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Before trying to reinstall the program be sure you have properly uninstalled it:
Uninstalling Software: The Basics
Most OS X applications are completely self-contained 'packages' that can be uninstalled by simply dragging the application to the Trash. Most applications create preference files which are stored in the /Home/Library/Preferences/ folder. Although they do nothing once you delete the associated application, they do take up some disk space. If you want you can located them in the above location and delete them, too.
Some applications may install an uninstaller program that can be used to remove the application. In some cases the uninstaller may be part of the application's installer, and is invoked by clicking on a Customize button that will appear during the install process.
Some applications may install components in the /Home/Library/Applications Support/ folder. You can also check there to see if the application has created a folder. You can also delete the folder that's in the Applications Support folder. Again, they don't do anything but take up disk space once the application is trashed.
Some applications may install a startupitem or a Log In item. Startupitems are usually installed in the /Library/StartupItems/ folder and less often in the /Home/Library/StartupItems/ folder. Log In Items are set in the Accounts preferences. Open System Preferences, click on the Accounts icon, then click on the LogIn Items tab. Locate the item in the list for the application you want to remove and click on the '-' button to delete it from the list.
If an application installs any other files the best way to track them down is to do a Finder search using the application name or the developer name as the search term.
There are also several shareware utilities that can uninstall applications:
AppZapper
CleanApp
Yank
SuperPop
Uninstaller
Spring Cleaning
Look for them at VersionTracker or MacUpdate.
For more information visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on removing software.
For additional help contact the software developer's tech support.
Feb 11, 2009 8:53 PM
There can be quite a few reasons for an application to fail to launch, but the most likely cause, if you're running OS X Yosemite or earlier, is a disk permissions error. Disk permissions are flags set for each item in the file system. They define whether an item can be read, written to, or executed. Permissions are initially set when you install an application, such as Safari.
If these permissions get out of whack, they can prevent an application from working correctly. The result may be a bouncing Dock icon, as you mentioned, and an application that never finishes launching. Other times an application may appear to launch normally, but then some part of it fails to work, usually a plug-in that the application uses.
Besides file permissions, there is the possibility of an apps preference files being the source for an app that is acting wonky and not starting up or working correctly. No matter which is the cause, these tips should help you fix the problem.
When a launch certain apps, the icon just bounces and the app never launches. I end up having to force quite and restart to get the app to work. Other apps freeze up (sarfari and chrome) and I have force quit and restart. Then there is VLC which launches plays media then freezes.
- The Dock is the main application launcher for OS X. With a long history pre-dating OS X, the Dock has developed into a very versatile utility for Mac users. That is, they appear when you open a document or app and choose to minimize it, and then disappear when you close the document or app or choose to maximize the window. That special.
- The result may be a bouncing Dock icon, as you mentioned, and an application that never finishes launching. Other times an application may appear to launch normally, but then some part of it fails to work, usually a plug-in that the application uses.
Fixing App File Permission Issues: OS X Yosemite and Earlier
As mentioned above, a common problem found in the earlier versions of OS X is the file permissions being set incorrectly. This can happen whenever you install a new app, update an app, or upgrade your copy of OS X. All it takes is the installer to be coded incorrectly, and an app's permissions can be set incorrectly. It doesn’t even have to be the same app being updated. You could install a new photo editing app, and it could accidentally set the permissions on a folder shared by another app incorrectly, causing the dreaded bouncing Dock icon or an app simply failing to start or work.
The first thing to try in this situation is to repair disk permissions. Luckily, you don’t need to know what the permissions should be; your Mac keeps a database of the default permissions for most applications that you’ve installed. All you need to do is launch Disk Utility and run its Repair Disk Permissions option. You can find instructions on how to do this in the About: Macs Using Disk Utility to Repair Hard Drives and Disk Permissions guide.
The other set of file permissions you may want to check are those associated with your user account. User account file settings usually won't affect applications, such as Safari, that are stored in the /Applications folder. However, some apps are placed in the user folder, so your user folder may also contain the preference files used by an application.
