OpenCore Legacy Patcher will not launch
The troubleshooting docs suggest launching OCLP from Terminal to expose errors. If the privileged helper tool is missing, reinstall OCLP with the PKG installer. In OCLP 2.3.0 and newer, PKG is the only supported installation method.
- Use the project release package.
- If WiFi is unavailable before patches, use Ethernet or another computer to download the app.
- For USB installer permission errors, add Full Disk Access for OpenCore Legacy Patcher, then restart the app.
Internal disk missing when building OpenCore
For new disks or disks never formatted by macOS, OCLP may not find an internal target. The source troubleshooting guide suggests either creating a small FAT32 partition around 100MB or formatting the full disk from Disk Utility using View > Show All Devices.
Only erase a disk when you are certain it is the correct target and you have a backup.
Root patch errors
An Unable to resolve dependencies error can be caused by offending kernel extensions. The repair path usually starts by checking third-party extensions, then removing old KDKs if patching still fails.
- Read the exact error before deleting anything.
- Back up before removing kernel extensions.
- If KDK or Metallib packages are required, make sure networking is available.
System version mismatch error
Apple's staged updates can modify the system volume before installation completes, causing OCLP to see a different expected macOS version while root patching.
- Complete the already staged update if the target version is supported.
- Reinstall macOS if the system is partially updated and cannot patch safely.
- Use the experimental purge tool from the community support information post if applicable.
- Disable automatic updates after recovery.
Patched Mac is slow
The FAQ lists several common causes: missing or broken root patches, Spotlight indexing after a fresh install, heavier macOS versions, thermal throttling, and bad or missing laptop batteries.
- If wallpaper/transparency is missing and the system is very slow, run post-install root patches.
- If a fresh install is busy, allow Spotlight indexing to finish and check Activity Monitor for mds_stores.
- If kernel_task is high, investigate thermal or battery throttling.
Installer loops after reboot
If your Mac returns to the beginning of setup after the first reboot, shut down, hold Option on startup, choose EFI Boot first, then choose the gray hard disk entry in the OpenCore picker. Repeat this after reboots if needed.