Why won't Steam open on my Mac?

If you're stuck trying to troubleshoot why Steam won't open on your Mac or why it quits unexpectedly, we're here to help.

Although Steam is a pretty stable and reliable platform, encountering issues isn't that strange; for Mac users, error messages, although frustrating, are pretty fixable.

We've put together some useful steps to help you fix your Steam issues quickly so you can get back to gaming.

Explained: "steam_osx" is damaged and can't be opened

Lots of Mac users seem to be encountering the error message saying, "steam_osx is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Trash." after updating their macOS or when trying to install Steam for the first time.

We've scoured the Steam forums, and although we can't find a concrete answer as to why this issue is happening, there are a few possible causes:

• macOS Gatekeeper restrictions

• Corrupted application files

• Outdated macOS

Don't worry if you're not sure what's causing your specific Steam issue; the steps below will help you solve it.

If you're not having issues with error messages or opening Steam, but instead constant crashes, then you should read this article called Steam quit unexpectedly on my Mac: solutions that work. We'll provide some tips below, too. 

Solved: Steam won't open on Mac

1. Reinstall Steam to fix steam_osx is damaged

The quickest way to combat this annoying Steam glitch is to just reinstall it; that means removing it completely from your Mac and then heading over to the official Steam website to download and install a new version.

Don't forget uninstalling apps is a little more complex than just dragging icons into your Trash. Learn how to Uninstall Steam on Mac.

2. Adjust your macOS security settings with Terminal

It's not as easy to adjust your Mac's Gatekeeper settings anymore, so if it has flagged Steam as a damaged or unsafe application, even though it is legitimate, you can use Terminal to bypass this; here's how:

1. Open Terminal from Applications > Utilities.

2. Enter the following command to remove the app's quarantine status:

• bash

3. Now enter:

• sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Steam.app

4. Enter your admin password, and when it's complete, try launching Steam again.

This command basically tells your macOS to lift the quarantine flag that marks Steam as damaged.

3. Optimize your Mac for Steam

If Steam won't open on Mac or struggles to load, it might be due to system performance issues, like outdated system and app cache, conflicting login items, and general speed and memory.

Keeping your McBook optimized ensures apps like Steam perform just how they should. Optimization tasks used to cause Mac users a headache, but these days, thanks to tools like CleanMyMac, it's a lot quicker and easier; here's how:

1. Get your free CleanMyMac trial and open the app.

2. Click Performance > Scan.

3. Once complete, click View All Tasks and select which items you want to run.

4. Click Run.

If you're into gaming, and it's what you use your Mac for, then check out this article on how to optimize Mac for Gaming.

4. Make sure your Mac is running the latest software

If you haven't updated your Mac's software in a while, then this could be why you're having error message issues or problems opening Steam. Don't forget to take a moment to check you're all up to date; here's how:

• From the main Apple menu, go to System Settings.
• Navigate to General > Software Update.

5. Check your internet connection

Finally, if you're still asking why won't Steam open on my Mac? Don't forget that Steam requires a stable internet connection unless you have games downloaded into offline mode. 

Here are a few things to check:

• Check for service provider outages.

• Toggle Wi-Fi on and off.

• Forget and rejoin your network.

• Move closer to your router.

What to do when Steam quits unexpectedly

1. Restart your Mac

Let's start with the absolute basics; take a moment to restart your Mac via the main Apple menu; check the “Reopen windows when logging back in” option.

Restarting your Mac can solve a multitude of annoying issues, so it's worth a shot. 

2. Clear Steam cache

If Steam doesn't open, try clearing the application cache; this can solve launching issues and help the app run faster.

Because Steam cache files are stored across multiple folders on your Mac, the easiest way to clear cache is with a trusted tool like CleanMyMac. Notarized by Apple; its Cleanup feature can remove tons of cache in just a few clicks, saving space and time; here's how:

1. Open the application — get your free trial here.

2. From the sidebar, select Cleanup > Scan.

3. Once the scan is complete, click Clean.

If you'd rather do this manually, here's how:

Step one: Remove downloads cache

1. Open the Steam application and log in.

2. Select the main Steam menu > Preferences > Downloads.

3. Press the Clear Download Cache button and then Ok.

Log back into Steam, once the cache cleanup is complete.

Step two: Remove Steam files

• Open Finder; select Go > Go to Folder from the top menu.
• Paste in the following locations below, one by one, and drag any Steam-related files or folders to the Trash.

~/Library/Caches

~/Library/Logs

~/Library/Preferences

~/Library/Application Support/Steam

• Empty your Trash and try to launch Steam.

3. Check Steam permissions

Occasionally over time, application permissions can become corrupt, which could cause Steam to have trouble launching. Here's how to check:

1. Select the main Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security.

2. Now, locate Accessibility

3. Check that Steam is present in the list.

4. If not, press the Plus button to add Steam to your list from your Mac's Application folder.

Jump to the next section if you're having issues with Steam crashing on startup on your Mac.

How to fix Steam crashing on startup

1. Check your date and time

If you've recently traveled to a different time zone or country, your time and date settings could be wrong, which could cause Steam to fail during launch. Here's how to check:

1. Apple Menu > System Settings > General > Date & Time.

2. If you notice something is wrong, select the lock icon bottom left to make changes. 

3. Relaunch Steam.

2. Disable your antivirus software

Occasionally third-party antivirus software can interfere with other applications and has been known to stop Steam from launching.

Switch your antivirus temporarily off and try to launch Steam. If that works, you'll need to configure your antivirus to not block Steam, usually via the applications utility's menu. 

If you can get Steam to launch, but you're having issues updating it, jump to the section below.

How to fix Steam update error messages

The "Steam needs to be online to update" and the "updating Steam information" stuck error messages are other annoying, well-known issues. Although it's not entirely known what causes these problems, there are a few things you can do.

1. Use a VPN

Many Steam users report using a VPN to change their IP addresses before installing the update can eliminate this pesky error. If you already have a VPN, it's worth a try.

2. Reinstall Steam

Uninstalling and reinstalling Steam is another way to solve this issue; you can do this safely using the app I mentioned earlier in the article, CleanMyMac: it lets you reset apps, so no need to remove and install them manually. Here’s how to reset Steam:

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

2. Click Scan > Manage My Applications > Uninstaller. 

3. Find Steam, click an arrow (>) next to it, and select everything except Binaries. 

4. Click Remove. 

Now, Steam is reset and back to its initial state. 

Hopefully, we've answered all your questions on why Steam won't open on Mac and how to fix it if Steam quit unexpectedly. Why not bookmark this page for future troubleshooting reference?