macOS Crash Reporter Error — App Keeps Crashing Fix

What Does This Error Mean?

The macOS Crash Reporter pops up when an app unexpectedly quits. The dialog offers to send a crash report to Apple or the app developer. Occasional crashes are normal, but if the same app crashes repeatedly, it usually means the app's preferences are corrupted, the app is outdated and incompatible with your current macOS, or the app's support files need to be reset. Fixing this usually takes just a few minutes.

Affected Models

MacBook Air
MacBook Pro
Mac mini
iMac
Mac Pro
Mac Studio

Common Causes

The app's preferences file is corrupted and contains invalid settings that crash the app on startup or when performing a specific action
The app is outdated and not compatible with the current version of macOS
A macOS update broke compatibility with an older version of the app
A plugin, extension, or add-on the app uses is corrupt or incompatible
Low memory conditions — the Mac does not have enough free RAM for the app to run properly

How to Fix It

Update the crashing app first. Open the App Store, go to Updates, and install any available update for the app. Also check the developer's website — some apps update independently of the App Store.

macOS updates sometimes change APIs that older app versions depend on, causing crashes. App developers release compatibility updates to fix this.
Delete the app's preferences file. Open Finder, press Command + Shift + G, and go to ~/Library/Preferences. Look for a file named com.developer.appname.plist (the developer and app names will match the crashing app). Move it to the Trash and relaunch the app.

The app will recreate this file with default settings. If the crash was caused by a corrupted preference value, it will stop. You may need to reconfigure some app settings.
Delete the app's support files. Go to ~/Library/Application Support and find the folder with the app's name. Move it to the Trash and relaunch the app. Like preferences, these will be recreated fresh.

Be aware this resets all app data stored locally — like project files or locally stored data for the app. For some apps (like databases) this step is not appropriate without backing up first.
Check crash logs to understand what went wrong. Open Console app (search with Spotlight), click Crash Reports in the sidebar, find your app's crash reports, and look for clues — especially plugin names or memory errors in the report header.

Crash reports are technical, but the 'Exception Type' and 'Crashed Thread' sections at the top often give plain-English hints about what failed.
Reinstall the app completely. Delete the app from Applications (drag to Trash or right-click > Move to Trash), then also delete its Library folders (preferences and application support as described above). Restart your Mac, then reinstall from the App Store or developer website.

A clean reinstall is the most thorough solution when other steps do not help.

When to Call a Professional

If multiple unrelated apps are crashing frequently, the issue may not be the apps — it could be low RAM, a failing SSD, or macOS system file corruption. A technician can run hardware diagnostics and check crash logs to identify a deeper pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I click Send to Apple on the crash report dialog?

Yes — it is a good idea. The crash report is sent anonymously and contains technical details about what went wrong. Apple uses these reports in aggregate to identify common crashes and fix them in future updates. For third-party apps, you can also check the option to send the report to the app developer if that option appears. Clicking Don't Send is fine too — it just means Apple does not get the data for that crash.

Where does macOS save crash logs?

macOS saves crash logs in two places. For your own user account: ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports (replace ~ with your home folder path). For system-level crashes: /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports. The Console app provides the easiest way to browse these — open Console, click Crash Reports in the sidebar, and filter by app name. Crash reports are plain text and can be opened in any text editor.

The same app crashes on launch every single time. How do I fix it?

If the app crashes before it fully opens, deleting its preferences file (~/Library/Preferences/com.developer.appname.plist) is the most effective fix. A corrupted preference value can crash an app immediately on startup when it tries to read that bad value. Deleting the preference file forces the app to start with defaults. If even that does not help, a full uninstall and reinstall is the next step.