If a Mac app keeps crashing, start with the least disruptive fixes: reopen it, restart your Mac, and install available updates for both the app and macOS. Then look for a pattern. If the app crashes only with one document, that file may be the problem. If it crashes every time you open it, the app’s settings, plug-ins, or installation may be damaged.
An app crash is different from a frozen Mac. In a crash, one app quits unexpectedly while macOS usually keeps working. If the app stays open but stops responding, see our guide to fixing an app that is not responding on Mac.
Quick Answer
Try these steps in order:
- Reopen the app and note exactly when it crashes.
- Restart your Mac.
- Update the app and macOS.
- Test a different file or project.
- Disconnect recently added accessories and disable optional plug-ins.
- Check free storage and close other demanding apps.
- Test the app in another macOS user account.
- Reset only clearly identified app settings or support files.
- Reinstall the app from the App Store or the developer’s official website.
- If it still crashes, send the developer the crash details.
Before moving app support files or reinstalling an app, back up any local documents, libraries, databases, or other data the app may store outside your normal Documents folder.
Confirm That the App Is Actually Crashing
Typical crash symptoms include:
- The app quits unexpectedly.
- macOS reports that the application quit unexpectedly.
- The app closes when you open a particular file or use a specific feature.
- The app disappears from the Dock while other apps continue working.
If the entire Mac becomes unresponsive, or several apps stop responding at the same time, the problem may be broader than one application.
1. Reopen the App and Look for a Pattern
Open the app again and pay attention to what happens immediately before the crash. Useful questions include:
- Does it crash as soon as it opens?
- Does it crash only with one document or project?
- Does a particular command or feature trigger it?
- Did the problem start after an app update?
- Did you recently install a plug-in, extension, printer, drive, camera, or other accessory?
If one file consistently causes the crash, make a backup copy before further testing. Avoid overwriting the original while troubleshooting.
If macOS offers to reopen the app’s previous windows, try opening the app without restoring them. A document from the previous session may be triggering the crash again.
2. Restart Your Mac
A restart clears temporary processes and gives the app a clean start.
- Save work in other open apps.
- Choose Apple menu > Restart.
- After the Mac starts again, open the affected app before launching many other programs.
If the app works normally afterward, continue using it but still check for updates. A restart can clear a temporary condition without fixing an underlying software bug.
3. Update the App and macOS
An app may crash because of a bug, a damaged update, or a compatibility problem.
For an App Store app, open the App Store and install any available update. For other apps, use the app’s built-in update command when available or download the current installer from the developer’s official website.
To check macOS updates:
- Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
- Select General > Software Update.
- Install an appropriate available update.
Warning: A macOS update may restart your Mac. Save open work and back up important local app data before installing major updates.
After updating, restart the Mac and test the app again.
4. Check Storage and Memory Pressure
Apps need free storage for temporary files, caches, updates, and saved data. If your startup disk is nearly full, free some space before deeper troubleshooting.
- Open System Settings.
- Select General > Storage.
- Review available space and remove or move files you no longer need.
Do not delete unfamiliar system files just to create space.
If the crash happens while several demanding apps are open, quit software you are not using and test again. You can also open Activity Monitor from Applications > Utilities and check the Memory tab for unusually high memory pressure.
5. Disconnect Accessories and Disable Optional Extensions
Some crashes are triggered by hardware, plug-ins, or software that integrates with the affected app.
Quit the app, disconnect nonessential accessories, and reopen it. If the problem stops, reconnect devices one at a time.
If the app uses plug-ins or extensions, disable optional ones through the app’s own settings when possible. If the app crashes before you can reach those settings, use the developer’s support instructions for starting without plug-ins.
Avoid manually deleting extension files unless you know exactly what they belong to and how to restore them.
6. Test a New File and Another User Account
First, create a blank document or project and repeat the action that normally causes the crash. If a new file works but one existing file does not, the problem may be limited to that file.
You can also test the app in another macOS user account:
- Open System Settings > Users & Groups.
- Create a temporary account.
- Sign in to it and test the app.
If the app works in the new account, the cause is more likely to be something in your usual account, such as app preferences, caches, login items, or other user-specific data.
