How to troubleshoot apps not working on macOS Sonoma

Apple's macOS Sonoma is the latest addition to the operating system lineage, bringing an array of new enhancements and features to your MacBook. Thus, upgrading to macOS 14 promises a fresh start; however, users often encounter issues with applications being unresponsive or unexpectedly crashing, hindering a seamless macOS Sonoma experience.

Is your app not running on Sonoma? Read on to learn more about why apps won't run on macOS Sonoma and the 7 possible solutions below.

• Solution 1: Restart your Mac
• Solution 2: Check for software updates
• Solution 3: Force quit applications on macOS Sonoma
• Solution 4: Update or reinstall the crashing app
• Solution 5: Run "First Aid" with Disk Utility to fix errors
• Solution 6: Reinstall Rosetta 2 on macOS Sonoma
• Solution 7: Contact Apple Support

Why aren't applications working on macOS Sonoma?

Many users upgrading to macOS 14 have reported crashes and problems with formerly functional Mac apps. For example,

• Microsoft Word keeps crashing on Mac
• Safari not working on Mac
• iMessage not working on Mac
• ...

Wondering why apps keep crashing on your macOS Sonoma? Here are some of the most common reasons why applications might not be working as expected on macOS Sonoma:

• ⚠️ File permission issues, software glitches, and outdated software versions are leading causes of app crashes.
• ❎ Incompatibility between macOS 14 and MacBook is a significant reason for app crashes.
• ?v The app needs to be updated to its latest version for it to run on macOS Sonoma.

If you have other issues after updating to macOS Sonoma, this article might help.

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How to Fix Apps Not Opening on macOS Monterey

There are numerous ways to fix apps not working on macOS Sonoma. Dive into these seven comprehensive troubleshooting steps to alleviate this frustrating issue.

Fix 1: Restart your Mac

If an app isn't working on your MacBook, a simple restart or hard reset of your Mac might work wonders. This can refresh and reboot the entire system, allowing the app to run smoothly. Here's how to restart your Mac:

The first step is to click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen.

Step 2: Choose “Restart.”

Step 3: Check the "Reopen windows when logging back in" box if you want all of them to come back when you log back in.

Step Four: Press the “Restart” button again, or wait for the countdown to finish to restart your computer.

Fix 2: Check for software updates

Next, you can check if the macOS Sonoma update failed. In any case of MacBook software issues, you should consider checking for available updates for your operating system. Here's how:

Step one: Click the Apple menu and choose System Preferences.

Step 2: Go to Settings > General > Software Update.

Step 3: Wait for a while and check for available updates. If no updates are available, follow the on-screen instructions.

If software updates aren't working on your Mac, you can try reinstalling macOS to fix this error. In most cases, this approach works. This article will guide you through fixing the unresponsive "Reinstall macOS" option on your Mac.

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Solution 3: Force Quit an App on macOS Sonoma

This is one of the most practical and convenient ways to fix apps not working on macOS Sonoma. If an application is unresponsive, you can use Force Quit. Here's how to force quit an app on macOS Sonoma:

Step 1: Click the Apple menu

Step 2: Tap “Force Quit.”

Step 3: Select the app that appears on the screen, then tap “Force Stop.”

Force Quit an App

After forcing an app to close, you'll need to move your cursor over the “Reopen” button to restart it. Click the Apple menu and restart your MacBook, and remember to check if the app is compatible with your MacBook.

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Solution 4: Update or Reinstall the Crashing App

If Force Quit is not working on your Mac, your next steps are to update or reinstall the crashing app. To do this, you can find the Applications folder, locate the problematic app, and drag it to the Trash.

Here's how to reinstall an app that has crashed or frozen:

After the uninstallation is complete, you must reinstall the program.

Step two: You have to go to the App Store, find the app you want, and press “Reinstall.”

