App Store not working on Mac? – Here’s why

The App Store for Mac is a platform that distributes digital content for MacOS users that was created by Apple Inc. It is available in almost every country that sells Apple Inc. products.

It allows users to download apps, extensions and widgets and is browsable by category offering an easy way to get the applications you need for your devices. Though sometimes, the App store can stop working with MacOS.

Mac App Store not working – Troubleshooting

If you find that the App Store isn’t working, then you’ll want to ensure that your internet connection is working properly. You’ll also want to force quit the App Store, as well as making sure you’ve got the latest update installed on your device.

We all know the App store stops working with iPhone, but this can also happen for MacOS too. Mac users generally have an easy time with their operating system and can download new apps with ease. However, that’s not always the case.

So what can you do when you need to download an app and you realise that the App Store isn’t working? Here are some of the things you can do if you find your App Store not working on Mac.

Check Apple System Status Page

Before checking your own device for issues, it’s always worth looking at the System Status page that Apple themselves provide. Here, you’re able to see whether the App Store or any other Apple services are having issues.

Though it’s not often the case, it could just be that the App Store is down for everyone. This happens from time to time, and it’s usually caused by an outage with the Apple servers.

If it’s not an issue with Apple, then continue through the rest of these troubleshooting steps.

Check the connectivity of your Mac

First thing is first, you should check your network connection to make sure that you have an internet connection. You need to have an active internet connection top use the App store properly.

Whether Ethernet or Wi-Fi connected it is best to check if this is the cause of the issue when trying to connect to the App Store.

You can check your network settings on Mac by following the process set out below;

1. Go to the top right-hand corner of your screen.
2. Right-click the Wi-Fi symbol.
3. Select ‘Network Preferences.’
4. This will load your Network window.
5. Here you can see all your available options.
6. Check the status of your connection, in the picture provide in this article you can see that if you are connected the status will be ‘Connected.’
7. If the ‘Status’ is showing as ‘Off’ click ‘Turn Wi-Fi On’ and this should solve your connection issue.
8. If you continue to have issues with connecting to your Network, restart your router following the network providers instructions.
9. Finally go to the App Store and boot it to see if this has resolved the issue.

Making sure that you check your internet connection is the first thing you should do if you’re having App Store problems on your Macbook.

Force Quit the App Store

It may be that you tried to boot the App Store and your computer didn’t respond. Sometimes, this can happen for no real reason things just crash, it could be a corrupt file or just a moment of technological indecision on the part of the computer.

When this happens you should ‘Force Quit the application and try to run it again;

1. Right-click on the App Store icon.
2. Select ‘Quit App.’
3. Alternatively, if you are getting no response:
4. Click on the Apple menu in the top left-hand corner of the screen.
5. Select ‘Force Quit.’
6. Go to the App Store icon.
7. Select ‘Force Quit.’
8. Reload the App Store shortly after.

In some cases, you may have to use Activity Monitor or open Terminal to close the App Store down manually, but usually you can do this through your Desktop.

You should look to do this if you have a frozen App Store. Once you’ve successfully closed it, you can relaunch it to see if it works.

Look to see if you have restrictions

Another possible reason that your App Store may not be working is due to restriction settings on your Mac.

If you restrict access to your App Store purposefully or otherwise you will not be able to boot the programme. To unlock your restrictions you can take the following steps:

1. Click on ‘System Preferences.’
2. Select ‘Screen Time.’
3. Go to ‘Contents and Privacy.’
4. Choose ‘Apps’ from the options on the bar.
5. Allow permissions for the Mac App Store.

Various App Store problems can occur if you don’t have permissions . This is typically with third party apps, though it can cause problems with the App Store too.

Update your device to the newest OS

With every update for any device, it is of utmost importance you update when new software is released.

Software fixes bugs and enhances the performance of a system, without updating regularly, certain things will not work because they lack compatibility with old software.

Therefore if you are having issues with your Mac, in this case, the App Store check for updates and make sure you install them to prevent further issues. You can do this by;

1. Go to ‘System Preferences.’
2. Click ‘Software Update.’
3. Allow the Software to download and install.
4. Restart your Mac.
5. Try to boot the App Store again.

MacOS updates are fairly regular and can require a lot of free space on your device. But, they’re usually worthwhile, as they’ll help you to make sure any bug fixes are in place.

Ensure you’re logged in to your Apple ID

One last thing you can try if the App Store is not booting when you try it is to sign out of Apple ID and then log in again.

A lot of the most simple fixes sound silly, but they really do work. So to sign out of your Apple ID:

1. Go to ‘System Preferences.’
2. Select ‘Apple ID.’
3. Click on ‘Sign Out.’
4. Log back in using your Apple ID details.
5. Try to boot the App Store again.

Conclusion

There is a huge amount of variety on the App Store, free games and apps as well as paid apps and subscriptions. Developers can make their own apps and publish them to the store in order to get their business out into the world and has become a hugely profitable marketplace for independent developers looking to start up.

There are many reasons why your App Store might not be working – a corrupt file, a firewall or even the things mentioned in this article. Hopefully, these quick fixes helped to get you back on your way to playing your favourite games and using your favourite apps.