4 Fixes for Apps Not Opening on Mac

Quick Tips

• Force quit the app and restart your Mac. This can often resolve temporary glitches.
• Update the app and macOS. Updates frequently include bug fixes that can address app opening issues.
• Reinstall the app as a last resort. This will ensure you have the latest version and a clean installation.

Preliminary Fixes

• Restart Mac: Restarting your Mac refreshes the system and clears any temporary glitches or conflicts that might be preventing applications from launching properly. To restart, click on the Apple menu > select Restart, and confirm your choice.
• Close other apps: If you have a Mac with 8GB of RAM, you may run out of memory with several demanding apps. Apps may close unexpectedly or not open when you deal with less RAM on your Mac. You should check the remaining memory and close irrelevant apps using the Activity Monitor.
• Update apps: Updating apps on your Mac helps fix bugs, improve performance, and ensure they are compatible with the latest macOS version and can prevent potential problems from arising.
• Update macOS: One effective fix for apps not opening on a Mac is to ensure that macOS is up to date with patches for bugs, security improvements, and compatibility enhancements.

Fix 1: Clear Cache and Bogus Files

Step 1: Launch Finder on Mac.

Step 2: Select Go in the menu bar and click Go to Folder.

Step 3: Type /Library/Preferences/ and hit Return.

Step 4: Look for the following plist file of a troubling app:

com.developer.app_name.plist

Step 5: Right-click on it and select Move to Bin.

Restart your Mac and try opening the apps again.

Fix 2: Run First Aid

You can use the Disk Utility tool to run First Aid and fix disk-related errors on Mac.

Step 1: Press Command + Space to open Spotlight Search. Type Disk Utility and hit Return.

Step 2: Select the First Aid button at the top right and hit Run.

Once the system runs First Aid, open apps without any problem.

Fix 3: Allow Applications From App Store and Identified Developers

Sometimes, Apple may not allow you to run apps downloaded from the web. It’s a security add-on, and you must make a tweak from System Settings.

Step 1: Click the Apple icon in the menu bar > open System Settings.

Step 2: Select Privacy & Security from the left sidebar. Click the radio button beside the App Store and identified developers under Security.

You can now download and install apps from the web without any problem.

Fix 4: Reinstall Apps

If apps are still not opening on Mac, delete such apps from Finder and install them again.

Step 1: Open Finder on Mac.

Step 2: Select Applications from the sidebar. Right-click on an app and select Move to Bin.

Download the same app from the App Store or the web.