Solved: "The application can't be opened" on Mac error

Troubled by the 10673 error message on your Mac? We've pulled together all you need to know on the topic, including what is known about it and, of course, how to troubleshoot it.

Before we get to the fixes below, let's take a look at what this message actually means.

What does the 10673 error message mean?

Users report that "The application can't be opened" 10673 error usually occurs when they try to open an Apple Mail attachment or link. 

Apple does not document the error, so the underlying causes remain unknown.

So before we dive into the tips, do yourself a favor and restart your Mac from the main Apple menu. It's surprising how many bugs and glitches a quick restart can solve.

How to solve "The application can't be opened"10673 error

Let's get started and wave goodbye to the error 10673 message.

1. Check your Mac for updates

Keeping your Mac updated is always recommended; not only does this help keep your device optimized, but it also means you benefit from improvements and application fixes, helping you avoid issues like the one we're tackling today.

Here's a reminder on how to check for system updates:

• Select the main Apple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update.
• Here, you'll see if your Mac is up to date. Simply follow the steps on the screen if an update is available.

Now that your MacBook is up to date, if the problem continues, try the next step.

Tip: Sometimes, some updates cannot be installed. If you've experienced this error when trying to update your Mac, here's how to fix updates that won't install.

2. Check that your default email reader is Mail

If you're receiving the error message when opening a link or attachment within Mail. Let's first make sure that your default email reader is, indeed, set to Mail; if not, conflicts could be causing the error message. Here's how to check:

1. Open Mail and select Mail > Settings > General from the menu bar.
2. Next to Default email reader, make sure Mail is selected from the dropdown.

Restart your MacBook and see if the problem persists.

3. Right-click to open an app

If you receive the error message when trying to open a particular application, instead of the standard double-click to open from your Dock, try the alternative — right-click. Here's how:

1. Open the Finder and go to Applications from the sidebar.

2. Locate the app you can't currently open.

3. Right-click and choose Open from the list.

This also reportedly works for those experiencing the error message when trying to open a link: instead of double-clicking the link in an email, right-click the link and choose Open Link.

Did it work? If not, head to the next tip.

4. Reset troublesome apps

Another way to quickly solve this annoying error is to completely reset the app that's plagued by the message. It returns the app to its original state, which can clear problems caused by its settings or support files.

The easiest and most straightforward way to do this is with a dedicated tool like CleanMyMac. Its Applications feature manages installed apps, and the Uninstaller inside it can remove an app's support files while leaving the app itself in place, which is what a reset needs. Here's how to reset an app:

1. Open the application and click Applications from the sidebar.

2. Click Scan > Manage My Applications > Uninstaller.

3. Locate your problematic app from the list.

4. Next to its name, select everything except binaries from the drop-down menu, and click Remove.

If you haven't tried it yet, you can test the app for 7 days — get your free trial here.

If you'd rather not use third-party tools, no problem. You could also try force quitting the app and then reopening it. This performs a mini-application restart. 

Note that force quitting closes the app immediately, so save your work first where you can — Apple warns that unsaved changes may be lost. Here's how:

1. From the main Apple menu > Force Quit.

2. Find the app in the list, select it, and click Force Quit.

Tip: Another Mac glitch is the "disk can't be unblocked" error message. Although rare, it is annoying. If you've encountered it, check out our guide to the "Macintosh HD can't be unblocked" error.

5. Change your default browser 

If you've got multiple browsers installed on your Mac, they could all be trying to carry out the same task, thus causing conflicts. Users on forums report that setting Safari as the default browser completely resolved the issue. Here's how to do it:

1. From the main Apple menu > System Settings > Desktop & Dock.

2. Next to Default Web Browser (you may need to scroll down), select Safari from the dropdown.

6. Check for malware

If the problem remains, it's time to check for malware and viruses. Run a scan with your antivirus software.

Don't have one? The tool I mentioned earlier, CleanMyMac, has a Protection feature, too. It looks for adware and other macOS threats, so it covers the case this step is checking for. 

Here is how to run it:

1. Open CleanMyMac and select Protection from the sidebar.
2. Click Scan.
3. Review what it finds and click Remove.

Well, we've reached the end. Hopefully, one of these useful tips worked to solve the annoying 10673 error message on your device.