No allow button in security and privacy preferences When trying to install VMWare in MacOS Catalina, under security and privacy system preferences and then general, I do not see a way to allow what it needs to work properly. Even when I unlock the system preferences, it does not give me an option to allow in order to complete the setup. I also recently tried installing parallels desktop, which requires the same procedure in system preferences, and I was not able to get that working properly either because the allow button is not there.
Anyone know why this might be?
Thanks so much for the help!
That's because it's not meeting the guidelines for the possible install sources.
Now, the remainder of this answer is going to assume you're a legitimate user of the box with Admin permissions (or access to an admin account on the box):
Easiest fix: when you launch the installer, hold down the option key. That should offer you a prompt to override the security restrictions.
More permanent, global fix: Launch your terminal, and enter the following:
sudo spctl --master-disable
This will provide you henceforth the ability to install untrusted app (read: not notarized by Apple) from any source.
Running
sudo spctl --master-enable

will reverse the process.