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Fix 5: Run Disk Utility's “First Aid” to fix errors

If the disk permissions for an app's support files become damaged or changed, it can cause the app to misbehave. There are several ways to repair disk permissions, and one of the best is to run First Aid from Disk Utility. To do this:

Step 1: Click on “Applications” > “Utilities,” and then open “Disk Utility.”

Step 3: Click “First Aid” in the toolbar.

Step 4: Be patient while Disk Utility checks and repairs any issues it finds.

Step 5: When you're done, exit Disk Utility and try installing the app again.

If the First Aid process fails, don't worry. Read on and try the next two methods!

Fix 6: Reinstall Rosetta 2 on macOS Monterey

When Apple shifted from Intel-based chips to its in-house Silicon chips, the goal was to ensure that developers wouldn't have to re-compile their applications to achieve optimal performance on the new Macs. To facilitate this transition smoothly, Apple introduced Rosetta for Mac.

Similar to its predecessor, Rosetta 2 provides a suite of virtualization tools that allow Intel-compiled apps to run on Apple Silicon. Occasionally, however, Rosetta 2 may fail to install or become corrupted when you update to a new version of macOS.

As a result, Sonoma is unable to run non-native apps. To resolve this issue, you need to reinstall Rosetta 2. Here are the steps to reinstall Rosetta 2 on your macOS Sonoma:

1. Click on "Applications" > "Utilities," and then [[Open Terminal on a Mac|open Terminal]].

Step 2: Type softwareupdate --install-rosetta and press Return.

Read the license agreement onscreen, and in a few moments, you'll see that Rosetta 2 has downloaded.

Fix 7: Contact Apple Support

If you've tried all of these steps and an app is still crashing, contact Apple Support.

?Extra Tip: Recover Lost Data from App Crash

If apps on your macOS Sonoma stop working as expected, it might unexpectedly lead to data loss. So, what would happen if you suddenly encounter such a situation? You'd need the best Sonoma Data Recovery Software! A professional data recovery tool like Data Recovery Wizard for Mac Pro is immensely helpful in such data loss scenarios.

With support for the latest version of macOS, compatibility with multiple languages, and customizable pricing, Data Recovery Wizard for Mac checks all the boxes of a mature data recovery tool.

This top-rated professional Mac data recovery tool can retrieve deleted files from the Empty Trash, accidental deletion, or any other type of loss scenario on macOS Sonoma.

It scans the hard drive, looks for deleted files, and checks all recoverable files. In addition, it helps resolve various tricky data loss situations, and many Apple users use it to quickly recover deleted files on Mac without Time Machine.

Please refer to the steps below to recover permanently deleted files on Mac:

Step 1: Search for the Lost File

On macOS Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, and the latest Sonoma, choose the disk location where you want to search for the lost file (it can be an internal HDD/SSD or a removable storage device). Click on the “Start Lost File Search” button.

Note: Before data recovery, it's better to click “Disk Backup” on the left sidebar to create a backup of your Mac to prevent further data loss. After the backup, the software can recover data from the Mac backup, and your computer can be written with new data again.

Step 2: Review the scan results

The Mac Data Recovery Wizard immediately scans the disk volume you select and displays the scan results.

Step 3: Select the files to recover

From the scan results, select the files you want to preview and then click the “Recover” button to get them back.

Conclusions

While MacOS Sonoma brings many advantages, it also comes with more issues than before – the most common being Mac apps crashing frequently. If you've lost data due to apps failing to work after the upgrade, install Data Recovery Wizard Professional for Mac right away.

Frequently Asked Questions: Apps Not Working on macOS Sonoma

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions to help better understand the topic:

1. Why aren't my apps working on my Mac Sonoma?

This could be because the software developer hasn't yet updated the app for macOS Sonoma, or you might have skipped an update, or the app's supporting files contain some corrupted components.

Is it safe to use macOS Sonoma?

Sonoma or macOS 14 may be one of the most substantial and feature-rich upgrades Apple has released in recent years. It is, therefore, safe and stable enough for most Apple users.