Google Chrome not opening after macOS Catalina installation on MacBook Air 4,2

[technirien]

Hello, After upgrading to macOS Catalina on my MacBook Air 4,2, I am unable to open Google Chrome. The application seems to start, but then nothing happens, and the Chrome window never appears. This issue only started occurring after the Catalina update. Help me please

[davyaurelien]

Hello,

Have you tried this known issue ? "Some third-party applications do not open or crash on launch This is an issue Apple introduced in 10.15.4, and is not an issue with the patch itself. To work around this, immediately relaunch the affected application after receiving the crash message. After that point, the affected application should no longer experience this crash. "

[technirien]

Hello,

Thank you for bringing up the known issue related to third-party applications not opening or crashing on macOS Catalina 10.15.4 and later. It's indeed an Apple-introduced issue that has affected users.

In my case, I experienced app crashes at the beginning, but after executing the command sudo nvram boot-args=amfi_get_out_of_my_way=0x1, the crashing issue was resolved. Specifically, applications like Word and Excel, which were initially crashing on launch, started functioning normally. However, Chrome started to exhibit a different behavior where it would open briefly and then immediately close.

[Albertowue]

Same for me

[technirien]

I just install Edge and the same problem!

[atomizasser]

Same here. Why now? A month ago chrome working perfectly Testes w ith brave, chromium and edge, all the same problem. Maybe we have to install high sierra or windows 11?

[technirien]

I recently installed Chrome version 116.0.5845.140 and initially, it was working perfectly. However, following a Google Chrome update, I encountered the same issue of being unable to launch Chrome. To address this, I took the step of blocking Google updates in the hosts file, and fortunately, this resolved the problem, allowing Chrome to function smoothly once again!

[beshad]

same problem here, Brave, Edge and Chrome all stopped working since just few days ago

[davyaurelien]

installing Chrome version 116.0.5845.140 resolved the crash. But is it secure enough ?

[beshad]

I noticed that this issue only starts after the latest macOS Safari update. To resolve it, I reinstalled the Catalina patcher, which resolved the problem. However, when I ran the macOS update from System Preferences again, it caused issues with Chromium browsers. I then reinstalled the OS using the patcher, and now everything is functioning correctly.

For the time being, I recommend refraining from running any macOS updates until this issue is resolved.

[tejasraman]

Use version 1.4.6, Apple Music won't work but other apps will :D

[Pigeo]

Recent versions of Chrome / Edge / Chromium (e.g. versions 118 and 120) are not compatible with Catalina Patcher, so you need to block Chrome / Edge / Chromium updates and stay on an older version (for instance, version 116 is working).

After having downgraded Chrome / Edge / Chromium, you'll need to run this commands again from the Terminal:

sudo xattr -lr /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app
sudo xattr -cr /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app
sudo codesign -f -s - /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app

You can download older versions of Chrome here for instance : https://google-chrome.en.uptodown.com/mac/versions

[tejasraman]

Recent versions of Chrome / Edge / Chromium (e.g. versions 118 and 120) are not compatible with Catalina Patcher, so you need to block Chrome / Edge / Chromium updates and stay on an older version (for instance, version 116 is working).

After having downgraded Chrome / Edge / Chromium, you'll need to run this commands again from the Terminal:

sudo xattr -lr /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app
sudo xattr -cr /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app
sudo codesign -f -s - /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app

You can download older versions of Chrome here for instance : https://google-chrome.en.uptodown.com/mac/versions

Strangely enough, 120 works for me with an older Catalina patcher version... last year, we implemented a patch to fix apps not launching (see #196 and #200) but it broke Music so @dosdude1 rolled it back (although with the rollback other apps broke again).

If you really want a stable experience, BigSur with OCLP allows you to enable Library Validation and is just as fast as this...

[davewuk]

Use version 1.4.6, Apple Music won't work but other apps will :D

I also recommend sticking with 1.4.6 (due to the bug in downloading the Catalina installer). However it is possible to get both Music and Chrome apps working - the key is not to download the Safari update.

This is what I did just now

1. Download 1.4.6 and use it to download a Catalina installer
2. Install Catalina
3. Install Brave Browser, check if it is working -YES (but Music won't open)
4. Install updated library validation patch and nightshift patch, check if Music and Brave are working - YES (but Brave crashes)
5. Patch Brave signature from Terminal

sudo xattr -lr '/Applications/Brave Browser.app'
sudo xattr -cr '/Applications/Brave Browser.app'
sudo codesign -f -s - '/Applications/Brave Browser.app'

6. All working now? YES

If I download that Safari update it will break chrome apps.

Regarding point 5 I have no idea if it is necessary to re-patch the signature after every Brave update. If that is the case then patching the boot args with sudo nvram boot-args=amfi_get_out_of_my_way=0x1 might be less tedious but it does decrease overall system security as others have pointed out.

