Apple computer not working? Click here to learn the most common Macbook problems that people encounter and how you can troubleshoot them.
Despite the hefty price tag, the MacBook, like any other laptop, has its fair share of problems. Fortunately, you can fix most of these MacBook problems by yourself without any professional help.
When your MacBook starts acting up, you can either fix the issue yourself, take it to the Apple shop or throw it in the bin. For most people, throwing it away isn’t really much of an option. Junking a thousand-dollar dollar laptop is very painful, especially when you can fix most of the common MacBook problems on your own.
Problems with your MacBook can range anywhere from sluggish responses to serious hardware issues. Regardless of the issue, there’s always something you can try before taking it to the repair shop.
A professional MacBook repair costs a few hundred dollars, so before taking it for repairs, why not try to fix it yourself? Read on to learn effective ways to fix common MacBook problems so that you save a bundle on repairs the next time your MacBook acts up.
How to Fix Common MacBook Problems by Yourself
After using it for a while, it’s common for your MacBook to encounter a few problems. Panicking or throwing away your MacBook should be the last thing you do. That’s because there are foolproof solutions to these common MacBook Problems that you can try yourself.
Here are a couple of these MacBook problems and their respective solutions.
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Unresponsive Apps
It’s common for an app to freeze when you open it on your MacBook. The issue can either be with the app itself or the MacBook. Either case, force quitting will close the unresponsive app, as you figure out what the exact problem is.
To force quit, you hit command, option, and escape subsequently; doing so brings up the force quit menu. Alternatively, you can bring up the menu by clicking the Apple icon on the upper-left corner of your screen. Select the app you want to force quit then click the “force quit” button to do so.
You can force quit multiple apps by holding the shift button when selecting the apps you want to force quit.
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Failure to Connect to the Internet
If you’re having problems connecting to the internet, here’s how you solve it. Go to system preferences and open the network page. On the lower left, click on the advanced button, which then gives you a list of your most preferred networks.
Select the network, then click on the “-“ button, and then click “remove” to forget the network. Try to reconnect to the network again and see if it now connects to the internet.
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No Sound
Sometimes your MacBook may fail to produce sound, and it’s not the volume. To fix this first, make sure your MacBook isn’t on mute, and the file has an actual audio component to it. After that, you can try to reset the sound controller.
To do this, you need to go to the utility app, by clicking on finder, then applications, and then utility. Next, click on “activity monitor” and find CoreAudiod from the list. Force quit CoreAudiod, and when you open the app any audio sound, the MacBook will now sound.
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MacBook Not Charging
If your MacBook isn’t charging, then the first thing you should do is inspect the charger for any visible signs of damage, then try powering on the MacBook without the battery. That way, you can tell whether you have an issue with the charger or the battery.
Your last resort is to reset the NVRAM/PRAM and see if it charges. If it doesn’t, then it’s a case for the professionals.
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Spinning Beach Ball
The spinning beach ball means that your MacBook is busy with something in the background. It’s normal to see it once in a while, but if the spinning beach ball becomes too common, then there’s something wrong.
In most cases, the issue is just an app that’s consuming too much RAM and other CPU resources. To find out which app it is, open the Activity Monitor and you’ll know. Try force quitting the app and see if the spinning beach ball disappears.
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Screen Flickering
It can be pretty annoying when your MacBook screen keeps flickering for no reason. Moreso, if you’re watching a movie or trying to screenshot on Mac.
The first thing you should do is to check for any physical damage on your screen. If it’s not physical damage, then you probably need to check for any macOS updates.
If you have the latest software, try resetting the NVRAM, and check if it resolves the issue. Your last resort is to restart the MacBook in safe mode and see if the issue persists. If it stops, then a third-party app is the reason why the screen flickers, and it’s now up to you to find out which app.
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Black Screen
A black screen means your MacBook fails to load the OS. The first fix to try is force shutting the MacBook then restarting it again to see if the OS loads. Your second solution is to boot your computer in safe mode so you can find any boot problems and address them.
The last solution is to check the disk utility sections after accessing the MacBook in recovery mode.
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MacBook Won’t Shut Down
When your MacBook completely refuses to shut down, then your only option is a force shutdown. Hold the power button for at least ten seconds until it shuts down.
After restarting, you can try resetting the NVRAM or SMC or using the Apple diagnostic tool to check for any issue.
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Bluetooth Won’t Turn On or Off
If this is your problem, first you want to check the status of the Bluetooth, by locating “Bluetooth” in System Preferences. Try restarting the Mac and see if it turns off or on. If it still doesn’t, then the last step is to open the Terminal and type “sudo rm -R /Library/Preferences/com.apple.Bluetooth.plist.”
Doing so forces the Bluetooth to reboot, which will fix the Bluetooth problem.
You Can Fix Your MacBook on Your Own
You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to fix common MacBook problems. These simple fixes will have your MacBook working like normal in no time. However, if the problem persists, then it’s a good idea to take it to the nearest Apple shop for repairs.
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