"The Application is Not Open Anymore" on Mac: Why It Happens & How to Fix It

Recoverit Editorial Team

Oct 30, 2026 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions

⚡ Quick Answer: How to Fix "The Application Is Not Open Anymore" on Mac?

When Preview or Safari shows "the application is not open anymore," the app is usually frozen or left a non-responsive background process. Force Quit the app (press Command + Option + Esc, select the app, click Force Quit), then reboot your Mac. If the error persists, remove the app's preferences file (e.g. ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Preview.plist), or update/reinstall macOS from Recovery Mode (Command + R). If you lost files during a crash, recover them with Wondershare Recoverit Mac Data Recovery.

At times, when using a Mac, "Preview" and "Safari" suddenly display and error message that it has stopped working. You cannot open images, PDF's and other files when "Preview "stops working. The same applies to Safari. This article takes you through simple ways to fix the "Application Preview is not Open Anymore" error.

Part 1 - >What Does "The Application is Not Open Anymore" Mean?

An application will stop working on Mac due to several reasons including software malfunctions, compromised hardware, and low system memory among others. The error occurs when you are using one of the apps directly or through an associated application.

So what does it mean when an application is not open anymore?

Even though an application seems to be open, it becomes unresponsive. This means that you cannot save or edit your work, and you may have to start all over again after closing the app.

The error message may not pop up instantly, as the app tries to recover from the hanging state, and at such times, you will notice a small dot appearing below the app in the "Dock" section.

Why is the application Preview/Safari not responding?

One of the main reasons why the application is unresponsive is the corruption of application files by viruses. To avoid this, keep your Anti-Virus and anti-Malware tools updated at all times.

Hardware or software malfunctions with your macOS could also contribute to this error. This can be fixed by restarting the application or restarting the Mac.

Restarting an application or MacOS refreshes the file system and should fix any errors. This article will take you through simple steps that you should use to fix the "Application Preview is not Open Anymore" error.

Part 2 - How to Fix "The Application Preview Is Not Open Anymore"

🔍 4 Fixes for "The Application Is Not Open Anymore" — At a Glance

Solution 1: Force Quit Preview

Even though the error says Preview is not open anymore, the app may be open but frozen — force quit it to restart.

Method 1: Use the Force Quit Window

1. Press Command + Option + Esc to bring up the Force Quit window (or click the Apple logo and select Force Quit).
2. Choose Preview from the applications list.
3. Click Force Quit and reboot your Mac.

Method 2: Use the Activity Monitor

1. Open Activity Monitor via Finder > Applications > Utilities (or Launchpad > Other).
2. Click the CPU tab, then sort by Process Name and select Preview.
3. Click the Stop button in the top-left corner, choose Force Quit, and reboot your Mac.

Solution 2 - Reboot Mac Computer

Rebooting your Mac resets all critical system files and fixes all errors because all application files are restarted in their normal, fault-free state.

Method 1 – Soft reboot your Mac

This is preferable since it does not cause errors to your files.

Step 1 - Go to "Menu > Shut Down".

Step 2 - Uncheck the "Reopen windows when logging back in" box.

Step 3 - "Click "Shut Down" to confirm and let the Mac shut down completely.

Step 4 - Restart your Mac after 30 seconds.

Method 2 – Hard reboot your Mac

This forces the Mac to shut down without going through the normal shutdown process. This may lead to data loss, so save your files first.

Step 1 - Long Press the "Power" button for about 10 seconds or the screen goes off.

Step 2 - After 30 seconds, restart your Mac normally.

Step 3 - You will get an alert window; click on "Cancel" so apps are not reopened.

Solution 3: Remove Preview Preferences

If the error persists, your app preferences files may be corrupted. Back up your Mac or copy the preferences file to your desktop before removing it.

1. Open Finder, select Go > Go to Folder from the menu bar, and enter ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Preview.plist, then click Go.
2. Make a copy of the file on your desktop for safety.
3. Reboot your Mac and test Preview again.
4. If the error persists, try removing any of these related files (restarting the Mac after each trial):

• ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Preview
• ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.quicklook.ui.helper
• ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Preview.LSSharedFileList.plist
• ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Preview.SandboxedPersistentURLs.LSSharedFileList.plist
• ~/Library/Saved Application State/com.apple.Preview.savedState

Solution 4 - Update/Reinstall Mac

Updating or reinstalling the macOS is the last step you should take when fixing "The Application Preview is not Open Anymore" error. This will restore any corrupted files that may be causing the error.

Method 1 – Update to the latest macOS version

Step 1 - Connect your Mac to a Wi-Fi network.

Step 2 - Go to "System Preferences > Update Software".

Step 3 - Download and install the selected updates.

Step 4 - Check the "Automatically keep my Mac up to date" box.

Method 2 – reinstall your MacOS

Reinstalling your MacOS gives a full new OS which is free from corrupted files which may cause errors.

Step 1 - Start off by creating a backup of your Mac using "Time Machine".

Step 2 - Go to "Menu > Shut Down".

Step 3 - Click "Shut Down" to confirm and let the Mac shut down completely.

Step 4 - Restart the Mac and install hold the "Cmd+R" keys.

Step 5 - Enter the "Recovery Mode" window and select "reinstall MacOS".