[tejasraman]

Use version 1.4.6, Apple Music won't work but other apps will :D

I also recommend sticking with 1.4.6 (due to the bug in downloading the Catalina installer). However it is possible to get both Music and Chrome apps working - the key is not to download the Safari update.

This is what I did just now

1. Download 1.4.6 and use it to download a Catalina installer
2. Install Catalina
3. Install Brave Browser, check if it is working -YES (but Music won't open)
4. Install updated library validation patch and nightshift patch, check if Music and Brave are working - YES (but Brave crashes)
5. Patch Brave signature from Terminal

sudo xattr -lr '/Applications/Brave Browser.app'
sudo xattr -cr '/Applications/Brave Browser.app'
sudo codesign -f -s - '/Applications/Brave Browser.app'

6. All working now? YES

If I download that Safari update it will break chrome apps.

Regarding point 5 I have no idea if it is necessary to re-patch the signature after every Brave update. If that is the case then patching the boot args with sudo nvram boot-args=amfi_get_out_of_my_way=0x1 might be less tedious but it does decrease overall system security as others have pointed out.

You have to apply the xattr to every app - however, you can add a boot arg to fix the problem. The boot arg is amfi_allow_any_signature=0x1

[davewuk]

Interestingly enough, I just tried clean installing original and unpatched Catalina in a vmware VM and after updating Safari to 15.6.1 Brave also stopped working. So I'm pretty much sure now that the Safari update is to blame as the signature issue has at least two workarounds.

[davewuk]

Regarding point 5 I have no idea if it is necessary to re-patch the signature after every Brave update

Well it turns out that you DO need to re-patch the signature after every Brave update. I received an update for Brave today and then it crashed again with a signature error.

So the only way to get it to work is with boot arguments. These two have been suggested

sudo nvram boot-args=amfi_get_out_of_my_way=0x1

or

sudo nvram boot-args=amfi_allow_any_signature=0x1

I expect you would use one or the other, not both at the same time. I don't know what these do so do your research before trying either of them.

[tejasraman]

Regarding point 5 I have no idea if it is necessary to re-patch the signature after every Brave update

Well it turns out that you DO need to re-patch the signature after every Brave update. I received an update for Brave today and then it crashed again with a signature error.

So the only way to get it to work is with boot arguments. These two have been suggested

sudo nvram boot-args=amfi_get_out_of_my_way=0x1

or

sudo nvram boot-args=amfi_allow_any_signature=0x1

I expect you would use one or the other, not both at the same time. I don't know what these do so do your research before trying either of them.

One disables file integrity entirely while one just allows any signature... This is why I have started to use OCLP with Big Sur, they have developed a patch (AMFIPass) that allows usage without LV or AMFI being disabled. I've found that it's actually faster too...

[davewuk]

I have installed and tested OCLP a few times but it has its downsides:-

1. Doesn't work with bootcamp and I have Windows 10 on my mac
2. Doesn't work with Refind and I have external drives with various flavours of Linux on
3. Can only get full functionality in Big Sur if you have a non-Metal GPU (my MBP 2009 has an Nvidia GT9600M)
4. Non-metal GPUs still glitchy even in Big Sur

So I get why you'd want to use it but for my use case it doesn't work. Better to stay on topic with your comments - people coming here want solutions to get Catalina working.

[tejasraman]

I have installed and tested OCLP a few times but it has its downsides:-

1. Doesn't work with bootcamp and I have Windows 10 on my mac

I actually find that it works with W10/11 fine as long as you install it with EFI and the official installer instead of Bootcamp (which uses an MBR and not a GPT/EFI setup). The hybrid MBR that Bootcamp uses tends to break Linux if it's on the same drive as well, just a heads up

2. Doesn't work with Refind and I have external drives with various flavours of Linux on

Refind not working is definitely annoying, I use the OCLP boot menu (I use refind on my Linux desktop).

3. Can only get full functionality in Big Sur if you have a non-Metal GPU (my MBP 2009 has an Nvidia GT9600M)
4. Non-metal GPUs still glitchy even in Big Sur

I have a 2011 MBP and the graphics patches are more stable and no features seem to be lost. In the past year or so Big Sur on non-metal has improved so much that I find it to be faster and more stable than Catalina. I used to use that Mac a lot with both Catalina and BS and actually preferred BS after some updates improved stability.

So I get why you'd want to use it but for my use case it doesn't work. Better to stay on topic with your comments - people coming here want solutions to get Catalina working.

For anyone looking, the solution for Catalina is sudo nvram boot-args=amfi_allow_any_signature=0x1 if you don't want to break app permissions. This allows Music to still work. DO NOT resign apps; you need to do it for each and every new app.

Please, if you care about security, don't use sudo nvram boot-args=amfi_get_out_of_my_way=0x1 -it will disable file and driver integrity checks completely rather than just allowing all signed drivers and apps.

If you care about security than seriously, use OCLP.