Fix the “Cannot Connect to App Store” Error Message in Mac App Store

Apr 4, 2011 - 48 Comments

cannot-connect-mac-app-store

If you’re trying to access the Mac App Store and you are getting the “Cannot Connect to App Store” error, you can typically resolve the issue with a few simple troubleshooting steps.

This article will walk through some simple solutions to reconnect to the Mac App Store.

First, make sure the Mac in question is successfully connected to the internet (that may be a duh no brainer, but being disconnected is a surprisingly common reason to have the App Store be inaccessible).

If you’re absolutely online in Mac OS and the App Store still throws the error message, proceed with the following troubleshooting fixes:

How to Fix the “Cannot Connect to App Store” Error Message in Mac OS X

There are a few simple ways to resolve the ‘cannot connect to Mac App Store’ error, try these four tips:

  1. Relaunch Mac App Store – Try this first, this is usually enough to resolve the connection problem. Just quit and re-open the Mac App Store application.
  2. Logout & Login – You can logout of the Mac App Store by selecting “Log Out” from the ‘Store’ menu. Re-enter your credentials and log back in, and you should connect as usual
  3. Make sure Date & Time is correct – if the Mac has an improperly set date and time, the App Store often will not be able to connect. Therefore you should check this in System Preferences > Date & Time
  4. Reboot the Mac – restarting the computer can often remedy problems with App Store connections as well.

At this point, the Mac App Store should be accessible again.

The main things to try are relaunching the Mac App Store app itself, insuring the date and time are correct, and rebooting the computer. Those will typically resolve connection issues with the App Store for Mac OS.

You can also try and update system software on the Mac to resolve App Store connection issues, though you’ll want to be sure you backup before doing that so that you can roll back and not lose any data if something goes wrong.

If you’re still having problems connecting to the Mac App Store the store itself might actually be down, this happens from time to time when Apple is updating things. If you suspect this is to be the case, try connecting again in about an hour.

Sometimes remote servers go down, that’s the nature of the internet, and if that’s the case, there’s nothing you can do other than wait to be able to reconnect and access the App Store, downloads, and updates again. You can manually check the status of Apple servers if you suspect the issue is on their side rather than yours, here is how you can check if Apple services like iCloud, iMessage, App Store, and other functions are down or not using these instructions.

Did these tips work to fix your Mac App Store connection issue? Have any other solutions or experiences resolving Mac App Store connectivity issues in Mac OS X? Let us know in the comments.

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Posted by: Paul Horowitz in Mac OS, Tips & Tricks, Troubleshooting

48 Comments

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  1. DepStar says:

    oh God!
    thank you!!
    it worked!

  2. tina says:

    having the same problem as lauren and john trying to update to sierra. makes me think apple wants us to buy a new computer instead of updating the software. help – tried everything – keychain, terminal, proxies, date & time etc. Apple getting back to me today but they will probably go over all the “fixes” i’ve found online.

    • Tammer says:

      Did they tell you to do something differently? I’m still stuck with OS X 10.7.5 and cannot access app store. Thanks

  3. Lauren says:

    Having the same problem with not connecting to App Store since upgrading to Sierra as well.

  4. John Hayworth says:

    Hi

    This problem occurred when I upgraded to Sierra. I’ve tried every suggestion and still no joy! “Cannot connect to App Store”.

    Apple couldn’t help and simply referred me to the apple community. I’m beginning to think that I will be permanently disconnected from the app store!

  5. brittany says:

    i have a mac os x 10.6.8 and im trying to update it so i can play the sims 4. i have tried the date/time thing and going into utilities and key change. my date and time are correct, im deff connected to the internet. and the app store just says that it cant connect. i dont know what to do, i’ve tried all the suggestions here and none of it works. im trying to update to os x el capitan and the only way to do it is through the app store but it wont connect. i dont even have the option to log in or out of it

  6. Kevin says:

    I am having exactly the same problem as Gladys documents, on two different systems.

    HOWEVER, no problem on my laptop (knock on wood!).

    Upgraded all three today to 10.7.5 via Software Update, but this problem existed before the update (I am pretty sure). Anyways, that same update has not messed up on my laptop.

    So, not sure what to do to fix this.

    I tried the “changing of the date and time” but that did not work.

    I also went to network settings and could see that all proxies were already unchecked; so I check one, unchecked it, and I still cannot connect.

    Well, I do not know what else to try…

  7. Gladys says:

    I have the same problem as Joey: connects fine in the Featured/top charts/categories tabs but not in purchases or updates tabs. I cant log in or create a new account, it tells me the connection failed even though my internet works fine. My apple ID is active as I can purchase from my iPhone & iPad and I can connect to iTunes. None of the solutions above worked with me, unfortunately. Pls. help!! and tks.

  8. Steffane R says:

    Will — Can I hug you? It worked and I have been doing all sorts of crazy programming thingys for DAYS now.

