How to find out what app is throwing -609?

Phlac · 2026-09-28T13:08:00+00:00

I have been having a problem with a -609 error, and the message is "The application can't be opened" with a -609 error, but it doesn't tell me what application threw the -609 error. Is there a way to find out what application the message is refering to?

1 reply

neuroanatomist

Level 9 (72,871 points)

Sep 28, 2026 1:38 PM in response to Phlac

You can find the specific application causing a -609 error by checking the system logs in the built-in Console app.

How to Check the Logs

Open the Console app (found in Applications > Utilities or via Spotlight search).
Select your Mac under the Devices list on the left side.
Click Start in the toolbar to begin streaming live logs if they are not already running.
Type -609 or err -609 or procNotFound ( -609 is the classic Mac OS error code for procNotFound, meaning a process or application target could not be located or communicated with) into the search bar in the top right.
Trigger the error or look at the recent entries at the moment the message pops up to see the associated process name or bundle identifier.

More info: View log messages in Console on Mac - Apple Support

Common Culprits for Error -609

Login Items / Background Agents: An outdated utility or helper tool (such as an old Microsoft AutoUpdate component or background daemon) trying to launch an app that no longer exists or isn't responding.
Corrupted App Store / Updater Caches: An app trying to communicate with a companion process that crashed or failed to initialize