I’m having trouble getting the latest Roblox update on my Mac. The game won’t update automatically and keeps asking for a newer version. Has anyone else experienced this or knows a quick fix? Any tips or step-by-step instructions would be really appreciated.
Oh man, Roblox updates on a Mac are like that one friend who says they’re “on the way” but haven’t even left the house yet. So if it’s stuck begging for a newer version, don’t even waste your time waiting for the built-in “auto-update” — spoiler: it rarely works right on Macs, especially after a few OS updates. Here’s my step-by-step “been there, done that” maneuver:
- Fully quit Roblox. And I mean REALLY quit it, not just clicking the red X. Go to the Finder, hit Command+Option+Escape, and force quit anything even sniffing around with “Roblox” in the name.
- Open Applications. Drag Roblox.app to the Trash. If you don’t, the ghost of updates past will haunt you.
- Optional but cathartic: Delete the Roblox folder in ~/Library/Application Support/. To do that, in Finder hit Shift+Command+G, paste that path, and boot that folder to the trash too. (You’ll lose some settings but whatever, at least you’ll have a functional game.)
- Empty the trash. Yeah, just do it.
- Go to the official Roblox website, log in, find any game and hit “Play.” You’ll get prompted to download the new installer.
- Run that new installer. Pray to the update gods.
- Launch Roblox, cross your fingers, hope you don’t get the “needs newer version” error again.
If it’s still angry, check for MacOS updates; sometimes Roblox despises outdated OS versions. Otherwise, might just have to wait for Roblox staff to realize their Mac updater is janky once more.
Honestly, wish Roblox would treat Macs like first class citizens, but until then, manual reinstall is the ugly but reliable ritual. At least it gives you a break from all the obbies.
If Roblox made updating on a Mac any harder, we’d need a PhD. @viajeroceleste basically nailed most of the manual uninstall-and-reinstall pain, but honestly, I think deleting stuff in Application Support is a bit much unless you’re really desperate or have weird errors that just won’t die. Usually, a plain ol’ drag-to-trash and redownload does the trick for me—like, I don’t really want to nuke my saved settings every single time the updater goes on a coffee break. But hey, desperate times… I usually just try:
- Make sure you actually quit Roblox—not just close the window but fully “quit” from the dock.
- Check your Downloads folder for any half-baked RobloxInstaller.dmg files. Sometimes those cause issues, weirdly. Trash them too.
- Open activity monitor and search for any sneaky “Roblox” background processes. Force quit those if you see ‘em.
- Download the installer fresh from the site.
- If all else fails and you’ve got, like, system security stuff cranked to the max, check your Security & Privacy prefs to make sure the Mac isn’t just blocking Roblox for “reasons.”
General PSA: if you’re running on an older MacOS (lookin’ at anyone still on Mojave or Catalina), Roblox is way more glitchy with updates. I hate saying “update your OS” because that’s always a time-sink, but Roblox gets fussy about it. The whole thing is kind of a joke tbh—maybe Roblox expects us to just quit when stuff won’t update. Clearly they never met folks who spent hours in Tycoon games.
If anyone finds some actual way to force an update IN the app without trashing it every time, seriously drop that knowledge, cause I haven’t seen it. Otherwise, yeah, Mac users gotta hustle twice as hard just to play obbies with the kids. Sad state of affairs.
Let’s troubleshoot like a no-nonsense pro—Roblox’s Mac updater is infamous for its unpredictability, but sometimes the community mythos about “total nuclear uninstall” overshoots what’s needed. A complete wipe (like @viajeroceleste suggests) is effective but kind of drastic unless you’re plagued with weird lingering issues. @boswandelaar is right: you don’t always need to carpet-bomb your Application Support unless you literally can’t get Roblox to launch, period.
Let’s pivot the lens: Before deleting anything, double-check that your Safari (or Chrome) browser isn’t blocking the installer with some overzealous download protection. Macs tend to treat the Roblox installer like it’s radioactive once an old .dmg gets corrupted—Security prefs are more of a culprit than people think. Sometimes the quick fix is as simple as:
- Open “System Preferences” > “Security & Privacy” after attempting the install. Is there a prompt at the bottom asking you to allow Roblox? Click it. Sometimes, that’s the one barrier preventing a fresh version from launching.
- Another hidden gotcha: slow WiFi or a VPN. Roblox checks for updates on launch, and even minor network weirdness can stall it. Try toggling your VPN off or switching to a different network for the update process.
PROS of this method:
- Less chance of losing custom settings or saved logins.
- Zero risk of deleting files you didn’t mean to—surgical, not scorched earth.
CONS:
- Sometimes not effective if Roblox’s updater/cache is truly borked.
- Leaves behind the cruft if your problem is corrupted game files, not a permissions block.
Competitor approaches are all about fresh installs and file purges; this method’s more “find the locked door before breaking the house.” Worth a shot before going scorched-earth. If that still fails, then yeah, drag Roblox to the trash, nuke Application Support if desperate, reinstall from the latest installer, and let the update gods decide your fate.
Side note: Macs and Roblox feel like oil and water lately. For regular play, I’d still trial the official Roblox app, but if persistent issues crop up, explore parallel installs under a separate Mac user profile. Sometimes that cleans the slate without manual file deletion.
Roblox for Mac isn’t winning any reliability contests, but at least you’re not alone in the struggle!