Civ 6 not Working on Mac: 13 Solutions to Try

Civilization 6 – the game where you meticulously build your empire (at least on a Mac) from the ground up, only to have your whole world crumble because your Mac has decided to go on strike. Sounds familiar? Problem could be of any type, but the fact is that you have found yourself staring at a frozen screen while your Mac throws a tantrum instead of running the game, well, you’re not alone. No need panic (dear Mr. empire builder) – we’re here to give you a comprehensive guide to getting Civ 6 running on your Mac faster than you can declare war on your neighbouring civilization.

Common Reasons Why Civ 6 Decided to Rebel Against You

Admit it – Macs, like that one uncle who always shows up late to family gatherings, can sometimes be the culprit when things go wrong. But it’s not always the Mac’s fault. Here are the common reasons why Civ 6 might be throwing a fit:

1. Outdated Game or System Software

Don’t you love to hate it when your computer refuses to function simply because it’s out of date? Macs and Civ 6 are no different. If you’ve been too busy scrolling through Instagram or busy watching yet another series on Netflix to update your game or system software, guess what?, may be, It’s time to break that vicious cycle and invest a little bit of your precious time updating your macOS as well as the game itself.

2. Civ 6 Compatibility Issues with macOS Updates

Things were working just fine before and you, for some reason, opted to upgrade macOS (not at all a bad idea). Very, rarely, but it does happen that your your Mac suddenly feels like being possessed? Yup, that’s a thing,new updates might be fabulous for fixing your Mac’s performance, but sometimes, they break compatibility with games like Civ 6. The game’s AI might be programmed to conquer worlds, but it still can’t get along with macOS.

3. Corrupted Game Files

Corrupted game files are like that mystery stain on your favorite shirt, no matter how much you scrub, it keeps coming back to annoy you. A bad download (e.g. occasional internet hiccups), interrupted installation, or even some rogue malware can make your Civ 6 game files behave like they’re from a different dimension.

4. Insufficient System Requirements

If your Mac can barely run a browser, don’t expect it to handle the heavy-duty workload of a game like Civ 6. If your Mac is slacking on the recommended hardware, you can expect crashes, lag, and perhaps a full-on system revolt.

Step-by-Step Fixes: Make Civ 6 Work Like Magic (or at Least Like It’s Supposed To)

Here’s where we roll up our sleeves and dive deep into the battle of fixing your Civ 6 problems. No more sulking. Let’s turn that crash into a conquest.

1. Check Your Mac’s System Requirements

Before you start blaming your Mac for everything under the sun, let’s make sure your system actually meets the minimum requirements for the game. If your Mac can’t even handle the basic demands of the game, you’re basically trying to run a Ferrari engine in a shopping cart.

Here’s what Civ 6 requires on macOS:

• Operating System: macOS 10.12.6 or later
• Processor: 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5 or equivalent
• Memory: 6 GB RAM
• Graphics: 1 GB GPU (GeForce 775M, Radeon HD 6970, or Intel Iris Pro)
• Hard Drive: 15 GB available space
• Additional: 64-bit OS and processor required

If your Mac doesn’t meet these, time to start shopping for an upgrade, my friend.

2. Verify Game Files in Steam

Steam is the reliable but sometimes messy friend who always leaves their room a disaster. Fortunately, Steam also has a built-in cleaning service.

• Open your Steam Library.
• Right-click on Civilization 6.
• Go to Properties.
• Select the Local Files tab.
• Click Verify Integrity of Game Files.

This will let Steam perform a little magical sweep, fixing any corrupted files it finds.

3. Restart Your Mac (Yes, Really)

Did we just suggest restarting your Mac? Yes, yes we did. It’s the computer version of taking a nap. Restarting clears out the cobwebs and might just be the solution to your Civ 6 woes. It’s the IT equivalent of “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” Trust us.

4. Adjust Compatibility Settings

Sometimes, your Mac needs a little nudge to get Civ 6 running smoothly. Here’s how to tweak compatibility settings:

• Right-click the Civilization 6 icon.
• Select Get Info.
• Check Open in Low Resolution or Run in Compatibility Mode.
• Try different settings and see which one makes your Mac and Civ 6 get along like old friends. Who knew computers could be so finicky?

