After checking the App Store to verify the app is still available, delete the problem app from your Mac.
File permissions are automatically repaired with software updates in OS X 10.11 and later. With the release of OS X El Capitan, Apple added a new feature that made manually repairing file permissions no longer necessary. Your Mac keeps a database of the default permissions for most applications you install. You don’t need to know what the permissions should be. This step ensures the application and any associated files it needs have the correct permissions required to run. In OS X Yosemite and earlier, one of the first things to do when encountering an app that won’t launch is to repair permissions. The conflict may come from another app or a startup item. If you can start the Mac in Safe Mode and then use the app in question, the likely cause is not permissions or preference files. It also limits the operating system to use only the basic OS core. This troubleshooting startup environment restricts most startup items.
You need to know how to display hidden files in OS X if you don’t see the Library folder on your Mac. Delete the plist file that matches the app.Īpple hides the Library folder by default so that you can’t accidentally make changes to it.Look for the plist in this format: com.developer_name.app_ist.You have to reconfigure the app’s preferences afterward.
When you delete a bad preference file, your Mac creates a new plist file that contains all the app’s defaults automatically. Plist files can become corrupt when a Mac shuts down or restarts unexpectedly or when an app freezes or crashes. In many cases, updating the affected app cures the problem.ĭelete the app preference file (plist file) manually or with an app uninstaller for Mac.
This step is essential following an update to the Mac operating system. Check that you have the most current version of the app, and if not, update it. It’s always smart to start with the simplest fix possible. Whatever the reason, there are several possible fixes for this problem, ranging from simple to more complex.
How to Fix an Application Not Opening on Mac