"Steam Quit Unexpectedly" on Mac? 6 Ways to Fix It [macOS Ventura/Monterey/Big Sur]

Undoubtedly, the Steam platform connects millions of users daily at lightning-fast speeds to resource-demanding games. Consequently, the platform's immense popularity can sometimes overwhelm its servers, leading to difficulties in handling the sheer volume of incoming requests.

Translation into English:

Some of you might feel frustrated when using Steam on your Macs due to encountering the error message "Steam quit unexpectedly on Mac" while starting a game. This error notification pops up every time you attempt to access the Steam app on your Mac, leaving you wondering how to resolve it. Continue reading this troubleshooting guide, and you'll learn how to fix the "Steam quit unexpectedly Mac on startup" issue.

This image displays an error message stating "Steam Quit Unexpectedly" on a Mac.

3 Reasons: Why Steam Exited Unexpectedly on Mac

Numerous Mac users have reported issues with the Steam client not functioning properly on their macOS. There could be various reasons behind this, and here, we outline three primary causes for Steam unexpectedly quitting on a Mac.

Reason 1: Incorrectly Mismatched Dates and Times

Incorrect or mismatched dates and times might cause an unexpected shutdown of Steam.

If you have recently traveled to a different time zone or region, your time and date settings might be incorrect, which could prevent Steam from launching as usual.

Wrong Date and Time

Reason 2: Steam Didn't Obtain Accessibility Permissions

Occasionally, application permissions can become corrupted over time, which might hinder Steam from starting properly.

For most users, this is the most common reason why the Steam app fails to open or unexpectedly quits. Accessibility permissions are crucial for the Steam application to function properly. If you're launching Steam for the first time, simply grant all the permissions requested. If you've been using Steam for a while, you can check and ensure that the necessary permissions are still enabled.

Reason 3: Incompatibility Issues Between Steam and macOS

The most recent version of Steam might be incompatible with the macOS you're running. An issue or software incompatibility between the Steam application and your macOS could be preventing your Mac from accessing Steam if you haven't completed the macOS update.

6 Methods: How to Resolve "Steam Quit Unexpectedly" on Mac

If you're encountering the "Steam Quit Unexpectedly" issue on your Mac, apart from the aforementioned three reasons, there could be several other potential causes, such as corrupted Steam files or issues with the operating system. In this section, we present six methods that you can attempt to resolve the problem, regardless of its underlying cause.

First, we offer a video on the topic, and here are 5 key points to give you a quick overview:

1. 00:53 - Introduction
2. 01:19 - Force Quit the Application
3. 01:25 - Restart your Mac
4. 02:11 - Check Software Update
5. 02:19 - Suggestion

Method 1: Restart Your Mac to Fix Steam Quitting Unexpectedly

Restarting your Mac might be the simplest solution to the issue. To proceed with restarting your Mac, follow these steps:

Step 1. You can access the Apple menu on Mac by clicking on the Apple logo located in the top left corner of the navigation bar.

Step 2. Click on Restart now.

Step 3. Try launching Steam after your Mac has fully loaded to see if the issue is resolved.

You might also be interested in this article: How to Fix Steam Not Opening on Mac [Ventura/Sonoma/Monterey]

Method 2: Remove Steam Preferences to Fix Accidental Quitting

It would be advisable to consider deleting the Steam preferences, as corrupted preferences can also cause the app to crash. To remove Steam Preferences on a macOS factory reset, follow these steps: 1. Back up any important data and files before proceeding with the factory reset. 2. Restart your Mac and immediately hold down the Command + R keys to boot into Recovery Mode. 3. Once in Recovery Mode, select "Utilities" from the top menu bar, then choose "Terminal." 4. In the Terminal window, type the following command to navigate to the preferences folder: `cd /Library/Preferences` 5. Next, enter the following command to remove the Steam preferences file: `sudo rm -rf com.valvesoftware.Steam.plist` 6. Type your admin password when prompted and press Enter. 7. Close the Terminal window and select "Reinstall macOS" from the Utilities menu to start the factory reset process. 8. Follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall macOS. 9. After the installation is complete, restart your Mac and download Steam again from their official website. 10. Launch the fresh copy of Steam, and it should function without the corrupted preferences. By doing this, you'll have a clean slate for Steam, potentially resolving the crashing issue.

Step 1. Navigate to your Mac's desktop and click on Finder, or press Shift + Command + G to open the Go to Folder dialog box.

Step 2. By default, you will be in the preferences directory. From here, copy and paste the following path into the address bar:

Support for Libraries/Applications/Steam. Then press Enter.

Step 3. Select and delete every .plist file found within each directory.

Once that's done, restart the Steam app to see if the issue has been resolved.

Method 3: Check the Date and Time to Resolve Steam Quitting Unexpectedly

"The Steam client unexpectedly quitting might be due to incorrect date and time settings. To rectify this, you can:"

Step 1. Navigate to the following path: Apple Menu - System Preferences - Date & Time.

Step 2. If you find any issues with the Date & Time settings, click the lock icon to make changes.

Step 3. Restart Steam to see if the issue is resolved.

Method 4: Grant Accessibility Permissions to Steam on Mac

For the Steam app to function properly on your Mac, accessibility permissions are required. If you recently installed it, you should have received a prompt requesting these permissions. However, if you missed or dismissed this prompt, follow these steps:

Step 1. Click the Apple menu.

Step 2. Select System Preferences - Privacy & Security - Privacy.

Step 3. Click the lock icon to make changes from the Accessibility menu in the sidebar.

Step 4. Next, check the box next to Steam and confirm your selection.

