Solve a Problem With a Mac App

Person frustrated with their computer — Image by Yan Krukau on Pexels

It can be very frustrating when an app does not work as expected, but there are effective ways to address these problems.

This guide will walk you through steps to resolve common app issues, including consulting FAQs, contacting customer support, submitting crash reports, and troubleshooting frequent problems like subscription cancellations and app errors.

Read the FAQ

To quickly solve a problem, see if you can find it in the frequently asked questions (FAQ). There might be a help button in the app or you can visit the app’s website to find them.

Alternatively, they might have a relevant how-to guide.

1Focus FAQ 1Focus How-to Guides

Contact Customer Support

Good customer support can solve most problems in reasonable time. Give the developer a chance to help you.

Contact Them Directly

Avoid reporting a problem through a review. Reviews need to be approved by Apple and replies to them, too, which can delay support for several days.

Be Specific

Be specific in describing the problem so that the developer can reproduce it.

What are the steps to reproduce the problem?
What exactly happens? Be more specific than “it doesn’t work”.
Are you using the latest version of the app?
Ideally, include screenshots of the problem and of how you configured the app.

Include Crash Reports

If the app crashed (suddenly quit), a crash report can help the developer identify the problem.

Open the app Console (Applications → Utilities → Console).
Select Crash Reports on the left.
In the search bar in the top right, type the name of the app.
Select the first result where Process Name matches the app name.
Select all of the text that appears in the section below the list and copy it.
Paste the crash report text in your message to customer support.

Request a Feature

When you request a new feature, explain the problem you are facing, not just the solution. How is the current functionality insufficient? That way the developer can understand the motivation behind your request and consider alternative solutions.

1Focus customer support

Common Problems

Cancel a Subscription

Solution

Get a Refund

Solution

The App Is Damaged and Cant Be Opened

This error usually means that there is an issue related to the Mac App Store.

Solution:

Sign out of the Mac App Store and sign back in (see Store → Sign out in the menu bar).
Restart your computer (especially if you have recently updated macOS).
Delete the app, then delete it from within the Trash (this is crucial) and reinstall it from the Mac App Store.
Update macOS.