@elementsbot my elements icon has turned into a question mark and I’m unable to open the app. It’s disappeared from my computer! What happened?
Oh no, a disappearing act! ![]()
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It sounds like the Elements app might have been moved or deleted from your Applications folder. Here’s what you can do:
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Check the Trash: Sometimes apps accidentally end up there. If you find it, just drag it back to your Applications folder.
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Re-download Elements: Head over to elementsapp.io/download and grab a fresh copy. Once downloaded, move it to your Applications folder.
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Spotlight Search: Use Spotlight (Cmd + Space) to search for “Elements” in case it’s hiding somewhere unexpected.
If these steps don’t work, feel free to ping me again or reach out to the Realmac Team for more help. We’ll get you back to building in no time! ![]()
Not sure what happened… have you tried a restart?
If that doesn’t work, you can re-download Elements from our Website.
This happens to me sometimes when an IOS update has occurred. Not with Elements but with “old” apps. I think it means its lost the link to file, sometimes just opening the ? brings back link, sometimes I have to search the finder and reopen app from there and replace the ? mark on tool bar.
..happens too when (for whatever reason) program is running from external drive (which hasn’t been mounted).
…yes, it happened to me ![]()
Hi Dan, This is what I think I need to do, remove the current download (newly downloaded) and start all over. Nothing much is working. Not able to move things around, images disappear. I believe the download is corrupted, but if I remove it, how do I download again? Do I use the same license key?
You can re-download it from the Elements website and it’ll use your existing license key.
Here’s a direct download link for Elements.
Thank you so much, Dan. I wrote another email this morning, but then found your response via later emails, and I appreciate it very very much. Kind regards, Caroline
Thanks, Dan (again). With the help of Gemini, I removed the original download, it was sitting messily in the wrong place. I cleaned up my computer, downloaded the app again, followed instructions to the T, successfully got the app into Applications. But I still have the same issues.
The image for the background container just won’t load up. It drags across (without the little t indicator) but then disappears… Whah… I shall remove the files I have begun, that I have spent days trying to get to work, and start all over to see if it’s just the file itself. I was glad to have Gemini’s assistance and felt it correct, but … I’m very close to giving up…
Hi Dan, (again), this is the 3 out of 3 in response to your response. After cleaning up, downloading again, deleting my failed files, creating new documents, I’m still having the same issues. Not being able to drag stuff over into the background, just to begin with. I know this must be annoying, but imagine how I feel too… I believe in your software otherwise I wouldn’t have purchased it, I can see lots of other people are doing well, I’m quite intelligent, not a Tech Person though, have employed the assistance of AI, appreciated your videos, looked at them a ton of times, still discovering new ones, and I’m still having the same issue. I have lost count of the amount of time I’ve worked on this, I know you are incredibly busy, too. But if there is no fix, if this is a bug, then you must refund this so I can go away. I’d prefer to work it out after all this investment of my time this week. I’m on Tahoe 26.3.1 Is this an issue?
Hi @Cara
Did you want to schedule a Zoom call so I can try and help troubleshoot this in real-time with you?
Oh bless you, Dan! Thank you so much for offering. I know you must be insanely busy. I just came back here to let you know that I had another chat with Gemini, and that took me through a slightly different process, and has enabled me to get past that initial wall of not being able to load up that background image. I can now see it. I think (famous last words) I can manage for now utilising Gemini. If I get stuck again after using Gemini, I will take you up on your offer. You are wonderful to offer that. Let’s see how I go for now. Bless (and yes, I panic - and I will work on myself to try not to in the future now I’m on the forum and with AI)…