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You can find details on fixing user account permissions in the Mac Troubleshooting: Reset User Account Permissions guide.
Fixing App File Permission Issues: OS X El Capitan and Later
With OS X El Capitan, Apple locked down system file permissions, including those in the /Applications folder. As a result, file permission issues should no longer be a concern as the cause for an app not working. That’s the good news; the bad news is that now you'll have to dig deeper to find out what's causing the issue.
One step to take is to visit the website of the app developer and see if there are any notes about compatibility with the version of OS X you're using or any known incompatibilities with other apps or services you may be using.
In many cases, updating the affected app can cure the problem you're having with an app not starting or not working correctly.
Fixing Preference Files (Any OS X Version)
The other common cause of an app not working is a corrupt file used by the app in question. In many cases, the most likely candidate for a corrupt file is the app's preference file, also known as a plist. Plist files can become corrupt when your Mac shuts down or restarts unexpectedly, or an app freezes or crashes.
Luckily, you can delete a bad preference file and the app will create a new plist file that contains all of the app's defaults. You'll need to reconfigure the app's preferences, but it's likely that deleting the preference file will fix the issue.
Locate the App’s Preference File
Most applications store their plist files at:
~/Library/Preferences
The tilde (~) character in the pathname indicates your home folder, so if you looked in your home folder, you'd expect to see a folder named Library. Unfortunately, Apple hides the Library folder so you can’t accidentally make changes to it.
That’s OK; we can get around the hidden nature of the Library folder by using any of the methods outlined in the following article:
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Go ahead and access the Library folder, using instructions at the link above.
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Now that you're in the Library folder, open the Preferences folder.
If you don't see the Preferences folder in your Home folder, you can hit Command-Shift-G on your keyboard (while in the Finder), then type in ~/Library/Preferences.
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The Preferences folder contains all of the plist files for each app installed on your Mac. It also contains quite a few other files, but the only ones we're interested in are ones that end with .plist.
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The preference file name is in the following format:
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If we're looking for the preference file for Safari, the file name should be:
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There should be no other name after the plist. For example, you may also see files with the following names:
or
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We're only interested in the file that ends in .plist.
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Once you locate the correct plist file, quit the app in question, if it's running.
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Drag the app's plist file to the desktop; this preserves the preference file should you need to restore it later.
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Relaunch the app in question.
Air program for mac. If you need to install new software on a MacBook Air, you can do so through the App Store or by downloading from a Web browser. Installing Software from the App Store The Mac App Store is a highly curated, digital destination for downloading and installing tons of applications. In addition to Mac operating system, the MacBook Air comes equipped with iLife, which is a software package that includes iPhoto, iMovie and Garage Band [source: Apple].And don't forget about all the additional software Apple offers that you can add. When Software Update says that your Mac is up to date, macOS and all of its apps are also up to date. That includes Safari, i Tunes, Books, Messages, Mail, Calendar, Photos, and FaceTime. To automatically install macOS updates in the future, including apps downloaded from the App Store, select ”Automatically keep my Mac up to date.”.
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The app should now start up without issues, although all of its preferences will be in the default state. You'll need to reconfigure the app to meet your needs, just as you did originally.
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Should this not fix the app issue you're having, you can restore the original plist file by making sure the app in question isn't running, and then dragging the original plist file you saved to the desktop back to the Preferences folder.
As we mentioned, file permissions and corrupt preference files are the most common problems that prevent an app from working correctly. If you've tried both methods and are still having issues, I suggest contacting the app developer and explaining the problem you're having. Most developers have a support section on their website where you can request assistance.
Safe Mode
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One last test you can perform is to start your Mac up in Safe Mode. This special startup environment restricts most startup items and limits the operating system to just using the basic OS core. If you can start your Mac in Safe Mode and then use the app in question without issues, the likely cause is not permissions or preference files but a conflict with another app or a startup item.