How to Enable or Disable SIP (System Integrity Protection) on a Mac

System Integrity Protection is an essential security component in macOS that prevents malicious apps and inappropriate code execution. It was introduced in macOS in 2015 with the purpose of enhancing the operating system's security. While this was a significant improvement for macOS, it wasn't as favorable for developers. This is because SIP (System Integrity Protection) became an obstacle for them, as they couldn't install and test code to ensure software compatibility. As a result, disabling SIP temporarily was necessary to avoid issues during the testing phase. If you're encountering problems while testing code on your Mac, we recommend disabling SIP to see if that resolves the issue. In this article, we'll guide you through enabling or disabling SIP on your Mac. Let's get started.

What is System Integrity Protection (SIP) in macOS?

System Integrity Protection (SIP) is a security feature in macOS that prevents malicious applications and unauthorized code execution. It was introduced to stop third-party software from modifying system files and folders. SIP scans all apps downloaded from the Apple App Store to ensure they are free of malware and secure in every aspect. Additionally, it verifies the safety and reliability of applications created and distributed directly by developers to users.

One of the reasons for introducing SIP in macOS is to protect the system from unauthorized system changes. During a Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) session, Apple engineer Pierre-Olivier Martel stated that a malicious app or software could gain complete control of your Mac with just one step. He also mentioned that most Macs these days have only one admin account. If someone gains access to this account, their data becomes vulnerable.

Before System Integrity Protection, there were no specific rules against modifying system-protected files. Previously, users had the freedom to alter system-protected files and folders. Apps could easily gain root-level system access by asking for an admin username and password. Also, programs could modify or overwrite files without any limitations. However, with SIP in place, this has become challenging. It doesn't allow root users to perform certain operations on the protected parts of the Mac system.

Here's what's protected by System Integrity Protection (SIP) by default on your Mac:

• /System
• /usr
• /bin
• /sbin
• /var
• Pre-installed macOS apps, such as Pages and Safari.

In addition, it protects the following paths and folders:

• /Applications
• /Library
• /usr/local

SIP allows Apple's processes and services to modify and overwrite system files and folders. Only a few processes are allowed to make changes to these system files. Apple's software updaters and installers have access to modify them when needed. Most importantly, all apps that we download from the Apple App Store are designed to work with SIP.

While SIP is great because it protects your data from the get-go, it does have some downsides, mostly for developers. Sometimes, it prevents them from testing and installing code to check their app's compatibility with the Mac. That's why they might need to disable it temporarily to perform certain tasks.

How to enable System Integrity Protection on a Mac?

SIP is an integral part of macOS, and it's important to keep it enabled. In this section, we've outlined the steps to enable SIP on your Mac. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Restart your Mac. As it's starting up, press the Command + R keys to enter Recovery Mode.

Step 2. With your Mac in recovery mode, open the Terminal app to issue the command to enable SIP.

Step 3: Now, copy and paste the following command into Terminal and press Enter to enable System Integrity Protection:

"csrutil enable" is a terminal command used in macOS that enables System Integrity Protection (SIP). This feature enhances system security by preventing malware and unauthorized modifications from altering critical system files and settings. In Chinese, it can be translated as "启用系统完整性保护."

This is it!

How do I disable System Integrity Protection on a Mac?

If you are into app development, for instance, and need to force empty trash on Mac, you might want to disable SIP on Mac. In that case, you can follow the steps below to turn off System Integrity Protection.

Step 1: Restart your Mac. While it's booting up, press the Command + R keys to enter Recovery Mode.

Step 2: Next, open the Launchpad app on your Mac and search for the Terminal app.

Step 3: Once the Terminal app is open, paste the following content into the Terminal window and press Enter to disable System Integrity Protection:

"csrutil disable"

Conclusions

There's no denying that SIP is an integral part of macOS. However, some users, especially developers, opt to disable it to avoid any issues during code testing. That said, we don't recommend disabling SIP as it could compromise your system's security. Nevertheless, if you still want to go ahead with it, we've got the steps covered. In this article, we discuss how to enable or disable SIP on a Mac.

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, we briefly answer some common questions about the topic that users often ask online. You can read through all of them to gain a more in-depth understanding of today's subject.

1. How do I know if SIP on my Mac is disabled?

You can check the status of SIP by following these steps:

Step 1. First, open the Terminal application on your system.

Step 2. After opening the terminal, type the following command and press Enter:

"csrutil status" translates to "check the status of System Integrity Protection" in English. This is a terminal command used on macOS to see if System Integrity Protection (SIP) is enabled.

Step 3: You can now see whether SIP is enabled or disabled.

Yes, SIP is enabled by default on all Macs, but it can be disabled by following the steps mentioned in this tutorial.

3. Can I disable SIP on my Mac?

We don't recommend disabling SIP, as it prevents third-party apps from making system modifications.