In Mac OS X, what can I do if my application keeps crashing?

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In Mac OS X, repeated crashes in a particular application could have several possible causes. The following troubleshooting steps may prevent these repeated crashes:

Repair corrupted files

If the application crashes only when opening a certain file, try opening the file on another computer, or in a different OS X account on your computer; see In Mac OS X, how do I create and delete users? If it opens without problems on the other computer or in the other account, the file is probably fine; see the following sections for further troubleshooting.

If the file crashes on a different computer and/or account, it is probably corrupted. To repair a damaged file, recreate the file or save it in a different format.

Most applications will allow you to save the file in different formats. This can sometimes strip out the damaged sections. Open the document, and then from the File menu, choose Save As... or Export. Use the format or file type drop-down in the Save dialog box to choose a different format. Save and open the file in each of these formats to see if it corrects the problem. Also try opening the file with another application.

Check for application updates

Make sure you have the latest version of the software. You can often find update options in the application menus, or you can visit the developer's web site to look for updates. Updates often fix bugs that could prevent your files from opening properly.

Note: Before updating an application, check the developer's or vendor's web site to be sure that the version of the application you are attempting to run is compatible with the version of OS X you have on your computer. If you're running an older version of OS X, you may have difficulty with some newer versions of applications.

Repair corrupted applications

Your application or its associated files may be corrupted. Try running the application in another OS X account on your computer.

If the application does work in another OS X account: Try removing the application's preferences in your own account:
1. Quit the application.
2. From your home folder, open the Library folder and then open the Preferences folder.
  
  Note: In Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion), to reach your Library folder, from the Finder, hold the Option key down, and select Library from the Go menu.
3. Remove the application's preference files from the Preferences folder. These files will usually have a name similar to that of the application. Occasionally, the preferences are all contained in a separate folder. If this is the case, remove the entire folder.
  
  Note: If you are having trouble locating the the correct preferences files, you can use the Finder's built-in search option. In the upper-right corner of the Finder window, begin typing your search terms in the field that contains the magnifying glass.
4. Try using the program again.
If the program does not work in another OS X account, or if removing the preferences does not solve the problem: Reinstall the software. Before you begin, if you have installed or copied any files into the application's folder, make a backup of this folder, and then do the following:
1. Remove all files associated with the application. If you have special files that you do not want to lose, such as macros or templates, move the application and its files to another folder; see In Mac OS X, how do I remove an application?
2. Install the software again, and restart your computer if the software installer requests it.
3. Try using the application.

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Last modified on August 04, 2011.