How to Fix Microsoft To Do Crashing on Startup on Mac
Question details
Users are experiencing immediate crashes when attempting to open the Microsoft To Do desktop application on Mac computers.

- Product
- Microsoft To Do
- Device & OS
- macOS (including macOS 11.7.10 Big Sur)
- Scenario
- Launching the Microsoft To Do application on an older macOS version.
- Observed behavior
- The application quits unexpectedly on startup, often generating a crash report indicating an EXC_BAD_ACCESS segmentation fault, even after completely reinstalling the app and clearing library files.
Before proceeding, ensure you have saved a copy of the Apple crash report that appears when the application force-closes, as the error codes (like EXC_BAD_ACCESS) are vital for diagnosing compatibility issues.
Test Microsoft To Do in a New Mac User Profile
Creating and testing the app in a new Mac user profile helps determine if the startup crash is caused by corrupted user-specific settings or local cache files.
Often, application crashes are isolated to a single user account due to corrupted preference files or conflicting background processes. Testing in a fresh profile isolates the issue.
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, select System Preferences (or System Settings), and navigate to Users & Groups.
Click the lock icon and enter your administrator password to make changes. Then, click the Add (+) button to create a new Standard or Administrator user profile.
Log out of your current Mac account and log back in using the newly created user profile credentials.
Open the Applications folder and launch Microsoft To Do to verify if the application starts successfully or if it still crashes on startup.

Submit Crash Logs for OS Compatibility Investigation
If the application continues to crash across all user profiles on older macOS versions, it is likely a compatibility bug requiring a developer patch.
Experience Stable and Seamless Productivity with WPS Office
If you are struggling with Microsoft Office applications crashing or facing compatibility bugs on your Mac, WPS Office provides a highly stable, lightweight, and completely free alternative. Designed to run smoothly across various macOS versions, it ensures your productivity never stops.
- 1. Visit the Official Website: Open your browser and navigate to the official WPS Office website.
- 2. Download for Mac: Click the 'Free Download' button to get the macOS installation package.
- 3. Install and Edit: Run the installer, open the application, and start editing your documents with full stability.

Frequently Asked Questions
What does the EXC_BAD_ACCESS error mean when Microsoft To Do crashes?
The EXC_BAD_ACCESS error is a segmentation fault indicating that the application attempted to access a restricted or invalid memory address. In the context of Microsoft To Do on Mac, this usually points to an underlying compatibility bug between the latest app update and older operating systems like macOS Big Sur.
Will reinstalling Microsoft To Do fix the startup crash?
Reinstalling the application and clearing library files can fix crashes caused by local file corruption. However, if the crash is due to an inherent OS-level compatibility issue with older macOS versions, a clean reinstall will not resolve the problem until the developers release a patch.
How do I report a bug if the Microsoft To Do app won't open?
If you cannot access the 'Help > Give Feedback' option within the application because it crashes on startup, you can submit your crash report and bug details online through the official Microsoft To Do Feedback Portal via your web browser.
Are there stable Office suite alternatives for older Mac versions?
Yes, WPS Office is an excellent, free alternative that is highly optimized for various macOS versions. It provides excellent stability and full file compatibility with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, making it a reliable choice if other apps frequently crash.




