Describe the bug
On macOS, Markpad repeatedly asks for file-access permission every time it saves a file into a protected folder (Desktop / Documents / Downloads), even after the user has explicitly allowed access in System Settings and even after granting Full Disk Access to the app. The grant never "sticks" — the prompt returns on the next save.
Opening files does not trigger the prompt (the macOS Open panel / Powerbox implicitly grants access to the user-selected file). The problem is specific to the write/save path.
Likely root cause
The distributed macOS app is ad-hoc signed and not notarized, so macOS cannot pin a TCC / Full Disk Access grant to a stable code-signing identity, and re-prompts on each protected-folder write. Evidence from the installed app (/Applications/Markpad.app):
$ spctl -a -vvv /Applications/Markpad.app
/Applications/Markpad.app: rejected
source=no usable signature
$ codesign -dvv /Applications/Markpad.app
Identifier=Markpad-60fe2234e2ef4c98
Signature=adhoc
TeamIdentifier=not set
# no sandbox / files entitlements
$ codesign -d --entitlements :- /Applications/Markpad.app # (empty)
Because the signature is ad-hoc (no Developer ID, unstable auto-generated identifier), TCC treats the grant as untrusted / non-persistent. Granting Full Disk Access does not resolve it.
This was verified on the official v2.6.11 release (downloaded via browser, not a local build) — the app still carries its download quarantine attribute:
$ xattr -l /Applications/Markpad.app
com.apple.quarantine: 03c1;........;Chrome;........
# CFBundleShortVersionString = 2.6.11, binary dated Jun 2026
To Reproduce
- On macOS, open a Markdown file located on the Desktop (or in Documents/Downloads).
- Edit it and save (⌘S) back to the same location.
- macOS shows a "Markpad wants to access files in your Desktop folder" prompt. Click Allow.
- Grant Markpad Full Disk Access in System Settings → Privacy & Security.
- Edit and save again — the permission prompt still appears. The grant is not remembered.
Expected behavior
After allowing access once (or after granting Full Disk Access), saving to Desktop / Documents / Downloads should not prompt again. The grant should persist across saves and app launches.
Suggested fix
Sign the macOS release with a Developer ID Application certificate and notarize it (staple the ticket). TCC / Full Disk Access grants are keyed to a stable code-signing identity; a Developer-ID signature gives macOS a stable identity to persist the grant against. An ad-hoc signature does not.
This was confirmed on the official downloaded v2.6.11 release (not a local build), which spctl reports as having no usable signature.
Device
- OS: macOS (Darwin 25.5.0)
- App Version: v2.6.11 (official release, downloaded)
Additional context
The app is not sandboxed, so file access to Desktop/Documents/Downloads is governed by TCC folder permissions rather than security-scoped bookmarks. Saving is a direct filesystem write to the target path, which is what triggers the TCC check on every write when the signing identity is not trusted/persistent.
Describe the bug
On macOS, Markpad repeatedly asks for file-access permission every time it saves a file into a protected folder (Desktop / Documents / Downloads), even after the user has explicitly allowed access in System Settings and even after granting Full Disk Access to the app. The grant never "sticks" — the prompt returns on the next save.
Opening files does not trigger the prompt (the macOS Open panel / Powerbox implicitly grants access to the user-selected file). The problem is specific to the write/save path.
Likely root cause
The distributed macOS app is ad-hoc signed and not notarized, so macOS cannot pin a TCC / Full Disk Access grant to a stable code-signing identity, and re-prompts on each protected-folder write. Evidence from the installed app (
/Applications/Markpad.app):Because the signature is ad-hoc (no Developer ID, unstable auto-generated identifier), TCC treats the grant as untrusted / non-persistent. Granting Full Disk Access does not resolve it.
This was verified on the official v2.6.11 release (downloaded via browser, not a local build) — the app still carries its download quarantine attribute:
To Reproduce
Expected behavior
After allowing access once (or after granting Full Disk Access), saving to Desktop / Documents / Downloads should not prompt again. The grant should persist across saves and app launches.
Suggested fix
Sign the macOS release with a Developer ID Application certificate and notarize it (staple the ticket). TCC / Full Disk Access grants are keyed to a stable code-signing identity; a Developer-ID signature gives macOS a stable identity to persist the grant against. An ad-hoc signature does not.
This was confirmed on the official downloaded v2.6.11 release (not a local build), which
spctlreports as havingno usable signature.Device
Additional context
The app is not sandboxed, so file access to Desktop/Documents/Downloads is governed by TCC folder permissions rather than security-scoped bookmarks. Saving is a direct filesystem write to the target path, which is what triggers the TCC check on every write when the signing identity is not trusted/persistent.