Zotero for Mac Install Issue

brieberry · 2026-01-08T19:29:45+00:00

https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u3299444/n5u9k8tut11rx2spgeov.png
Please help - I can't update my existing Zotero, and when I try to download the new version, as prompted by Zotero, I am met with this issue when I open it up after installing it.

dstillman · 2026-01-08T19:41:18+00:00

If you do a File → Get Info on Zotero in Applications, what version is this? Did you install the Zotero beta at some point?

Can you provide a Debug ID for Zotero startup? Follow 2b and 3b here:

https://www.zotero.org/support/reporting_problems#reporting_startup_errors

dstillman · 2026-01-08T19:45:59+00:00

Does it work if you install the Zotero beta?

brieberry · 2026-01-08T19:47:36+00:00

https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u3299444/l415p82c5zmk3jh8t6ml.png
This is what I get from Terminal.

brieberry · 2026-01-08T19:48:47+00:00

So sorry - I don't know how to install the Zotero beta.

dstillman · 2026-01-08T19:49:09+00:00

If you follow the instructions carefully, you should get a separate debug output window that lets you submit the output and provide a Debug ID. If that doesn't work, see Logging to a Terminal Window. You can generate the .txt file mentioned there and email it to support@zotero.org with a link to this thread.

dstillman · 2026-01-08T19:49:35+00:00

I linked to the beta download page above. You can just install it over your current version.

brieberry · 2026-01-08T19:50:12+00:00

The beta worked!

Is there any reason why I should worry about using the beta version?

dstillman · 2026-01-08T19:52:07+00:00

OK, great. If this works in the beta, we don't need to bother to investigate.

The beta is safe to use for the moment. Zotero 8, based on the beta, will be out in the near future, and you should switch back to the release version from the download page at that time.

dstillman · 2026-01-08T19:52:52+00:00

(We'll likely show a message in the beta encouraging beta users who don't want to be running beta software to move to the release version, so just keep an eye out for that.)