Step 6 - To complete the reinstallation, simply follow the on-screen prompts.

Step 7 - After the reinstallation is complete reboot the Mac, open the "Preview" app, and see if the error has been solved.

Recover Files Lost After an App Crash with Recoverit Mac Data Recovery

You may lose files when you get the "application Preview/Safari is not open anymore" error. Wondershare Recoverit Mac Data Recovery is an excellent tool for recovering corrupted or lost files on your Mac in three simple steps.

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Download Recoverit for Mac and follow the on-screen steps to recover your lost files.

Part 3 - How to Fix "The Application Safari Is Not Open Anymore"

The "Application Safari is not Open anymore" comes about when your Safari app hangs and cannot function anymore.

Solution 1 - Force Quit Safari

The 2 methods below can be used to Force Quit Safari:

Method 1 – Close Safari using the Force Quite Window.

Step 1 - Simultaneously press the "Cmd+Opt+Esc" keys to launch the Force Quit window.

Step 2 - Alternative use "Menu > Apple Logo> Force Quit".

Step 3 - Select "Safari" from the applications list.

Step 4 - Choose "Force Quit" and reboot your Mac.

Method 2 – Close Safari using the Activity Monitor.

Step 1 - Open the activity monitor using any of these paths:

• Finder > Applications > Utilities.
• Launchpad > Other.

Step 2 - Select the CPU tab and followed by "Process Name".

Step 3 - Select "Safari" from the list of processes.

Step 4 - Hit the "Stop" button in the Activity Monitor.

Step 5 - Select "Force Quit" before finally rebooting your Mac.

Solution 2 - Reboot Mac Computer

You can reboot your Mac using any of these steps:

Method 1 – Soft reboot your Mac

This is preferable since it does not cause errors to your files.

Step 1 - Navigate to "Menu > Shut Down".

Step 2 - Remove the check in the "Reopen windows when logging back in" box.

Step 3 - Click "Shut Down" and wait for the Mac shut down.

Step 4 - Switch on your Mac after 30 seconds.

Method 2 – Hard reboot your Mac

Step 1 - Hit the "Power" button until the screen goes off.

Step 2 - Restart your Mac normally after half a minute.

Step 3 - Click on "Cancel" once the alert window appears. This stops other apps from restarting.

Solution 3 - Remove Safari Preferences

You can remove Safari preferences using the methods listed below. Check your Safari application after each step.

Step 1 - Go to Finder followed by "Go > Go to Folder".

Step 2 - Type ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist and then "Go":

Step 3 - Keep a copy of the file on the Desktop in case you need it again.

Step 4 - Now reboot your Mac and test "Safari" again.

Step 5 - Should the "Safari" show you the same error again, try any of the following files:
~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Safari
~/Library/Containers/com.apple.quicklook.ui.helper
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.LSSharedFileList.plist
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.SandboxedPersistentURLs.LSSharedFileList.plist
~/Library/Saved Application State/com.apple.Safari.savedState
Restart the Mac after each step.

Solution 4 - Update/Reinstall Mac

Reinstalling or updating macOS serves to replace any corrupted system files and fix "The Application Safari is not Open Anymore" error by.

Method 1 – Update to the latest macOS version

Step 1 - Connect your Mac to a strong Wi-Fi network.

Step 2 - Navigate to "System Preferences > Update Software".

Step 3 - Download and install the listed updates.

Step 4 - Check the "Automatically keep my Mac up to date" box.

Method 2 – reinstall your MacOS

Start off by creating a backup of your Mac using "Time Machine".

Step 1 - Navigate to "Menu > Apple Logo > Shut Down".

Step 2 - Select "Shut Down" then let the Mac shut down completely.

Step 3 - Restart the Mac and then press the "Cmd+R" keys.

Step 4 - Go to the "Recovery Mode" window and choose "reinstall macOS".

Step 5 - Follow the on-screen prompts to reinstall.

Step 6 - Reboot the Mac after the installation is complete. Now check on how your Safari performs.

Recoverit Mac Data Recovery

Remember that you can use the powerful Recoverit Mac Data Recovery Tool to recover files that may have been damaged or lost when fixing "The Application Safari is not Open Anymore" error. With three simple steps, you can recover more than 100 file types without any loss in quality.

How to Prevent "The Application Is Not Open Anymore" Errors

• Keep macOS updated. Allow your Mac to update automatically — Apple frequently releases fixes for bugs that freeze applications.
• Update anti-virus and anti-malware tools. This stops malicious software from corrupting your crucial files.
• Keep a powerful file recovery tool ready. Use Recoverit Mac Data Recovery so you can restore deleted files if such errors lead to data loss.
• Back up regularly with Time Machine. This helps restore macOS if a critical error causes applications to freeze.
• Stay updated on both macOS and protection tools. A refreshed system rarely shows "The Application Preview/Safari is not Open Anymore" errors.

Regular updates MacOS and virus/malware protection tools are important. This way, your Mac stays refreshed and you will not get "The Application Preview/Safari is not Open Anymore" errors anymore.

Closing Words

When faced with "The Application Preview/Safari is not Open Anymore" error, use the methods laid out above to restore the functions of the stalled applications. Do not forget that any lost data or files can be easily reclaimed using Recoverit Mac Data Recovery.