Creating a second account does not repair the original one, and some apps may ask you to sign in or activate a license again.
7. Reset App Settings Carefully
Damaged preferences or support files can cause repeated crashes, but this step deserves care because some apps store important local data in the same general locations.
Quit the app first. Then in Finder choose Go > Go to Folder and check locations such as:
~/Library/Preferences/~/Library/Caches/~/Library/Application Support/
Only act on files or folders that are clearly associated with the affected app or its developer. Instead of deleting them, move a suspected preference or cache to a temporary backup folder and reopen the app.
Be especially cautious with Application Support. It can contain local libraries, databases, downloaded content, account information, or license data. If you are unsure what a folder contains, leave it in place and check the developer’s documentation.
If moving a clearly identified preference file stops the crashes, reconfigure the app as needed and keep the backup until you are sure nothing important is missing.
8. Reinstall the App
Reinstalling replaces the application files, but it does not always remove damaged preferences or support data.
Before uninstalling, confirm that important local documents and app-specific libraries are backed up.
For most apps:
- Quit the app.
- Open Finder > Applications.
- Use the developer’s uninstaller if one is provided. Otherwise, move the app to the Trash.
- Download a fresh copy from the App Store or the developer’s official website.
- Reinstall it and test before restoring optional plug-ins.
Avoid downloading old or modified copies from unofficial sites just to work around a crash.
9. Check Login Items and Background Software
If the app works in another user account, background software in your usual account may be involved.
Open System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions and review software that opens automatically or runs in the background. Temporarily disable a recently added item if you understand what it does, restart the Mac, and test again.
Do not disable security software, backup tools, or unfamiliar system components casually. Re-enable anything that makes no difference.
10. Review the Crash Report
A crash report can give the developer useful details about what failed.
Open Console from Applications > Utilities and look for a recent report associated with the affected app. You do not need to interpret every line. When contacting the developer, include:
- The app’s exact name and version
- Your macOS version
- What you were doing when the crash occurred
- Whether the crash happens with every file
- The troubleshooting steps you already tried
- Any recent app, system, plug-in, or hardware changes
Avoid posting a complete crash report publicly if it includes personal file paths, account names, or other private information.
Troubleshooting Common Scenarios
The app crashes immediately after opening
Restart the Mac, update the app, and try opening it without restoring previous windows. If it still fails, test another user account and then consider resetting clearly identified preferences or reinstalling the app.
The app crashes only when opening one file
Make a copy of the file and test other documents. If only one file causes the crash, avoid overwriting the original and check whether the developer offers file-recovery or repair guidance.
The app started crashing after an update
Restart your Mac and check for another app update. Developers sometimes release follow-up fixes. If the current version remains unusable, use only rollback instructions or older installers supplied by the developer.
Force quitting did not solve the problem
Force quitting only ends the current app session; it does not repair damaged settings or files. If you need the correct steps for closing a stuck app, see our guide to force quitting an app on a Mac. Then continue with updates, account testing, settings reset, or reinstallation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does one app keep crashing while everything else works?
The problem may be limited to that app’s files, preferences, plug-ins, account data, or compatibility with macOS. A damaged document can also trigger crashes in one app while the rest of the Mac works normally.
Will reinstalling the app delete my documents?
It depends on where the app stores its data. Many documents are separate from the app itself, but some apps keep libraries, databases, downloads, or unsynced data in their support folders. Back up important data before uninstalling.
Should I delete the app’s cache?
Only if you can clearly identify the cache and have a reason to suspect it. Moving it to a temporary backup location is safer than permanently deleting it while troubleshooting.
Can low storage cause an app to crash?
Yes. Apps may need free space for temporary files, caches, updates, and saved data. Check System Settings > General > Storage if the startup disk is nearly full.
When should I contact the developer?
Contact the developer if the app still crashes after updating, restarting, testing another file, disabling optional extensions, and reinstalling. Include the crash time, app version, macOS version, reproduction steps, and relevant crash report details.
Final Thoughts
When a Mac app keeps crashing, start with updates, a restart, and simple tests that isolate the trigger. If the problem continues, test another user account, inspect app-specific settings carefully, and reinstall from a trusted source. Back up local data before moving support files or uninstalling the app.