Departmental Policies: Associate separate, supplementary allowlist policies tailored to specific teams (such as developers or marketing groups) with their respective devices to grant access to specialized applications. 

When both policies are associated with a device, Hexnode UEM compiles them seamlessly, granting the user access to the combined list of permitted applications. 

For even more detailed information about the allowlist policy, refer to our guide on Blocklist/Allowlist apps on macOS devices

Regards, 
Simon Scott 
Hexnode UEM 

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