How-To

How to Fix Apple App Store Not Working on Mac

Your Mac App Store is your one-stop shop for various apps for your Mac. For instance, there are apps that can help you automate your Mac, then there are those that can help you get rid of duplicate files, help you recover data, surf the web securely, and so on and so forth. And, how can we forget it also house some great games. But, what if you are deprived of all such apps and games just because your App Store is not working? Well! If you are in that situation, this is the post that’ll help you fix the issue. So, let’s get to it, shall we?

Also Read: Best Mac Apps & Utilities

Here are the kind of problems you may run into if your Mac’s App Store won’t load – 

If the situations above sound familiar, you can kick off your troubleshooting journey with some quick steps that have proved useful to many Mac users – 

Quick Tips That Could Make App Store Work Again!

Here are some quick steps you can undertake if App Store is not working on your Mac –

  • Log in into apps with the correct Apple credentials.
  • Sign out and re sign in into apps.
  • Sign out and re-sign-in into Mac App Store.
  • Perform a proper shutdown and then power up.
  • Update macOS
  • Switch off your VPN and check if your App Store is working or not.

6 Ways To Fix App Store Not Working on Mac

1. Check Your Internet Connection

A troublesome internet connection could be the reason why you are unable to load the App Store on your Mac. You could check the following things – 

2. Force Quit App Store and Relaunch

In case there are no issues with your internet connection and your Mac App Store is still not working or loading, you can try Force quitting your Mac App Store. For this, right-click on the App Store icon and select Quit App Store

Alternatively, you can click on the Apple icon, select App Store, and click on Force Quit. Now check if you are able to load the App Store on Mac and furthermore if you are able to install apps. If not, move on to the next step. 

3. Have You Restricted App Store Usage?

You probably might not be aware but Apple lets you restrict App Store usage via Screen Time Settings. You can use this feature as a Parental Control to have a better grip on the kind of apps your children install. To check this setting – 

1. Click on the Apple logo present at the top-left corner of the screen. 

2. Click on System Preferences

3. Click on Screen Time.

4. From the left-hand side of the Screen Time window, locate and click on Content & Privacy

5. Click on the Stores tab. 

6. Check the settings as shown in the screenshot below and ensure you have selected options starting with Allow…

If now, select the appropriate options and recheck if you are now able to make your Mac’s App Store work. 

4. Is The App Server Time

While not a very common scenario, there are times when even App carries out maintenance activities with App Store and other servers. Here you can check whether or not the Apple server is down. For this, visit the System Status page to check if all services are operating normally and have a green dot next.

5. Consider Checking Your Mac Storage

It could be that you are trying to install an app on Mac and cannot do so. The same could be because you are running low on your Mac’s storage space. We have covered a comprehensive post on the various ways you can check storage space on Mac. And, if you find yourself in a situation where you need to add more storage, this blog will help you

6. Uninstall Troublesome Apps

Has your Mac’s App Store stopped functioning or started freezing after you installed an app recently? Yes! Apps from untrusted sources such as other than the App Store can interfere with the functionality of your Mac. Simply uninstalling them might not help because there are times when stubborn apps leave behind remnants that make them nearly impossible to uninstall, and the remains continue to harm your Mac. To get rid of such apps, you can take the help of a third-party uninstaller such as Advanced Uninstall Manager.

What is Advanced Uninstall Manager?

It is a Mac utility from Systweak Software that can help you uninstall apps in totality. This means it uninstalls apps with their associated data, such as language, setup files, and much more. Alongside it can even help you boost startup time as well.  

How Easy It Is To Uninstall Apps With The Help of Advanced Uninstall Manager?

1. Download, install and run Advanced Uninstall Manager

2. You can simply drag and drop the app in the circle. 

3. And, there you are! You have successfully and completely uninstalled the app. 

Also Read: Advanced Uninstall Manager review

Wrapping Up

Needn’t jitter if your Mac App Store acts up. We hope that the above fixes will help get your Mac’s App Store on track, and if they do, do share your success with others who might be in the same situation. For more such content, keep reading WeTheGeek

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