Application Won't Restart After Upgrade
Whether you let Scrivener or Scapple update automatically or you do it manually from within the app or Mac App Store, you may encounter a problem whereby the application refuses to run after being updated. Common symptoms of this are an icon that looks like the generic application icon, sometimes with a "Do Not" badge over it, and potentially your projects might even revert to looking like folders.
This is nothing to panic about. Your work, settings, and registration information are all safe. It is just the application itself which has become corrupted by the installer. Getting everything back up and running is simple to do, but you'll need to follow a different set of instructions depending on who you purchased the application from.
For both versions under no circumstances would you need to purchase the software again. If you receive any messages about needing to purchase the software again, please disregard them.
Web Store Version
If you purchased directly from us and have a license code for the software, then you were probably alerted by Scrivener or Scapple that you had updates available, and clicked the Update button to do so. Fixing your installation is incredibly easy. Just download a fresh copy of the latest version of Scrivener or Scapple. Unless your web browser opens the "Scrivener.dmg" or "Scapple.dmg" file for you, you'll need to open it yourself by locating it in the Downloads folder and double-clicking on it. From the new window that pops up, drag the Scrivener or Scapple icon to the Application folder icon, as the arrow indicates, and confirm that you wish to overwrite what is already there.
If at this point you get an error about files being in use, you will need to double-click on the Applications folder to open it and move the broken copy of the application to the Trash. Now you should be able to move the fresh copy in.
Mac App Store Version
If you purchased from Apple's Mac App Store, then you will need to use their software to fix the broken update. This can be a little finicky on occasion. Typically all you need to do is find the Scrivener or Scapple icon in your Applications folder and move it to the Trash. Once this is done, open up the Mac App Store and click your Apple ID in the bottom left corner to open the "Purchased" section of the store. Locate Scrivener or Scapple and check for a download button next to the application (it should look like a blue cloud with a downward arrow over it). Click this, and the latest version of Scrivener or Scapple will be installed to your Mac.
At this point you should be good to go. If you do not see the download button, or if you are being told to purchase the application again, you may need to empty the Trash and use the Store ▸ Sign Out menu in the Mac App Store to log out of your Apple account and back in again. If you're still not able to download the application, please reboot your Mac.
If this is still unsuccessful, you will need to contact Apple support for further assistance.
Application Still Won't Start?
If you have completely re-installed the software and it still refuses to launch, first make sure you have downloaded the correct version for your system. Scrivener 3.3.1+ requires macOS 10.13 or greater in order to run, while Scapple 1.4.1+ requires macOS 10.15 or greater. If you are running an older operating system, you will need to download a compatible version of the software from our Legacy Downloads page.
If this doesn't work (or doesn't apply), please contact technical support with as much detail as you can provide, including any errors that you receive from the operating system or from Scrivener or Scapple so that we can help resolve the problem.