How to Fix Mac Apps That Keep Crashing

Step by step

1. 1 min

   Force Quit and relaunch the application

   Press Command + Option + Escape to open the Force Quit Applications window. Select the unresponsive app from the list, click Force Quit, then confirm your choice. Relaunch the app to verify if the crash persists.

   Note: A simple restart clears temporary memory bottlenecks that often cause immediate crashes.
2. 2 min

   Check for software updates

   If the app was downloaded from the App Store, open the App Store app and click Updates in the sidebar. For apps installed outside the App Store, open the application, click the app name in the menu bar, and select Check for Updates. Installing the latest version ensures compatibility with your current version of macOS.

3. 2 min

   Remove corrupted preference files

   Open Finder, select Go in the menu bar, and press the Option key to reveal the Library folder. Navigate to Preferences, locate the files named after the crashing application or its developer (ending in .plist), and move them to the Trash. Restart your Mac to force the application to regenerate fresh, clean preference files.

   Note: Back up these files to your desktop before deleting them in case you need to restore your settings.
4. 2 min

   Clear the application cache

   Navigate again to the Library folder in Finder as performed in the previous step. Open the Caches folder, locate the folder associated with the problematic application, and move its contents to the Trash. Deleting cached data forces the application to re-fetch necessary assets upon the next launch.

   Note: Do not delete the entire Caches folder, only the sub-folder belonging to the crashing app.
5. 3 min

   Perform a clean reinstall

   Uninstall the application by dragging it from the Applications folder to the Trash. Empty the Trash, then download a fresh installation package from the official source or the Mac App Store. This eliminates potential file corruption within the application bundle itself.

6. 2 min

   Review the crash log in Console

   Open the Console app via Spotlight search. Select Crash Reports in the sidebar to view the technical logs generated when the app fails. Identify the specific thread or library causing the error, which can help determine if the issue is a software conflict or a hardware-related memory error.

   Note: If the log cites a specific dynamic library (.dylib), you may need to update the related plug-in or system driver.