zed-industries/zed · error

Failed to register: {}

Error message

Failed to register: {}

What it means

In register_url_scheme on macOS, gpui calls LSSetDefaultHandlerForURLScheme (via the modern API) with a completion block; if macOS reports an NSError, the localized description is wrapped into this anyhow error. It means the OS refused to register the application as the handler for the URL scheme.

Source

Thrown at crates/gpui_macos/src/platform.rs:790

        }

        let Some(bundle_id) = NSBundle::mainBundle().bundleIdentifier() else {
            return Task::ready(Err(anyhow!("Can only register URL scheme in bundled apps")));
        };

        let workspace = NSWorkspace::sharedWorkspace();
        let Some(app) = workspace.URLForApplicationWithBundleIdentifier(&bundle_id) else {
            return Task::ready(Err(anyhow!(
                "Cannot register URL scheme until app is installed"
            )));
        };

        let scheme = NSString::from_str(scheme);

        let done_tx = Cell::new(Some(done_tx));
        let handler = RcBlock::new(move |error: *mut NSError| {
            let result = if let Some(error) = unsafe { error.as_ref() } {
                Err(anyhow!(
                    "Failed to register: {}",
                    error.localizedDescription()
                ))
            } else {
                Ok(())
            };

            if let Some(done_tx) = done_tx.take() {
                _ = done_tx.send(result);
            }
        });

        workspace.setDefaultApplicationAtURL_toOpenURLsWithScheme_completionHandler(
            &app,
            &scheme,
            Some(&handler),
        );

View on GitHub (pinned to 9d272b0363)

Solutions

1. Run the app as a properly bundled, signed .app so LaunchServices recognizes it (not a bare binary via `cargo run`).
2. Read the wrapped NSError description to see macOS's specific refusal reason.
3. Verify the CFBundleURLTypes entry for the scheme exists in the app's Info.plist.
4. Re-register the bundle with LaunchServices (e.g. lsregister) or reinstall the app.
5. Check the scheme string is valid and consistent with the Info.plist configuration.

// Verify the app is bundled before attempting scheme registration
let is_bundled = std::env::current_exe()
    .map(|p| p.ancestors().any(|a| a.extension().map_or(false, |e| e == "app")))
    .unwrap_or(false);

match platform.register_url_scheme("zed") {
    Err(e) if e.to_string().starts_with("Failed to register:") => {
        log::error!("URL scheme registration refused by macOS: {e}; run from a signed .app bundle");
    }
    other => other?,
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling register_url_scheme and the async macOS registration callback receives a non-nil NSError, e.g. the scheme is invalid, the app bundle is not properly registered with LaunchServices, or the system denies the registration.

Common situations: Running the binary outside a proper .app bundle (bare executable launched from cargo), so LaunchServices cannot register it; running in a sandboxed/restricted environment; attempting to register a malformed scheme; macOS security policies blocking handler changes.

Related errors

• Failed to get active display list. Result: {result}
• Could not determine app path for {}
• RealtimeAudio priority should use spawn_realtime, not dispat
• Screen share failed: {}
• Screen share failed

AI-assisted analysis of zed-industries/zed@9d272b0363 (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/7f5e28cab70ba500. Report an issue: GitHub.