Expired Certificate Breaks Logitech Apps on macOS, Erases Settings
▼ Summary
– Logitech’s Options+ and G Hub apps for macOS failed this week, reverting accessories to default settings and preventing users from launching the software.
– The failure was caused by an expired security certificate that secures the apps’ inter-process communications, a mistake Logitech has called “inexcusable.”
– Because the broken certificate also disabled the apps’ built-in updaters, the issue cannot be fixed automatically for users.
– Users must manually download and install a patch or updated app versions to restore functionality and their custom settings.
– If a user has both Logitech apps, each one requires a separate manual patch to be corrected.
Mac users who rely on Logitech accessories for their workflow or gaming have faced a significant disruption this week. Both the Logi Options+ and G Hub applications on macOS suddenly stopped working, failing to launch and wiping out all user-configured settings for mice, keyboards, and other peripherals. This left devices operating only with their basic, built-in defaults, erasing personalized configurations and causing widespread inconvenience.
The root cause was a critical security certificate that Logitech inadvertently allowed to expire. This certificate is essential for securing communications between different parts of the software, and its expiration prevented the applications from starting at all. A Logitech support page and statements from company officials confirmed the issue, with the Head of Global Marketing publicly acknowledging the error. He stated the certificate secures inter-process communications and that its lapse directly caused the software failure, calling the oversight an “inexcusable mistake” and apologizing for the trouble caused.
A particularly frustrating complication is that the expired certificate also broke the apps’ own built-in update mechanisms. This created a catch-22 where the software couldn’t launch to receive an automatic fix. Consequently, there is no seamless, over-the-air solution for affected users. To restore functionality and recover their custom settings, individuals must take manual action by downloading and installing a dedicated patch from Logitech’s website. The company is providing separate patches for Logi Options+ and G Hub, meaning users with both applications installed will need to apply each fix individually. Logitech has also indicated that updated full versions of the apps are in development to address the certificate issue permanently.
(Source: Ars Technica)
