Apple Apps, Pages, Numbers, Keynote stop working

For VikingOSX - Thanks

I have not installed any "cleaners" on this Mac - All Apple Apps were individually updated to latest. Storage is fine. The System is 500GB on Main Mac Mini M4 with 144GB left. I have a UGREEN Dock installed with a Samsung 9100 Pro 550 2TB for extra ( large files ) storage. I generally open Apps off the Dock - but also tried direct from Applications Folder.

I do not use iCloud.

I have two major non-Apple Programs ( Affinity & EazyDraw ) for large drawing files. These two programs have been updated to 'match' Tahoe 26 and have worked well since moving them over from my iMac 27" ( which was so old Apple stop support of it ). I would have have gone with a new iMac but Apple does not currently offer one in a 32" model.

I'm running this with a Samsung Smart Monitor M8D 32". Also have an Apple CD/DVD drive attached to MiniMac.

It would have been nice if Apple had put more Ports on the Mini Mac and a less expense 32" Monitor. I don't have a business to adsorb the high cost.

Original hard reboot and quick restart didn't work and full system shutdown did not work either.

I used the 'clean cache' method and so far it seem to have worked - Method B: Hold down the Option key, right-click the Finder icon in the Dock, and select Relaunch. At first it didn't seem to work - but then Apple Apps started to work again.

On the Cache file/folders - in Finder - Go - Go to Folder doesn't do anything ( nothing comes up - just sits there ).

So I use: opening Finder, clicking Go in the menu bar, holding the Option key, selecting Library, then opening the Caches folder. Delete the contents, restart your Mac, and empty the trash. [ AI Overview instructions ]

In my (main) Cache folder there are about 117 files / folders. Haven't used this yet: deleting. Opening in Safe Mode seems to have fixed my major problems . . . but maybe I still need to delete the Cache folder or at least it's contents once I figure how to safely do that or if it is safe to delete all its content.

Thanks Blaskowitz

I did do the individual Apple Apps upgrades. I did try to delete the Caches - and think I got it done. Using Method B: Hold down the Option key, right-click the Finder icon in the Dock, and select Relaunch.

Apple Apps seem to be working again - will check in the morning to see if all Apps are still working then.

How safe is it to "Delete" all Cache files ? I finally got to the "Cache" file but wasn't sure if I should delete ALL those files.

I still have to click twice - once on the Pages App then again on New Document. So it's not at 100% yet while Numbers is just fine now. Oh well. Will see what happens tomorrow.

Thanks again for your help.

So far everything is back to normal (?) - I'll look into the two apps you discussed - Affinity & EazyDraw. Affinity was quick to upgrade to Tahoe 26 but EazyDraw took awhile to catch up ( not sure if it is Intel or not on their upgrade to Tahoe 26 - they may still be working on it. It still has some bigs ( size of program icons and the process to make smaller on Screen is one )- So far I can create and transfer back & forth my files ( Drawings ) from one to another new & old. I may have to keep my 'old' iMac after all ).

I guess my Mini Mac doesn't have the same amount of ports as the Pro model. I also use a six-port intpw USB hub. I wanted the UGREEN Dock for the storage - which has worked out fine. I was already up to 1 TB from all my large drawing files.

It still leaves one question ( with a part 2 ) : How safe is it to delete the Main Cache file ( Folder ) ? ( it has more than 6 folders in it ). And how often should the cache files be deleted ? I'll research this with Apple.

The system is still acting up - just now I created two folders on the desktop and placed some files in each. Something I generally do most of the time. One folder opens normal the other won't open ( and it has some important files in the folder ). Now I have something else to research.

Lately it's always one or another part doesn't work ( Wack-A-Mole ?? ).

Getting ready to just clear the Cache Folder completely - it's the only thing I haven't done yet; running out of other options.

OK, Thanks

Yes, I do place pictures, videos, and other large files ( drawings ) on my external drive. Thanks also for the insight on Caches. I like to keep about 20 to 30 percent of memory free on the Mac Mini, moving things over to the external drive when it gets close.

Still looking for what 'ails' my 'new' computer, but on my Folder question, which would not open no matter what I did, I just deleted it and started over by again remaking the four files that were in it. Kept a closer eye this time on the folder to make sure what I was placing in it actually did work ( Folder opening ).

I have AppleCare for my Mac so maybe I'll call them when things get too bad . . . unless a new Update ( like Tahoe 27 later this year ) takes care of the problems.

Thanks to all that assisted. I learned a lot.

No, Problems don't go away on their own. Eventually one needs to locate and address the problem. ( I really don't have much hope for Tahoe 27 as it will effect some other areas that I have - will see )

Now. On to that Folder not opening. After I had deleted it and then reconstructed it ( only had about 4 files in it - it remains fine right now ) It occurred to me later I should have loaded it on a USB Flash Drive and see if my very old iMac would open it. But, too late as I had deleted it after hours of trying different methods of opening it.

Then, another Folder on the desktop refused to open today. So thinking now's the time to test a Folder ( not opening ) on my iMac. This Folder holds 41 video files at almost one GB. So I just dropped it on my Flash Drive and walked it over to my iMac. Yes, it worked on my iMac, who knew. It even opened in the Flash Drive. I then dropped it into my iMac desktop and it opened.

I found a file I did not create in that Folder - a Folder within the Folder labeled, A CacheSystem - which held only one video (23.4MB ). Don't know where it came from. I didn't create it or put anything in it, much less put a video in it. Last time I opened that Main Folder there were no other Folders in it. The video in that folder was similar to all the other videos in the Main Folder and one I had downloaded sometime earlier. So it should have been with the others.

I deleted that Folder ( A CacheSystem ) and then placed the Main Folder back on the Flash Drive. Walked it over to my Mac Mini, opened it on the Flash Drive to see if it might work - it did ( maybe should have tried it on the Flash Drive when it was still on Mac Mini before going to iMac ) - then loaded it on Mac Mini Desktop. File opened with no problems.

So was it the A CacheSystem folder that caused the problem ? - where did it come from ? Will other folders do the same later ? I have yet to delete any Cache folders. This is the second Folder that has had this problem of not opening.