Are you trying to produce music or record a podcast, and suddenly Audacity crashes on your Mac? Fuss not, this is the common problem. However, it’s tough to diagnose the reason behind it, but fortunately, it’s easy to fix. So, if you are searching for ways to fix Audacity not working on macOS, here are solutions you must try. So, without a delay, let’s get started!
Why does Audacity keep crashing on macOS Sonoma?
It’s very rare that Audacity crashes or freezes on Mac. I’m sure most Mac found the “Spinning wheel of death” when opening Audacity app. This commonly happens when there are multiple apps running in the background or something is wrong with the Audacity app itself. However, there are other reasons for this. Let’s take a look at some of the common reasons.
- Multiple apps running simultaneously consume most of RAM and CPU
- Multiple processes in the background
- Mac out of storage
- macOS consuming junk, cache, and outdated versions.
- Serious hardware problem
- Issue with microphone
- Lack of permission
The main culprit, Audacity not recording or responding, is the app itself. I have curated a list of possible troubleshooting tips you can perform on your Mac computer whenever you are stuck with such problems.
What to do when Audacity crashes or freezes?
Below are some practical solutions to resolve Audacity not responding, crashes, or freezing. Unless there’s a hardware problem with your Mac, these troubleshooting tips should resolve your issue.
Solution #1. Check App Version & Update Audacity App
To Know the App version installed on your Mac, Launch the Finder > Applications (From the Finder top menu, Go > Applications).
Find the Version column, and if not showing, then add by Right clicking on Collumn > Select Version.
Now, Find and Check the Audacity app version. Compare this version to the latest Audcility Change log.
Now that you’ve forced quit and restart your Mac, you must check for app update availability. It’s feasible that the current version of Audacity has a bug; in that case, the best solution is to install its latest version. Launch the Audacity app > From top Menu help > Check for Updates….
If Audacity won’t update and fails to update, Keep a backup of the audio file, then Delete and reinstall the new app.
Reinstall Audacity App:- Uninstall the Audacity app and Install a New copy of the Audacity app on your Mac.
- To Uninstall, Go to the Applications folder in Finder. Right-click on Audacity > Move to Trash.
Solution #2. Update macOS
There are possibilities that an outdated version of the macOS is the reason why Audacity is crashing on macOS Sonoma. To get rid of the problem, you’ll need to update macOS. For this, you can follow the steps below.
Step 1: Click on the Apple Menu from the left top corner of the screen. Select System Settings… from the prompted menu.
Step 2: Choose General from the left pane. Click on Software Update from the right side.
Now, let your Mac check for updates. If available, click on Install Now.
Solution #3. Check Microphone, Internal Microphone
The first and foremost reason you need to verify before proceeding to high-end troubleshooting tips is to check whether your Mac or external microphone is working or not. So kindly check it first; if you find it working properly, move on to the next solution. If not, then immediately look for a good-quality microphone. Go to Apple Logo > System Settings > Sound > Input Tab, Select Internal Microphone, and Check the Input level. That’s it.
Solution #4. Enable Microphone Settings for Audacity
The following solution is to check the microphone settings for Audacity on Mac running the latest macOS. For this, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Click on the Apple Menu from the top left corner. Select System Settings…
Step 2: Choose Privacy & Security. Click on the Microphone from the right side.
Step 3: Click on the toggle next to the Audacity to enable it.
Solution #5. Check Audacity Server Status
There are chances where the Audacity server is down. If that’s so, you can no longer use the app. And unfortunately, you can’t fix it. All you need to do is visit the Audacity Server Status page, and if you find something problematic, then all you need to do is wait until the issue gets fixed on its own.
Solution #6. Force Quit Audacity App
If your Apple mouse cursor is replaced with a rainbow-spinning wheel, Audacity isn’t responding and has frozen. When such a scenario occurs, you will need to exit the app. The Audacity may freeze or crash if there is insufficient CPU or RAM resource to run the application. Here’s how to force quit the Audacity app on your Mac running the latest macOS.
Step 1: Click on the Apple Menu > System Settings at the top left corner of the Mac screen.
Step 2: Select Force Quit from the prompted menu.
Step 3: Choose Audacity from the list of apps, and at last, select Force Quit.
That’s It!
Solution #7. Stop Audacity from Activity Monitor
Audacity may be crashing on your Mac can be due to some background processes or maybe activities interfering with it. The best part is that you can kill the process completely using the Activity Monitor and restart the app. For this, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Press Command + Space to access Spotlight Search. Enter Activity Monitor and click on it to open.
Step 2: Search for Audacity in the search bar and click on it to select.
Step 3: Next, click on X Icon located at the Activity Monitor to exit it. > Force Quit.
After this, restart the computer and check whether you can record on Audacity. If not, move to the following solution.
Solution #8. Restart Mac
A simple restart of Mac can fix Audacity freezing issue. To do so, click on the Apple Menu. Select Restart… from the prompted menu. Atlast, click on Restart Button. After this, your Mac computer will exit all running processes and applications automatically, which will eventually fix Audacity crashing on macOS Sonoma. If the problem continues, then move forward to the following solution.
Solution #9. Check Audacity Compatibility
One of the common reasons Audacity keeps crashing on Mac has to do with compatibility. It’s feasible that the app isn’t compatible with the macOS version you are running on your hardware. In this scenario, a simple Google search will show the app compatibility with the current macOS version. Besides this, you can also check it via System Report on a Mac computer. Here’s how you can do so.
Step 1: Click on the Apple Menu from the top left corner of the Mac screen. Choose About This Mac from prompted menu.
Step 2: In the next pop-up, you’ll see current macOS version and other details.
Step 3: Select More Info. Click on System Report below.
Within the left panel, you will see Applications below Software Section.
Here, you’ll see a list of installed apps and user applications. Verify the header that mentions Kind to search for non-compatible app.
That’s It!
Solution #10. Contact App Develoepr
If none of the solutions worked for you, then it’s time to contact the Apple Support Team, as the only solution left to fix Audacity is crashing on Mac. Hopefully, they will help you diagnose the cause behind the issue and offer you a solution accordingly.
Final Verdict!
That’s it, folks! With these troubleshooting tips, you can fix Audacity is crashing on macOS Sonoma. Further, if you’ve any relatable queries regarding the audacity app, please drop it in the comment box below.
