Logic Pro not Responding on Startup? How To Fix It

In this article, we will explore the causes of Logic Pro becoming unresponsive during startup and provide detailed step-by-step instructions on how to resolve this issue and prevent it in the future.

First Step

Before we attempt any techniques to get Logic Pro to start up normally, we need to disable the core audio. By disabling the core audio, we can open Logic Pro and access all the settings and menus to identify the real issue.

Disable Core Audio

• Make sure Logic Pro has been Quit or Force Quit.
• Open Logic Pro while holding the ‘Control’ on your keyboard.
• A window will pop up saying ‘Do you want to launch the “Core Audio” driver?’, you should select ‘Don’t Launch’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now Logic Pro should load and you will be able to access the preferences and settings needed to begin troubleshooting.

Now that we can open Logic Pro, we can explore methods to prevent it from becoming unresponsive.

 

Cause 1: Outdated, Corrupted, or Incompatible Third-Party Plug-ins

One of the most common reasons for Logic Pro freezing and becoming unresponsive during startup is the presence of third-party plug-ins. Outdated, corrupted, or incompatible third-party plug-ins can cause issues within Logic Pro, especially during startup.

There are several techniques we can use to determine if third-party plug-ins are causing Logic Pro to not respond during startup and how to fix and avoid these issues.

Disable the Faulty Plug-in (You must know which plug-in is faulty)

If you have an idea of what plug-in might be causing this issue, for example, you just downloaded a new plug-in, then there’s a quick and easy solution. 

• Open Logic Pro (With Core Audio Disabled), and navigate to the menu bar at the top of the desktop.

 

• Select ‘Logic Pro’ and locate the ‘Settings’ Menu. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Then select ‘Plug-in Manager’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Now navigate to the plug-in that you think is causing the issue, you can either scroll through all your plug-ins or search for one. (Tip – you can use the ‘Manufacturer’ menu on the left of the window to search specific plug-in brands).

• Once you’ve found the plug-in you’re looking for you can uncheck the ‘Use’ tab on the right of the window. 

 

 

 

 

 

• Lastly, you can select ‘Done’

If you have selected the correct plug-in you should be able to open Logic Pro without any issues.

Disable Failed Audio Units

This step allows you to let Logic Pro do all the work for you by automatically disabling all failed audio units. 

• Open Logic Pro (With Core Audio Disabled), and navigate to the menu bar at the top of the desktop.

 

• Select ‘Logic Pro’ and locate the ‘Settings’ Menu. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Then select ‘Plug-in Manager’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Now select ‘Disable Failed Audio Units’

 

If there are any failed plug-ins and audio units in your plug-in library they should now be disabled, allowing you to open Logic Pro without faults.

 

Cause 2: Audio Driver Settings

If when you’re opening Logic Pro you are hit with a screen saying ‘System Overload’ then you most likely need to adjust your audio driver settings. Audio driver settings allow you to change your inputs and outputs, I/O Buffer size, Recording Delay and more.

I/O Buffer Size and Process Buffer Range

To help Logic Pro run smoothly and open without freezing, we will want to adjust our I/O Buffer Size and Process Buffer Range.

• Open Logic Pro (With Core Audio Disabled), and navigate to the menu bar at the top of the desktop.

 

• Select ‘Logic Pro’ and locate the ‘Settings’ Menu.

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• Hover your cursor over the settings menu and select ‘Audio’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Within the audio settings make sure you select the ‘Device’ tab.
• Locate the I/O Buffer Range and increase it to the maximum value, you will need to enable core audio to adjust this, but it will not cause Logic Pro to crash. (Tip – Older and less powerful machines may not be able to select the maximum value and should instead experiment to find which value runs smoother).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Locate the Process Buffer range and select ‘Large’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Now select ‘Apply’

Now you should be able to open Logic Pro without getting a System Overload.

Tip – Maximising your Buffer Range will increase the overall latency, be mindful of this when you’re recording or performing within Logic Pro. 

 

Input and Output Settings

In some cases, your input and output settings can cause Logic Pro to become unresponsive on startup. Luckily there’s a quick and easy fix.

• Open Logic Pro (With Core Audio Disabled), and navigate to the menu bar at the top of the desktop.

 

• Select ‘Logic Pro’ and locate the ‘Settings’ Menu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Hover your cursor over the settings menu and select ‘Audio’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Within the audio settings make sure you select the ‘Device’ tab.
• Select ‘Output Device’ and choose your preferred output.
• Select ‘Input Device’ and ideally choose the same option as the output (For an unknown reason having different Output and Input devices can cause issues within Logic Pro).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Select ‘Apply’

If you have found this has fixed your issue, but you prefer to use different output and input devices then there is a workaround. 

• Head over and select ‘Spotlight Search’ on the top right of the menu bar.

 

• Search for ‘Audio MIDI Setup’.

 

 

 

• When the application opens, navigate to the bottom of the window and select the small plus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Now select ‘Create Multi-Output Device’.

 

 

 

• On the right-hand side of the window, you will now be able to select all the devices you want to be a part of this output and input. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Double-click on the title of your Multi-Output Device to rename it.

Now repeat the steps for changing your input and output settings, but this time select your Multi-Output Device for both the input and output options.

 

Cause 3: Outdated Logic Pro

Having an outdated version of Logic Pro can cause the application to not respond on startup, especially if you have recently updated your macOS. Luckily it’s very quick and easy to update Logic Pro and get back to creating amazing music.

• Make sure you have quit Logic Pro, and use ‘Force Quit’ if necessary.
• Open up the ‘App Store’ and select your account from the bottom left corner of the window. 
• Navigate to the ‘Purchase’ section, and find Logic Pro, then select ‘Update’. (Alternatively, you can search for Logic Pro in the app store and select ‘Update’)
• Logic Pro should begin updating if your system is compatible with the new update if you have enough storage.

Now that you have updated Logic Pro you should be able to open and use the application properly. 

Tip – Remember to keep Logic Pro up-to-date, and always check for updates after a macOS update.

 

Cause 4: macOS Update

Similar to having an outdated Logic Pro, if your macOS is outdated it can cause issues to many applications on your machine. If you don’t know how to update your macOS see the below steps.

• On the menu bar, in the top left you will find the Apple logo, select the logo and select ‘System Settings’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Within system settings, find and select ‘General’ and then ‘Software Update’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Your system will now check for any updates.
• If you have an update available select ‘Upgrade Now’ and follow the steps presented to you. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that you have the most up-to-date macOS Logic Pro should open without fault, remember to always check for Logic Pro updates after upgrading your macOS.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you have found the answer you were looking for in this article. If nothing here has worked for you, you should contact Logic Pro support through the Apple website.