Is your MacBook becoming sluggish and showing the signs of aging? Are you planning to upgrade your system due to deviating performance? You always have option to trade in an Apple computer for a new one.
Hold on, and give it a second thought, as there are some tips that you can follow before you spend hugely on purchasing a new device. These DIY solutions to the common Mac issues will improve the performance of your device multifold.
Mac Startup Problem
As your Mac turns older, it fails to boot properly and ends up displaying a blank screen. If you notice this problem, you can try to reboot your iMac or MacBook in Safe Mode. Doing this, you will shred load off your machine’s shoulders, and it will boot with minimal resources (drivers and software).
In Safe Mode, macOS will run a health check on the startup disk to repair any issues that might be causing startup issues. Now the question is how to start Mac in safe mode.
Solution: To start your Mac in safe mode, press the power button and then press and hold down the Shift key. You will see the Apple logo followed by the login screen. Wait for the Apple logo to disappear and then release the Shift key.
Getting to the login screen on your Mac may take a few minutes as the macOS is busy running diagnostic checks on the hard drive. If you wish to quit the Safe Mode, restart your Mac normally (without holding the Shift key).
MacBook Pro Kernel Panic
Kernel Panic is when your MacBook restarts unexpectedly and you see a message saying that your computer started because of a problem.
There are many reasons behind the macbook pro kernel panic, such as faulty software, incompatible or damaged hardware, inconsistent external storage media, etc. If the problem continues to exist for longer, you will have to find the root cause.
If you cannot identify the actual cause or the software that might be causing kernel panic, try the following troubleshooting practices.
Solution 1: Restart your MacBook Pro in Safe Mode by holding down the Shift key. Once the login screen appears, go to the Apple menu, then App Store, click Update, and then install updates (if available).
Solution 2: Uninstall plug-ins or any third-party software applications. Update applications on your Mac as they may have become outmoded. Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for more details about the versions of applications compatible with macOS running on your system.
Solution 3: Disconnect any external devices other than those provided by Apple (such as Apple keyboard and mouse). Remove hardware drivers and upgrades from other providers such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) cards. At last, restart your MacBook Pro or Mac system.
Solution 4: If the problem still continues, use Apple Diagnostics for diagnosing the problem with your MacBook’s internal hardware, such as the memory, logic board, and wireless devices.
MacBook Pro/Air Battery Death
Battery drainage is one of the most common MacBook problems and demands instant action. While working on your Mac, if you get an error message “Low Battery- Your Mac will sleep soon unless plugged into a power outlet,” you will need to charge your battery to bring your Mac back to life.
The reasons behind battery drainage can be overuse, browser access, using wrong settings, application consumption, inappropriate storage methods, etc.
Solution 1: If the application over-consumption is the prime reason for battery drainage, you need to find out the apps that are draining the most battery power. You can leave the background programs idle to save the battery.
Solution 2: If you are not using any Bluetooth accessories, it’s recommended to ‘Turn Bluetooth off’ by clicking the Bluetooth icon on the top of the menu bar.
Solution 3: Open System Preferences and choose Energy Saver. Then reduce the time that the system takes to fall into sleep mode.
Folders/ Files Disappearing From Mac
After upgrading macOS, users have reported losing their files and folders. Though regular backups can help restore lost files back to the system, it’s important that you have the most recent backup with you.
If you have not upgraded your macOS in the near past, but a few of your sensitive files are missing, the chances are that your system has been exposed to cyber threats.
Solution 1: If you have lost your email folder after a recent update, you can try re-indexing or rebuilding your Apple Mail. The process might take a few hours to re-index, based on the volume of data you need to recover.
Solution 2: Try to find out the missing folders and files in the Trash or Recent items and restore them back to their original location.
Conclusion
Using the solutions mentioned in this article, you can troubleshoot some common problems that you frequently encounter on Mac systems. These do-it-yourself tips are easy to follow, and you do not have to invest anything.
