While using a Mac is generally a pretty seamless experience, even Apple devices are not immune to error codes. We'll be taking a look at the Mac 500 Internal Server Error, which most frequently occurs when you are trying to access the App Store on your Mac. If you've been annoyed by this irksome error, and are looking for a way to fix it, we have everything you need to know.
How to fix Mac 500 internal Server Error:
There are some basics to run through when you first encounter this issue:
- Close all open apps, and sign out of iCloud
- Sign back in to iCloud, and see whether you can now download the app you wanted
- Use the Mac repair app to clear any old and unnecessary files
- Reboot your computer
For many people, this will be all you need to do. If however, these simple steps aren't enough, then there are some other steps worth trying.
Update your payment details
A possible cause for this issue is having invalid card details linked to your account. So it's worth checking that you don't have an expired card or something like that. To update your details:
- Go to Apple Menu > App Store, then click Store > View my account.
- Click Edit next to Payment Information.
- Enter your new payment details, then click the Done button.
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Fix Mac 500 Error by updating MacOS
Some users have found that an out of date OS can lead to this error code. So make sure your OS is fully up to date by doing the following:
- From the Apple menu in the corner of your screen, choose System Preferences.
- Click Software Update.
- Click Update Now or Upgrade Now:
- Update Now installs the latest updates for the currently installed version. Find out more about macOS Big Sur updates, for example.
- Upgrade Now installs a major new version with a new name, such as macOS Big Sur. Find out more about the latest macOS upgrade or about old versions of macOS that are still available.
Clear Cache
If the files in your App Store cache have become corrupted, this may also lead to an internal server error. So deleting those files can help. Here's what to do:
- Open Finder, hold down Option, then click Go > Library.
- Enter this path in the dialog box: ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.appstore
- Delete everything inside the com.apple.appstore folder.
- Open Finder again and navigate to private/var/folders.
- Open each subfolder inside this folder until you find the com.apple.appstore folder. Delete this cache folder.
- Restart your Mac and check if this solution worked.
If this seems too complicated, you can always look instead for a Mac optimisation tool, download that, and run that instead.
If all else fails, then it might be time to contact Apple support for further guidance.
What is App Store 500 Internal Server Error?
Now that you've run through those steps, and hopefully remedied your vexing issue, you may be wondering what exactly is the App Store 500 Internal Server Error. While it may sound like it's been named after an Indycar race, the reality is a little more prosaic.
This particular error, as we've suggested above, can be caused by a few different things. But when it arises, it prevents users from purchasing, installing or updating apps that they have (or want) on their Mac. In some cases, this also seems to have caused issues with iTunes and other apps linked to their account.
Having an out of date app is not ideal, especially if the updates are designed to fix security issues, for example. So if you are suffering with this problem, run through our tips, and hopefully you'll be back up and running before you know it.
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