Do you love your MacBook? Then, it must be killing you to find your device is acting strange. The problem might be hardware or software related. There might be some Mac components and parts begging for replacement. But how will you know the proper troubleshooting steps to restore your Mac to its former glory?
Here’s a guide for you. First, look at the common Mac problems and their solutions. Before doing anything, don’t forget to back up your data.
The Startup Shows a Blank Screen
If the startup has failed, you might be staring at different colored screens. Each of them means something different.
If you are staring at a blue or black screen, your system has probably frozen trying to load a problematic application or login function. Press the power button to restart your system. Then, you can remove the troublesome login items or apps.
If you are seeing a gray screen, it means that critical software has failed to work correctly. You can manually restart your system and open it in Safe mode. If there are updates available, you can update your system and see if the problem is fixed.
The Finder is not Working
Finder is a vital macOS utility and much more than finding applications. The tool helps users initiate changes in folders and files, open apps, etc. It can be a nightmare to wake up one day to find Finder not working on Mac.
One of the best ways to fix this problem is by quitting Finder and then relaunching it through the Dock.
The Device Keeps Dying
If your device is frequently dying, check and see if the battery is charging properly. If the battery is fine and your device is not charging and failing, it indicates a different kind of problem.
If this happens, you must restart your system by pressing the power button and waiting for it to power back on and load macOS. After it loads, restart the system again. This will allow your device to perform a full and healthy shutdown procedure.
Then, you can try resetting the SMC or the system management controller. The SMC controls many of the critical hardware processes of your Mac, such as sleep modes, battery charging, etc. So, after the SMC is reset, the problem should be resolved.
If this step does not fix the issue and it continues, you may have to take your system to the Apple Store. You may get a replacement if your system is covered under warranty.
The Screen is Flickering
A flickering screen is annoying and can cause eye problems. These flicker problems may appear as intermittent dimming, or there might be a complete loss of resolution. This may rapidly repeat to cause hindrance to your work.
You can solve this issue in a few different ways. First and foremost, check if there’s any physical damage to the screen. If the screen is fine, you can try the following fixes:
● If you’re using Firefox or Chromium, you must disable or remove them because they are known to cause flickering issues in MacBooks.
● Restart and boot your system in Safe mode so it will allow you to isolate the apps that might be causing the problem. Then, you can remove those apps.
● Reset PRAM/NVRAM to solve minor screen flickering issues.
● Check if there are any macOS updates available. If so, you must update your system and see if the problem is solved.
If you are experiencing screen flickering on the external monitor, you must check the cable and ensure it isn’t damaged.
External Devices are not Connecting
When external devices refuse to connect, you must first check if the device works correctly on other computers. This will help you to narrow the problem down to your device. Then, check to ensure the device is plugged into the correct port and that the cable and the port are not blocked or damaged. Finally, restart your Mac and the external device.
If these methods don’t resolve the issue, you can look up the device and ensure it is compatible with your Mac. You can reset the SMC and NVRAM/PRAM as a last resort. There might be some system glitch interfering with the external devices, which can solve that issue.
The Bottom Line
Your Mac should work perfectly after you have performed these fixes. However, some issues might be much more severe than the rest. You may take your system to the Apple service center or call the technician. For example, if your device is dying or not charging because the battery needs replacement, you have to get a new battery, or the problem won’t go away.
Other than that, these fixes should help add a few years to your Mac and ensure you can work peacefully.