Method 5: Update your Mac to Prevent Steam from Quitting Unexpectedly

You can resolve the unexpected Steam quitting issue by updating the macOS using the Software Update feature. Before proceeding, it's recommended to back up your Mac to safeguard your data. Here's how to perform a macOS update: 1. Click on the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen. 2. Select "System Preferences" from the drop-down menu. 3. Click on "Software Update." 4. The system will check for available updates. 5. If an update is found, click on "Update Now" to download and install it. 6. Follow any on-screen instructions during the installation process. 7. Once the update is complete, restart your Mac if prompted. After the update, check if the Steam quitting issue has been resolved.

Step 1. Open System Preferences from the Apple menu.

Step 2. Choose Software Update.

Step 3. Click Update Now.

Method 6: Relaunch Steam through Activity Monitor to Resolve "Steam Unexpectedly Quit" on Mac

Restarting the Steam app from scratch can help resolve numerous issues it might encounter. To accomplish this, you can relaunch it using the Activity Monitor.

Step 1. Open Finder from the Mac dock.

Step 2. Navigate to Applications - Utilities.

Step 3. Open the Activity Monitor.

Step 4. When you type "steam" into the search bar, a list of all active Steam processes will appear; select each process one by one, then press the Stop button (the cross icon).

This will stop all Steam-related processes on your computer.

Finally, launch Steam and check if it opens without any issues.

Extra Tip: Recovering Data When Apps Unexpectedly Quit

Aside from knowing how to fix apps that quit on a Mac, learning how to recover unsaved files after a forced quit is essential. If Steam didn't save its previous progress before freezing or becoming unresponsive, forcing it to quit might lead to data loss.

Thus, there's little likelihood that these apps can retrieve unsaved data. Utilizing Time Machine backup would be your best option. Alternatively, you can search online for a trustworthy third-party data recovery tool to prevent data loss. And should you accidentally lose your data, you'll require reliable Mac data recovery software like the one mentioned in this link.

< a href="/mac/mac-data-recovery/">tools Data Recovery Wizard for Mac can recover a wide variety of Mac documents in numerous formats. Additionally, it can retrieve files from the Trash Bin or recover data from unexpected deletions.

Here are the steps to guide you on how to recover data when your apps close unexpectedly:

Step 1. Select the drive to be scanned Translation: Step 1. Choose the drive to scan

In the main interface of the Data Recovery Wizard, you'll see a list of drives connected to your Mac. Choose the drive from which you need to recover lost or deleted files, and click the "Search for lost files" button.

Note: Before data recovery, it's recommended to click "Disk Backup" from the left panel to create a backup of your Mac to prevent further data loss. Once the backup is done, the software can retrieve data from the Mac backup, and your computer can proceed to write new data.

Step 2. Select the lost data/files

Data Recovery Wizard for Mac will immediately scan your selected disk volume and display the scanning results on the left pane. You can sort the results to locate the desired files if you're searching for specific files.

Step 3. Recover Lost/Deleted Data

Once you've located the desired files, preview them and then click "Recover" to commence the retrieval of your deleted/lost Mac files.

Final Thoughts

Attempt to reopen the app and enable the 'Dates and Times' reset if Steam unexpectedly quits on macOS. Alternatively, navigate to the Applications folder, delete the Steam folder, and reinstall Steam after restarting your Mac. Remember to safeguard your data when encountering a force quit situation! Tools like Data Recovery Wizard for Mac can be of assistance in such cases.

Frequently Asked Questions: Steam Unexpectedly Quit on Mac

If you wish to learn more about the issue of Steam quitting unexpectedly, explore the questions and answers provided here to gain further understanding!

1. How do you fix an app that unexpectedly quits on a Mac?

If a program quits unexpectedly or becomes unresponsive and the issue is not related to compatibility or disk permissions, you can readily resolve it by restarting your Mac or reinstalling the application. You can also restart your MacBook in Mac Safe Mode.

2. How do I fix issues with Steam on my Mac?

要修复Steam，您可以：

1. Step 1. Navigate to the Steam menu - Preferences - Downloads.
2. Step 2. Select Steam Library Folders.
3. Step 3. Right-click on your desired folder, and opt for Repair Library Folder.

Once you've selected these, wait for Steam to finish repairing itself.

3. Why does my game keep crashing, Mac?

If your computer has a virus, the game might crash, display an error, or close during setup or gameplay. It's possible that Steam's popularity contributes to occasional server overload, causing issues with handling the influx of requests.

4. How do I restart Steam on Mac? To restart Steam on a Mac, follow these steps: 1. Close the Steam application: Click on the Steam icon in the Dock and then choose "Quit Steam" from the dropdown menu that appears. 2. Wait a moment: Give Steam some time to fully close down its processes. 3. Relaunch Steam: Click on the Finder icon in the Dock, then go to the "Applications" folder. Find the "Steam" app, click on it, and hold the "Option" key on your keyboard. While holding the Option key, release the mouse button and click once more to open Steam. This will start Steam in a fresh session. Alternatively, you can use Spotlight search to relaunch Steam: - Press the "Command + Space" keys to open Spotlight. - Type "Steam" in the search bar, and press "Enter" while holding the "Option" key to start Steam in a new session. That's it! Steam should now be restarted on your Mac.

To restart Steam, double-click on the icon situated on your desktop. If the Steam shortcut icon is absent from your desktop, search for it in the Applications folder on macOS 13/12/11 or within the "Start" menu in Windows.

5. How to recover missing downloaded files on Steam?

Here are the 3 effective methods to restore lost downloaded files on Steam:

• Add Installation Folders to Steam to make the game playable.
• Rename the ClientRegistry.blob file to restore missing Steam games.
• Recover lost Steam game files using the helpful third-party tool - Data Recovery Wizard.