How can I restore missing top icons and access purchases in App Store on High Sierra iMac?

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Level 1

25 points

How can I restore missing top icons and access purchases in App Store on High Sierra iMac?

Hello,

I'm using my iMAC 27" for processing photos and other stuff. The MAC was recently reinstalled. When I open App Store I'm missing the top menu in the header of the app. Does Apple removed this feature so I can't no more access apps that I bought? Without access to purchases I can't install anything just applications I downloaded from internet. Tried connection from my ISP, then VPN and then mobile carrier internet. So it's not connectivity issue.

System is High Sierra 10.13.6 and I'm running this because I need some older apps like Aperture, Affinity Photo and others. Computer is fine mid2011 3.1GHz, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD. No other issues just with the App Store. Tried safe boot, but didn't helped.

Does High Sierra have access to purchases from App Store or it was dropped? I mean I bought various software so I have the rights to install it despite of older computer and system. Is there any other option how to access purchases for example from CLI?

If I decide to install Linux those apps are not ported to Linux as well as not for Windows so I would prefer to run the Mac OS.

Firstly there was missing icons, but text was present for example purchases, updates and so on. Now the text disappeared too. I'm attaching screenshot. On 2nd January it was working fine. Yesterday I found it's missing. Is there any solution how to fix this?

Thank you for answer. Feel free to ask anything. Have a nice day.

Samuel.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iMac 27″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Feb 11, 2025 7:16 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

HWTech

Level 9

63,068 points

Feb 12, 2025 7:04 PM in response to mgeller47

I just saw another thread where it appears there are known issues with the App Store for older versions of macOS 10.14 Mojave & earlier. One post mentioned that the issue may now be fixed or partially fixed and may have had to do with expired certificates.

If you are able to access the App Store again, then I highly recommend you download any apps you want to retain access and archive them by using Disk Utility to put them into a read-only DMG archive (you may first need to place the app into a separate folder in order for Disk Utility to create a DMG from the folder). Then make sure you keep this DMG on the system so it is also stored in your system backups.

Apple doesn't care much about older systems. Apple has let access to the online macOS installers through Internet Recovery Mode degrade to the point it may remain in a broken state for months at a time. AFAIK, Apple already dropped access to the App Store for people running macOS 10.10 and earlier some years ago. It is inevitable by Apple's past actions that macOS High Sierra will lose access to the App Store at some point. I think the only reason there is still access is because Apple is still supporting the hardware (2018 models) for some Macs capable of running macOS High Sierra.

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Answer 2

Feb 12, 2025 2:41 PM in response to WildSammy

I've been having this same problem on my 2 Macs. They're both running 10.13.6. I even tried booting from an old (> 1 year) backup and had the same problem. Spent a couple hours with Apple support online to no avail. Tried safe booting and creating a new user. No success. HELP!

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Answer 3

WildSammy Author

Level 1

25 points

Feb 19, 2025 3:19 AM in response to HWTech

So just tu update the case. I've found install USB of High Sierra which I had prepared in 2022 for clean install. Today I tried to start the install from running OS, but it didn't helped with the App Store issue. I had updated the system via CLI sudo softwareupdate -iaR --verbose and the updates went OK, but App Store is still without the icons. I don't know, but may be clean install will help with formatting the drive. If not I will go with Slackware Linux, but will miss my editing tools. I had also MB 12" wit i7 and 16GB RAM, but it's very slow with new OS. It's shame Apple won't you access the SW you've bought. This is why I don't like centralised stores. What's funny when I boot from old external HDD where's old version of Yosemite and open the App Store the icons are visible however I can't login. So I dunno if Apple dropped App Store for High Sierra in February 2025 because in January it was still working.

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Answer 4

John Galt

Level 10

149,472 points

Feb 24, 2025 9:51 AM in response to WildSammy

Just curious, are you in the United States?

I realize it's probably not helpful to you but the US App Store is working for me in the US, and it worked in at least two other countries since posting my earlier replies.

These are similarly aged Macs running High Sierra.

Normally I would suggest contacting Apple but they are not likely to be interested in older Macs or older operating systems. You might try it though; maybe you'll get lucky.

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Answer 5

John Galt

Level 10

149,472 points

Feb 19, 2025 8:38 AM in response to WildSammy

I had been experiencing similar problems on an older macOS system but they have since been resolved on that system.

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Answer 6

John Galt

Level 10

149,472 points

Feb 20, 2025 6:25 AM in response to WildSammy

I did nothing. It just spontaneously started working again, as though nothing had changed.

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Answer 7

Feb 20, 2025 9:29 AM in response to John Galt

Lucky you! Still doesn't work for me. :(

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Answer 8

John Galt

Level 10

149,472 points

Feb 20, 2025 12:53 PM in response to mgeller47

There could be regional differences or delays. I'll check other macOS versions when I get a chance.

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Answer 9

WildSammy Author

Level 1

25 points

Feb 12, 2025 3:04 PM in response to mgeller47

I digging deeper into this problem. With some coding skills. Do if I successfully debug what's happening I will let you now. I tried all what was written on internet, but this is some other issue as ordinary. However the picture icons are accessible with direct links from mzstatic domain. There's something else behind the scenes and it's bothering. Look for Disk Diet to clear caches at least. Something is blocking connection in the regard even ISP connection is fine. Files corruption is not the case. The App Store is probably screwed. You can install homebrew with mas so you can install software through CLI as workaround until we find solution for this. Have a nice day.

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Answer 10

WildSammy Author

Level 1

25 points

Feb 25, 2025 5:02 AM in response to John Galt

Thank you for response. I'll try contact Apple anyway and if they did not respond I will try to reformat drive and do clean install. However I looked into console and there're messages that App Store can't establish connection with server so I don't think it's problem on my side because I tried with more carriers. Have a nice day.