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Home » How-to » Mac » Top 6 Tricks to Quickly Fix Common Mac Problems

Top 6 Tricks to Quickly Fix Common Mac Problems

August 17, 2021 by Nitin Maheta Leave a Comment

Mac laptop and mouse

macOS is a trustworthy and reliable operating system. It is an honor to be a Mac owner. However, ever so often, Mac starts to act up and misbehave. You might experience some issues that may frustratingly slow down your system or make a few of the apps unresponsive.

Fortunately, some of the familiar Mac problems can be solved by DIY troubleshooting. So there’s no need to take your computer to the professionals. Here, take a look at some of the quick fixes that should get you back on track.

Contents

  • 1. External drive not recognized
  • 2. Mac refuses to turn on
  • 3. Overheating issues
  • 4. Your Mac stays unresponsive or frozen while functioning
  • 5. Bluetooth is not working
  • 6. Flashing question mark
  • Conclusion

1. External drive not recognized

Sometimes, adding an external drive to your Mac may invite trouble. Typically, after you’ve added an external drive, you can see it in the left-hand column.

But, what do you do if the option doesn’t appear on your screen? It might mean that your Mac doesn’t recognize the external drive.

First, ensure that the external drive is correctly affixed and that you’re not using an outdated or faulty one. Also, ensure the drive supports the configuration of your computer. You can also reboot your computer into safe mode to figure out the issue.

For more in-depth troubleshooting tips, you can check here https://setapp.com/ and learn how you can access an external drive that your Mac doesn’t recognize.

2. Mac refuses to turn on

Did you click the power button on your Mac, but your system isn’t turning on? First and foremost, check the power connection to ensure that your device is connected correctly. Second, if you’re using a Mac laptop, make sure the battery is not too low.

If your device still doesn’t switch on, you can connect a different power cable or adapter. It might even help if you disconnected all the accessories before turning on your Mac. Sometimes, it is one or two of the accessories that cause the issue.

Still not working? You can check your device’s display, reset the NVRAM/PVRAM, boot in safe mode and reset the SMC.

3. Overheating issues

Mac users often complain about their device heating more than expected. If you think your system is overheating, the issue might be a damaged or malfunctioning fan.

Do you often hear the sound of the fan? It means that your device is working way too hard. One of the best ways to fix this problem is to get rid of the applications that make the processor work heavily, resulting in your Mac overheating.

You can check the CPU usage by going to the Activity Monitor and closing or force quitting those apps that make your CPU work extra.

If the issue isn’t resolved, you can place your Mac on top of a stand to let air circulate beneath your system’s surface. Last but not least, reset the SMC.

4. Your Mac stays unresponsive or frozen while functioning

An unresponsive Mac is fiercely frustrating, especially if your computer has frozen in the middle of an important task. The best solution is to Force Quit by pressing Command + Alt + Escape. You can also right-click on the Force Quit option found in the Dock.

Alternatively, you can reboot your system by holding down the power button.

5. Bluetooth is not working

Are you struggling to connect your Bluetooth keyboard or mouse to your Mac? Or are you unable to use features that need Bluetooth? The situation can make you bang your head against the wall.

Usually, restarting your Mac should solve the Bluetooth problem. If it doesn’t, you can turn off Bluetooth, wait for some time, and turn it on again. Also, make sure that there are no other Bluetooth devices nearby trying to connect with your Mac. It might be causing interference.

6. Flashing question mark

Do you see a question mark in a folder when you start your Mac? It means a disk has failed, or it may indicate that your system cannot find the start-up disk. You can resolve the issue via recovery mode by selecting the correct disk to boot.

Cannot find the start-up disk? You might have to repair your disk and for that, go to Disk Utility > Applications > Utilities > click on the Repair Disk button.

You may have to reinstall macOS if Disk Utility doesn’t find any errors or repairs the errors, and you still see a question mark.

Conclusion

The fixes mentioned above are for the most commonly faced problems by Mac users. However, if the issue persists, you have to take your device to an authorized service center for a detailed diagnosis and inspection.

Filed Under: Mac

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