Update: ‘Fixing Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite App Crashes’ also applies to Mac OS X 10.11 El Capitan and macOS 10.12 Sierra!
Fixing Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite app crashes works in the same way as it does for Notes app crashes and Exchange mail syncing bugs: The Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite app crashes (e.g. “Mail quit unexpectedly“) are fixed by deleting cashes of the dedicated app library containers. For example, the App Store app and Dropbox app reportedly crashes after upgrading to Yosemite (Kudos to Apolonious!). Mail app and Skype crashes are resolved as well.
Easy Fix for resolving Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite app crashes
If the app crash still persist you may need to do the following workaround:
Advanced fix for resolving Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite app crashes
Caution: First of all make a full backup of your Mac. Best practice is using Time Machine. Following this fix is at your own risk!
Note: For Notes app crashes and Exchange Mail syncing bugs follow the separate fix mentioned here!
Containers:
- Mail: [com.apple.mail] and [com.apple.MailServiceAgent]
- Contacts: [com.apple.AddressBook], [com.apple.AddressBook.FaceTimeService] and [com.apple.AddressBook.InternetAccountsBridge]
- Calendars: [com.apple.CalendarAgent], [com.apple.CalendarAgent.CalNCService] and [com.apple.CalendarFileHandler]
- iCal: [com.apple.iCal] and [com.apple.iCal.CalendarNC]
- Notes: [com.apple.Notes]
- Reminders: [com.apple.reminders] and [com.apple.RemindersNC]
- App Store: [com.apple.appstore] and [com.apple.appstore.PluginXPCService]
- iBooks: [com.apple.iBooksX]
- Facetime: [com.apple.FaceTime]
- Garageband: [com.apple.garageband10]
- iMovie: [com.apple.iMovieApp]
- iPhoto: [com.apple.iPhoto]
- TextEdit: [com.apple.TextEdit]
- Evernote: [com.evernote.Evernote and [com.evernote.EvernoteHelper]
- Skitch: [com.skitch.skitch]
- PhotoSync: [com.touchbyte.mac.PhotoSync] and [com.touchbyte.PhotoSyncHelper]
Notes:
- If your crashed app is not listed, go to ‘Macintosh HD ▸ Users ▸ Your Username ▸ Library ▸ Containers’ and search for your app’s container(s) and move them to the trash.
- Apps like Dropbox, iTunes or Safari do not have any containers. If these apps are crashing, the reason is often another app. Look for it to resolve the problem.
Technical Background:
Apps are sandboxed applications in OS X, meaning its resources are isolated from other processes for security and stability reasons. As part of this setup, OS X will create virtual containers in which the programs (“apps”) access the system resources needed, and do so by accessing parts of the OS X filesystem through a special directory tree in your account’s library. This directory tree primarily contains aliases, but also contains files specifically for apps, such as its preference and cache files.
If you remove the container for an app, OS X will simply rebuild it and have Mail re-create the files it needs. However, doing so will clear out settings contained in these files, requiring you to set these up in the app again. For Mail app as an example, these can include mail accounts, signatures, smart mailboxes, and mail filters, so if you remove and rebuilt Mail’s container, expect to set these up again.
Cleaning caches and apps container resolves Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite app crashes. Could you fix it, too? Let us know which app crashed and post your experience!
Stay tuned! 😉
27 Comments
Pingback: Fixing Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite Mail Not Responding - miApple.me
Thanks for the support. It has helped me to relaunch the mail app. the only issue is that the mail crashes again after 1-2 days and I need to redo all this again. It there any way to stop those crashes definitely.
Other question: How does that APPLE do not solves this issue that happens to many poeple…..? Thanks
Hi Querinjean,
have you already checked this alternate option:
https://miapple.me/fixing-mac-os-x-10-10-yosemite-mail-not-responding/
Cheers,
Gee Are
Hi,
Question : You write for the folder’s name in Container “Contacts: [com.apple.mail] and [com.apple.MailServiceAgent]” is it correct or maybe is it [com.apple.AddressBook] , [com.apple.AddressBook.FaceTimeService] and [com.apple.AddressBook.InternetAccountsBridge] ?
Hi gr12,
you’re right. This was a copy&paste mistake of mine. Post corrected and updated.
Thanks,
Gee Are
I’ve done all your advises, and Mail crashes allways at launch… event Apple crew did’nt resolve my problem… It would be miraculous tu resolve my problem…
Hi cate06,
maybe an email account is causing this issue. Go to ‘System Preferences’, ‘Internet accounts’ and deactivate all ‘Mail’ accounts. Then restart your Mac and add one Mail account after the other (reboot between adding). Maybe you can identify which email account is crashing your Mail app.
Cheers,
Gee Are
My issue is with iTunes starting and stopping repeatedly since I upgraded to Yosemite. As it doesn’t have a container, how would I be able to find the app that is causing the crashes?
Hi boudecca,
Have you already tried the easy fix mentioned in this post?
Cheers,
Gee Are
Hi Gee Are Pabst. Yes, I tried that first. 🙂
Hi boudeccea,
try this: Log out from iCloud in system preferences, restart your Mac and open iTunes 12. If iTunes in then running again log in iCloud again.
If this doesn’t help then you should look for another app which could cause these crashes. Are you using Dropbox? Some people reported that Dropbox causes the problem….
Cheers,
Gee Are
I too have had my mail crash immediately since I installed OS X 10.10 on Sunday. I am confused by this part of your instruction – “Click on the finder, click ‘Go‘, hold the option key and click on ‘Library‘ (will not appear if you don’t hold the option key). Go to the folder ‘Caches‘ again and drag everything in the folder to the trash again.” I didn’t see anyplace to click on ‘Go’ in finder. I did deactivate the mail accounts in the Sys Preferences under Internet. I emptied the cache in the Library. I turned off computer and turned it back on after doing the above to the best of my ability.
I did not find a folder labeled ‘Containers‘ nor anything called ‘com.apple.mail’
After having done as much as I could of your instruction, I restarted my mac, added back the mail accounts, and clicked on mail. It crashed within a few seconds, as it had been doing ; (
This is frustrating. I appreciate your help.
Hi katherine grace,
I mean to open the Finder app, in the Finder menu bar you will find the menu option ‘Go’ at the top of the Finder window. Then proceed as described…
Cheers,
Gee Are
Process: Final Cut Pro [1958]
Path: /Users/USER/Desktop/Final Cut Pro 2.app/Contents/MacOS/Final Cut Pro
Identifier: com.apple.FinalCut
Version: 10.0.8 (221398)
Build Info: ProEditor-22139008018000000~1
Code Type: X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process: bash [1955]
Responsible: Terminal [1914]
User ID: 501
Date/Time: 2014-11-06 20:47:13.268 +0530
OS Version: Mac OS X 10.10 (14A389)
Report Version: 11
…[Edited and shortened by Admin]
Hi taher,
please, do not past complete reports as comments, both for your own security (UIDD included!) and for being not very precise. Describe your problem as detailed as possible in your own words and I will try to help you.
Cheers,
Gee Are
Hi
Crash persists with my Yosemite even if I tried ur approach.
Hi Ze,
Which app is crashing?
Cheers,
Gee Are
Hi,
I have upgraded OS X yosemite yesterday. I am unable to use data card. I am using MTN doggle and it was working in Mavericks. When i click to start the MTN software it says MTN Mobile Internet quit unexpectedly. Click Reopen to open the application again notification.
Please help me.
Regards,
Velu
Hi,
have you already tried both the easy and the advanced fix? Didn’t it work?
Cheers,
Gee Are
Fixing Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite App Crashes http://t.co/3W8EiKWqqe