I can't download or buy apps in the App Store

With Paperman on, you might notice this in the Mac App Store:

• The Get, Buy or Update button is missing, or does nothing when clicked.
• The Touch ID or password prompt to confirm a download won’t go through.

Paperman shows a notice when this happens. Nothing is broken, and your Mac is fine.

Why this happens

Paperman works by laying a texture over your screen. As a security measure, macOS doesn’t allow downloads or purchases in the App Store while anything is drawn on top of it, so it hides the purchase buttons until the overlay is gone.

This is Apple’s rule, and no app is allowed to work around it. That’s why Paperman explains it instead.

How to fix it

Any of these will get the buttons back.

Snooze Paperman

Click the bell badge in Paperman’s control center and pick a 1, 5, 10 or 15 minute break, or use the Snooze hotkey (⌥⌘\ by default). Get your app, and Paperman comes back on its own when the break ends.

Turn Paperman off

Switch Paperman off from its control center, then switch it back on when you’re done in the App Store.

Add the App Store to App Exceptions

For a fix you only need to do once, add App Store to your App Exceptions in Paperman’s settings. Paperman steps aside whenever the App Store is in front, and comes back as soon as you switch to another app.

If your App Exceptions are set to Only Listed, Paperman only runs in the apps on your list. Leave the App Store off it.

Buttons still missing?

Make sure Paperman is up to date. In older versions, snoozing, switching Paperman off or using App Exceptions hid the texture but still left it covering the App Store.

If you can’t update right now, quit Paperman while you download, then open it again.

Seeing something similar when paying? Read Touch ID doesn’t work with Apple Pay.