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Capture One Won't Open: Common Causes and Fixes

Karolina
  • Updated

If Capture One fails to launch, there are several common causes and solutions to consider. This guide walks you through each possible case and provides links to tools and resources to help you get back up and running.

Contents

 

Case 1: Incompatible Operating System

If you're running an unsupported OS, such as macOS 10.14.6 (Mojave) with Capture One 16, the application will not open.

To resolve this, you can either:

  • Upgrade to a compatible macOS version
  • Downgrade to a compatible version of Capture One

Check compatibility here: Capture One system requirements and OS support

To view upgrade options for your license key, visit: https://www.captureone.com/en/store/upgrade

Case 2: OpenCL Crash

OpenCL issues can cause crashes during startup. For more information, check these articles:

To disable OpenCL:

  • Windows: Download and run DONOT_useopencl.reg. Restart Capture One. To restore OpenCL later, use useopencl.reg from the same package.
  • Mac: Download AdjustOpenCL_External.zip, run the application, disable OpenCL, then restart Capture One.

Case 3: Missing .NET Core & VC++ (Windows Only)

Some users report that reinstalling .NET runtimes and Visual C++ libraries can fix unexpected crashes:

Verify .NET Core Installation

  1. Go to Control Panel Programs and Features.
  2. Uninstall all existing .NET Core runtimes (e.g. “Microsoft Windows Desktop Runtime - [version]”).
  3. Download and install the latest .NET 8.0 Core runtime from the official .NET website.

Update Visual C++ Redistributables

  1. In Control Panel Programs and Features, locate all Visual C++ Redistributables.
  2. Download the latest versions from the Microsoft website.
  3. Install them to overwrite existing versions. If issues persist, use the Repair option.
  4. If the problem continues, try disabling your onboard graphics card before launching Capture One.

Case 4: Missing Full Disk Access (Mac Only)

Capture One may be blocked from starting if it lacks Full Disk Access. To grant access follow this guide.

Case 5: Damaged or Corrupt Database

If your database is corrupt, hold down the Option key (Mac) or Alt key (Windows) while launching Capture One. This opens a window allowing you to select a different database or create a new one.

Case 6: Application Running in the Background

  • Windows: Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, open Task Manager, and end any Capture One processes.
  • Mac: Press Command + Option + Esc, select Capture One, then click Force Quit. Alternatively, right-click on the Dock icon and select Force Quit.

 

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