Hello, We are currently using Apple Notarization (notarytool) for distributing a macOS app, and we are experiencing very long notarization times for large app bundles.
[Issue]
For apps with large binary sizes, notarization consistently takes around 3.5 to 4.5 hours from submission to completion.
This delay is causing practical issues in our release pipeline, especially when:
A hotfix or urgent update is required
Multiple builds must be notarized in a short time
CI/CD-based distribution is expected to complete within a predictable timeframe
[Environment]
Platform: macOS
Notarization method: notarytool
Distribution: Outside Mac App Store
App size: 100 GB~ (compressed ZIP)
Signing: Hardened Runtime enabled, codesigned correctly
Submission status: Successfully accepted, but processing time is very long
[What we have confirmed]
The notarization eventually succeeds (no failures)
Re-submitting the same build shows similar processing times
Network upload itself completes normally; the delay is in Apple-side processing
Smaller apps complete notarization much faster
[Questions]
Is a 3–4+ hour notarization time expected behavior for large macOS apps?
Are there recommended best practices to reduce notarization processing time for large binaries?
For example, splitting components, adjusting packaging, or specific signing strategies
Is there any official guidance or limitation regarding notarization queueing or processing based on app size?
Are there known service-side delays or regional differences that could affect processing time?
Any insight or confirmation would be greatly appreciated, as this directly impacts our production release workflow.
Thank you.