  9. jason says:

    I just went to network settings and unchecked all proxies and i could connect. hope this helps.

  10. JP says:

    I’ve had issues with the MAS for days: connexion failure with my loggin, unable to download updates…
    In fact it’s my date time! Now it’s working.

    Thanks again

  11. Adisa says:

    This solved the problem for me. However you have to do EVERY blue cross item.
    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4085819?start=0&tstart=0

  12. Someone says:

    I am having problems, my App Store was working fine a few weeks ago, I could install apps and everything, but now all of a sudden, I click on the buy/free button of an app, and it comes up with the ‘install’ button, so I click on that, but nothing happens for about 10 minutes or so (just the little wheel spinning up the top), and then the screen comes up with: ‘Cannot Connect To App Store’. I have strong internet connection, I tried relaunching the App Store (with no success to the situation) and then I followed advice from this website to sign out of my account and log back in… but the only problem is, I can’t!! I click on the ‘sign-in’ button and nothing happens… no screens pop up or anything! Now I can’t even log back in to the store, and it’s still not working properly!! I can’t also create a new account, as the email address I used for my first account is the one I have to use again- but it says that the account name is already taken!! Does anyone have any advice on what to do?? That would be very appreciated. Thanks! :)

  13. Tanvi says:

    try calling ur internet provider or apple

  14. Will says:

    I had this problem myself once then I realized that I had changed my date time while modding so games. Just make sure your date and time are on auto sync so that your computer doesnt think that it is may 25th 2010 like mine did lol.

  15. David O'Donoghoe says:

    For me? I reset my keychain. Worked a treat.

  16. Joey says:

    Never mind i fixed the problem. I had Little snitch configuration set to block app store connection. If your having similar trouble & have little snitch installed, try going into little snitch settings & accept all connections for app atore.

  17. Joey says:

    Also forgot to mention im running Mac OS X 10.6.8

  18. Joey says:

    Im having a similar problem on my imac, connects fine in the Featured/top charts/categories tabs but not in purchases or updates tabs. I cant log in it tells me the connection failed even though my internet works fine as i am sending this message. My apple ID is active as i checked via email. Please help!

  19. Loy says:

    Just try to empty cache from Safari, went fine for me

  20. AintnothintoaG says:

    Exclude simple host names checked worked for me. Thanks for the tips….pay if forward…

  21. Chris says:

    It does not work on my iMac but does work flawlessly on my Macbook….

    Both using same internet, same Apple ID… so it must be a different configuration on my iMac preventing it from working. Also the iMac can’t connect to do system updates.

  22. Kyle says:

    I discovered my problem, maybe this will help someone:

    It seems to be a common issue that somewhere along the road, you might have changed a setting and that is interfering with the app store. I kept thinking about what I might have done at work, as I bring my laptop to work. I figured it must have something to do with the proxy setting for work.

    So I went into system preferences / Network / Advanced / Proxies / and turned off secure web proxy. I also turned off use passive FTP mode (PASV). I then clicked OK and Apply.

    Problem solved and Lion is on its way home.

    Good luck everyone!

  23. Kyle says:

    I have OS X 10.6.8 on my macbook and I am trying to upgrade to lion. I was successful on my imac and would like to share the joy with my macbook. I have looked at countless sites. I have found the following suggestions:

    1. If you have enabled spotlight, re-enable it. (but this means you at some point turned spotlight off).

    2. Keychain issues. Utilities / Keychain Access / Preferences / Certificates / and turning OCSP to Off and CRL to Off.

    3. But I have also read to do just the opposite of the above setting OCSP and CRL to Best Attempt and Priority to Require Both.

    This is all I have uncovered and I am still pulling out my hair. HELPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!

  24. Matt says:

    The same thing has happened to me, i logged out and quit, then tried to log back in again and it does not let me, i have tried several times and it still is not working! help!

  25. jekrov says:

    I have the same problem, suddenly I can’t access the app store… I have been trying for a couple of days now… I just tried to log out and nog at can’t log back in!

  26. Markus says:

    I’m having this problem now. I have relaunched it numerous times in the last two days and I have logged in and out until I went blue in the face… it doesn’t even allow me to log in. Then my friend sits next to me and she goes into App Store without a problem and gets the software she is looking for, so I don’t think App Store is down.

    • AP1973 says:

      Hi Markus,

      I’m having the same problem as you. I can login fine on my iMac, but right next to it on my MacBook Pro, no joy.

      Did you have any luck resolving this? I know I have updates to get, but I can’t get at them!

      Thanks

  27. kc_cramer says:

    I just wish there was a way to disable the automatic Accessing iTunes Store process just to run iTunes. Apple wants it to be acceptable that it is a feature “by design”, but I would prefer to have it occur only if I want to connect. It’s just an irritating delay when I want to use iTunes, and the Cancel button responds so slowly it’s about the same delay either way.

  28. copper says:

    The last time I encountered this was when a developer was raising their prices on an app I was trying to download!

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