5. Lower Graphics Settings

Civ 6 isn’t just a game – it’s a visual masterpiece that demands your Mac’s full attention. If your Mac can’t keep up, lower the graphics settings. Think of it as tuning down the difficulty on your enemy AI.

To adjust:

• Open Civ 6.
• Go to Graphics Settings.
• Lower the graphics quality and resolution.

The game won’t look like a Pixar movie, but at least it will run.

6. Free Up System Resources

Your Mac is like a crowded train – when too many apps are open, it just stops working. Close unnecessary apps to give Civ 6 the resources it deserves.

7. Clear Cache and Temporary Files

Sometimes, Civ 6’s files get as cluttered as your inbox. Here’s how to clean them up:

• Open Finder.
• Select Go in the menu bar.
• Hold Option and click Library.
• Navigate to the Caches folder.
• Find and delete the Civilization 6 folder.

8. Reset System Management Controller (SMC)

Feeling adventurous? If the issue is hardware-related, resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) might just save the day. This process will vary slightly depending on your Mac’s model, but here’s a generic approach:

• Shut down your Mac.
• Hold Shift + Control + Option + Power Button for 10 seconds.
• Release the keys and turn on your Mac.

Who knows, You might have just revived your system like a true tech wizard.

9. Check for Third-Party Software Conflicts

Antivirus software, background apps, and other rogue programs can mess with Civ 6’s performance. Try disabling or uninstalling unnecessary software to see if that makes a difference.

10. Update macOS and Civ 6

Remember those updates we talked about earlier? Yeah, they’re not just for show. Keeping your macOS and Civ 6 up to date is like oil for your car – essential.

11. Update macOS.

New updates always bring a lot of bug fixes and improvements to your operating system on your Mac Computer.

12. Update Civilization 6 through Steam or your game client.

At times incompatibility is created due to the update of macOS or the actual software only. If problem persists update the Civ 6 game on your Mac.

13. Reinstall the Game

When all else fails, reinstalling the game might be your final battle tactic. Uninstall Civ 6, reboot your Mac, and reinstall it from Steam or the App Store.

Additional Tips for Mastering Civ 6 on Mac

How to Set Up Civ 6 Cross-Platform Play with Windows?

Want to stomp your Windows-using friend in Civ 6? Here’s how to set up cross-platform play:

• Launch the Civ 6 on both Mac and windows OS
• Select “Multiplayer”, option from the menue
• You’ll two option, choose whether you want to “start a new multiplayer game” or join an existing one.
• You are the host? you can invite mates to join your multiplayer session. select the “InviteFriends” option and enter your friend’s username
• If you are’nt the host and joining a multiplayer session hosted by someone else, select the “Join Game” option from the multiplayer menu.
• Once everybody has joined the multiplayer session, the host needs to start the game.

How to Play Civ 6 on an External Monitor?

Because, why not? If you want to take your Civ 6 empire to a larger screen, here’s how:

• Connect your Mac to an external monitor (using HDMI, display port or USB-C)
• Normally, the macOS automatically detects the external monitor. in case it doesn’t detect the external, open the Apple menu > System
• Preferences > Displays. Now, Click on the “Detect Displays” button and search for the external monitor
• Now, Adjust Display Settings(resolution and refresh rate etc)
• Drag the game window to the external monitor.

How to Fix Civ 6 Disk Write Error on Mac?

A disk write error can be a nightmare, but here’s how to fix it:

• Check your disk space and ensure it’s not full.
• Check the permissions for the Civ 6 folder.
• Run Disk Utility and perform a disk repair.

Wrapping up: Your Empire is Waiting

With this guide in hand, you should be able to resolve any issues with Civ 6 on your Mac. Remember, every great ruler must overcome obstacles – and today, your obstacle is a finicky computer. Keep your game and system updated, tweak your settings, and if all else fails, reinstall. Soon, you’ll be back to conquering the world one turn at a time.