RStudio Not Launching on macOS Big Sur (No Error Message)

RStudio IDE
1

I am experiencing an issue where RStudio does not launch on my Mac. When I open the application, the icon bounces in the dock for a few seconds, then stops, and no window appears. There is no error message displayed. The application appears to be running, but no UI loads.

System Details

  • Mac Model: 2014 MacBook Air
  • macOS Version: Big Sur 11.7.10
  • RStudio Version: 2023.09 "Desert Sunflower"
  • R Version: R 4.4.2 (installed and working properly)

Troubleshooting Steps I Have Tried:

  1. Verified R is Working – R.App opens successfully, and I can run basic commands like 1+1.
  2. Checked Installation Paths –
  • RStudio is installed in /Applications/RStudio.app
  • R is installed in /Applications/R.app
  1. Deleted and Reinstalled RStudio – I have tried multiple reinstalls, ensuring I remove the app from the Applications folder before redownloading.
  2. Deleted RStudio Configuration Files
  3. I also gave R Studio full disk access

Any ideas what I might be doing wrong or missing?

1 Like
2

  1. Have you tried looking at the RStudio log files in ~/.local/share/rstudio/log?

  2. When you say you deleted the configuration files, does that include the internal state files found in ~/.local/share/rstudio?

  3. Have you tried launching RStudio from a terminal (in the hopes that maybe there will be some error messages in the terminal)?

3

Since RStudio isn’t launching but R itself works, try the following:

  1. Reset RStudio State – Open Terminal and run:

    rm -rf ~/.local/share/rstudio ~/.config/rstudio ~/.rstudio-desktop

    Then try launching RStudio again.

  2. Run from Terminal – Execute:

    open -a RStudio --args --no-sandbox

    This can help bypass potential sandboxing issues.

  3. Check Logs – Look for logs in ~/.local/share/rstudio/logs, or try launching RStudio from Terminal to see error messages.

  4. Try an Older Version – Some users report compatibility issues with newer RStudio versions on older macOS. You might have better luck with an earlier release from the official RStudio archive.