Known incompatibilities

Hardware incompatibilities

The following software is known to crash MuseScore on startup:

• Samson USB Microphone, driver name "Samson ASIO Driver", samsonasiodriver.dll. More info
• Digidesign MME Refresh Service. More info
• Windows XP SP3 + Realtek Azalia Audio Driver. More info
• Wacom tablet. More info and QTBUG-6127

Software incompatibilities

• Maple virtual cable is known to prevent MuseScore from closing properly.
• KDE (Linux) window settings can cause the whole window to move when dragging a note. Changing the window settings of the operating system avoids the problem.
• Nitro PDF Creator may prevent MuseScore 2 from starting on Windows 10, if being used as the default printer. Same for Amyumi/Quickbooks PDF Printer, see here and also some cloud printing services, see here.
• Creative Sound Blaster Z Series ASIO driver may prevent MuseScore 2 from starting on Windows 10.
• Untrusted Font Blocking policy prevents MuseScore 2 from starting (except in debug mode, i.e. using the -d option) on Windows 10. (Solution in the links provided here)
• The SteelSeries Engine 3 Audio Visualizer will prevent MuseScore from starting up, or cause MuseScore to crash if the Audio Visualizer is started when MuseScore is already running.
• MacOS 10.5+ Accessibility setting "Hover Text" crashes MuseScore 3. Workaround is to disable that setting

AVG Internet Security hangs MuseScore

MuseScore requires access to your internet connection with AVG. MuseScore doesn't need an internet connection to function, but if AVG blocks it, MuseScore hangs.

If AVG prompts you, Allow MuseScore and check "Save my answer as a permanent rule and do not ask me next time."

If it doesn't prompt you anymore,

1. Open the AVG user interface (right-click on the AVG icon, close to your clock -> Open AVG User Interface)
2. Click on Firewall
3. Click Advanced Settings
4. Click Applications
5. Find MSCORE.EXE in the list and double-click it
6. Change Application Action to Allow for All

Font problem on macOS

MuseScore is known to display notes as square when some fonts are damaged on macOS.
To troubleshoot this issue:

1. Go to Applications -> Font Book
2. Select a font and press ⌘+A to select them all
3. Go to File -> Validate Fonts
4. If any font is reported as damaged or with minor problems, select it and delete it
5. Restart MuseScore if necessary

In this forum article, a user believes to have found the font "Adobe Jenson Pro (ajenson)" to be the culprit, regardless of not being reported as broken, or problematic as per the above validation, and solved the problem by deleting that font, so this is worth checking too.

Font problem on Linux

If the default desktop environment application font is set to bold, MuseScore will not display the notes properly.
To troubleshoot this issue (gnome 2.*/MATE users):

1. Right-click on your desktop and select Change Desktop background
2. Click on Fonts tab
3. Set Regular style for Application font
4. Restart MuseScore if necessary

For GNOME 3/SHELL users

1. Open the shell and open "Advanced Settings"
2. Click on the Fonts option in the list
3. Set the default font to something non-bold
4. Restart MuseScore if necessary

Save As dialog empty on Linux

Some users reported that the Save As dialog is empty on Debian 6.0 and Lubuntu 10.10.
To troubleshoot this issue:

1. Type the following in a terminal

   which mscore
   

2. The command will answer with the path of mscore. Edit it with your preferred text editor and add the following line at the beginning

   export QT_NO_GLIB=1
   

Launch MuseScore and the problem should be solved.