Status Badges
AppPorts displays the current status of apps and data directories using capsule-shaped colored badges. Some badges are clickable for detailed information.
App Status Badges
Link Status
| Badge | Icon | Color | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linked | link | Green | App migrated to external storage with local entry |
| Locked Migration | lock.fill | Green | Linked and locked with uchg, preventing self-updates from damaging external app |
| Unlocked Migration | lock.open | Orange | Linked but not locked; in-app updates may delete external app |
| Partial Link | link.badge.plus | Yellow | Partial app components linked (e.g., some .app files in a directory) |
| Orphan Link | link.badge.exclamationmark | Red | External storage app lost but local entry still exists |
| Unlinked | externaldrive.badge.xmark | Orange | App on external storage but not linked back locally |
| External | externaldrive | Orange | App on external storage with no local entry |
| Pending Move Out | arrow.up.right.circle | Cyan | The real local app is newer than the old external copy and can be moved out to replace it |
| Local | macmini | Secondary color | Regular local app, not migrated; shown when no other tags present |
How Pending Move Out Is Detected
AppPorts matches local and external apps by Bundle ID first, then falls back to a normalized app name when needed. The badge only appears when both versions can be compared and the local version is higher. Missing or non-comparable versions, or same-name apps with different Bundle IDs, stay in the normal local state to avoid accidental replacement.
Framework Labels
| Badge | Icon | Color | Meaning | Click Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparkle | arrow.triangle.2.circlepath | Cyan | Uses Sparkle framework for auto-updates | After migrating to external storage, in-app updates may cause external app loss; locked migration recommended |
| Electron | atom | Indigo | Based on Electron framework with auto-update support | After migrating to external storage, in-app updates may cause external app loss; locked migration recommended |
Type Labels
| Badge | Icon | Color | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running | play.fill | Purple | App currently running |
| System | lock.fill | Gray | macOS system application |
| Non-native | iphone | Pink | iOS/iPadOS app (running via Apple Silicon) |
| Store | applelogo | Blue | Mac App Store application |
Special Labels
| Badge | Icon | Color | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resigned | seal.fill | Cyan | The app currently has an Ad-hoc signature, and AppPorts has a signature backup for it |
| Signature replaced | exclamationmark.shield.fill | Red | AppPorts replaced the developer signature with an Ad-hoc signature. The app may not open on macOS 27. Click for details, or right-click and choose "Show repair steps" to open the repair panel. See Upgrading to macOS 27 |
"Resigned" and "Signature replaced"
Both mean the app currently has an Ad-hoc signature. The difference is its original signature. An app marked "Resigned" originally had no developer signature, or its original signature can no longer be confirmed; re-signing simply lets it open normally. An app marked "Signature replaced" originally had a developer signature that was replaced with Ad-hoc. This may prevent sandboxed apps from opening on macOS 27, so AppPorts highlights them in red and provides repair steps.
💡 Special Note on Store Label
When an app meets the following conditions, the "Store" label becomes clickable and displays macOS 15.1+ native installation instructions:
- App is located in the
/Volumes/{drive}/Applications/directory on external storage - Natively managed by macOS; App Store can perform incremental updates directly in this directory
Data Directory Status Badges
| Status | Color | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Local | Secondary color | The directory is local and has not been migrated. A shield beside a container directory indicates that it uses mount migration |
| Linked | Green | Symbolic-link migration is complete; the local link points to the external drive |
| Mounted | Purple | Mount migration is complete; the external volume is mounted at the original directory |
| Awaiting mount | Orange | The volume is online but is not mounted; click "Mount" |
| Drive Not Connected | Red | The data volume cannot be found, usually because the external drive is disconnected. AppPorts reconnects it automatically when the drive is connected |
| Needs Normalization | Yellow | An AppPorts-managed link whose external path is not in the standard location; use "Normalize" |
| Awaiting Relink | Orange | The external data still exists but the local link is missing; use "Relink" |
| Existing Symlink | Blue | A symbolic link created outside AppPorts; you can choose to bring it under AppPorts management |
App Status Combinations
An app may display multiple badges simultaneously:
[已链接] [Sparkle] [运行中]Meaning: App migrated to external storage, uses Sparkle auto-update framework, currently running.
[外部] [商店] [非原生]Meaning: iOS app (Mac version) on external storage, installed via App Store.
[孤立链接]Meaning: External storage app lost or removed, but local entry still retained. Manual unlinking required.
[待迁出]Meaning: A newer real app exists locally while the external storage still has an older copy. Re-run migration to move the local version out and replace the old external copy.