8 common Mac problems and how to fix them

1. Mac suddenly restarts

Your computer suddenly freezes, displays a message about the need to reboot, shuts down and restarts. The error "Mac was restarted due to a problem" pops up.

This means that you are facing Kernel Panic, the "kernel panic". This is practically the same as the blue screen of death in Windows. If the error occurs repeatedly, try the following.

Remove any peripherals that might be causing the problem … For example, if Kernel Panic starts to appear after connecting a new webcam or external sound card, disconnect them, use your computer and see if the problem goes away.
Check if you have enough free space on the system drive. Running out of space can also lead to errors, so delete the files you don't use.
Perform a full system scan. Restart your device, press and hold the D key until "Checking your Mac" appears. If the system detects a problem with the hardware, it will inform you about it. You can find out what exactly is not working by looking up the error code.
Boot into Safe Mode. Restart your Mac, then press and hold the Shift key. Enter your password. The Mac will start up in Safe Mode, checking your disk for errors and fixing them. To exit safe mode, simply reboot again.
Run a RAM test. Download the tool and write it to a USB flash drive using. Then boot the Mac from the drive and run a RAM check. If memtest86 reports errors, you will need to replace the memory bar.
Reinstall macOS. It is a universal remedy for all problems.

2. Applications hang

Mac is obscenely slow or freezes altogether, and you constantly see a spinning rainbow wheel instead of a cursor. Applications run for 10 minutes and do not respond to pressing for a long time.

Check if you have enough free space on the system drive. At least 10 GB of your SSD should be free, more is better. Cleanse your drive from all unnecessary things. Buy an external storage device and store your personal files on it.
Perform a full system scan. Restart your Mac, press and hold the D key until "Checking your Mac" appears. Wait for the end of the check - maybe it will reveal errors with the disk or memory. If the system doesn't find anything, it makes sense to use it again.
. Start Disk Utility. Then select your system drive and click on the "First Aid" button. The system will try to find and correct possible errors. If Disk Utility reports media problems, you need to make a copy of the files from it and install a new one.
Remove resource-intensive applications. Sometimes older Macs have a hard time coping with heavy programs. Ditch them in favor of lighter counterparts: replace Chrome with Safari, Photoshop with GIMP, Evernote with Simplenote.
Disable background processes. Some features, such as Spotlight indexing or Time Machine backups, can slow down your Mac a lot. Turn them off.
Reinstall macOS. So you will definitely get rid of unnecessary gluttonous applications, garbage on the disk and incorrect settings.
Install the system on an SSD. If you still have a hard drive in your Mac instead of a solid state drive, it's no surprise that it lags. Equip your PC with a new SSD for a massive boost in performance.

3. Decreased battery life

Batteries do not last forever and show signs of aging over time. If your laptop starts to hold a charge worse, and sometimes even refuses to work without being connected to the mains, try the following.

Check battery health. To do this, click Apple → About This Mac → System Report → Power Options → On Battery. Here you can see how many charge and discharge cycles the battery has gone through. If your Mac displays something like Service Battery in the Condition field, it's time to change it.
Check the battery with third party apps. For example,. Install, run, and it will display what state the Mac battery is in.
Reboot the System Management Controller (SMC). If the battery itself is in good condition, the problem may lie with the SMC that controls it. So reset the SMC. It also helps if the computer refuses to charge. On newer Mac models (2018 and later), this is done by turning off the device, then holding the power button for 10 seconds. The procedure is slightly different on older ones.
Reduce battery consumption. Open Launchpad → Others → System Monitor → Energy and see which apps are using the most battery. Run heavy programs like Photoshop or Premier Pro only when connected to a power outlet. Use Safari instead of Chrome or Firefox: it's more energy efficient.

4. Mac won't boot

You turn on your Mac, and it only shows a black screen. Or gray with a question mark. Most often it can be due to cable issues, failed OS update, or SMC failure.

Check cables. Make sure the plug is plugged into the outlet.
Boot into Safe Mode. To do this, press and hold the Shift key while turning on your Mac. Your computer will start with the required minimum of system components. If everything is fine in this mode, then the problem is in the newly installed applications or new hardware.
Reset SMC. This can help if your Mac is not responding even to the power button. Unplug all cables, then hold down the power button for 10 seconds.
Check the disk. Hold Cmd + R while your Mac boots up. Then open Disk Utility, select your system drive, and click First Aid.
Reinstall macOS. If all else fails, enter recovery mode by holding Cmd + R while booting and select the "Reinstall macOS" option.

5. The fans are noisy or the backlight does not work

Fans are noisy or backlight does not work

If you have problems with the already mentioned System Management Controller (SMC), you may encounter such troubles as constantly noisy fans, faulty LEDs and indicators, and a broken keyboard backlight.

In addition, the Mac sometimes starts shutting down spontaneously or refuses to charge. Either its performance will drop or the connected devices will no longer be recognized.

There is only one way to get rid of this problem - to reset the SMC. Disconnect, hold down the power button for 10 seconds, then release and reactivate your Mac. Details for different computer models can be found.

6. Settings and system time are lost

When your Mac is turned off, some settings, such as the order of the boot drives or the time, are stored in so-called non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) or parameter random access memory (PRAM). If these settings are lost due to a power outage, your Mac may not boot up properly or permanently forget your time zone.

Disable firmware password. This can be done by. If you do not enter any passwords when entering recovery mode, then you do not need to do this.
Reset PRAM or NVRAM. Shut down your Mac, then start and hold Alt + Cmd + P + R. Wait 20 seconds. The computer will restart and reset.

7. Mac is overheating

When your MacBook overheats, it becomes noticeable: the hot metal case makes it uncomfortable to hold. You can find out the exact temperature using free or paid - in normal operating mode it should not exceed 95 ° C. If the temperature is steadily high, the device may start to shut down spontaneously.

Reset SMC. Since the SMC also controls the fans, problems with it lead to their malfunctioning and overheating.
Provide adequate ventilation. Sometimes a Mac turns on its fans at full power to purge the system if the vents are blocked. Keep it on a solid surface, keep it clean and cool in the room with it.
Clean up your Mac. You will need a compressed air canister, screwdrivers and wipes. But, if you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to take your Mac to a service.

8.macOS does not shutdown as expected

Most often this happens because some application in the background is blocking shutdown.

Close all programs. Right-click all running applications in the Dock and select Force Quit. Press Cmd + Alt + Esc and close all processes in the window that appears.
Stop hung processes. If an application does not close even through the Force Quit menu, click Launchpad → Others → System Monitor, select the required process and click the Stop button.
Disconnect all peripherals. Sometimes the Mac is prevented from shutting down by connected devices. Extract them.
Disable forcibly. Press and hold the power button (or Touch ID fingerprint reader) until your Mac turns off. However, this is an extreme measure that should not be abused.

If you've tried everything, and your Mac still doesn't work the way you want (or doesn't function at all), it's time to go to a service center. We hope your Apple Care hasn't expired yet.