Common Macbook Problems and How to Fix Them

New Macbook users are bound to encounter some issues. Lack of experience leads to mistakes, and not everyone is tech-savvy enough to solve Mac problems themselves.

Preparing in advance is a sound strategy. If you want to learn more about the most common Macbook issues and how you can solve them, read this article.

Problem #1 – Malfunctioning Microphone

Not every Macbook user needs a microphone, but you can never be certain. Moreover, many people are working from home because of the ongoing pandemic, meaning that communication in person is not possible.

If you are having issues with a microphone, check settings first. It might be that Microphone settings are not configured. Test different variations to make sure that there is nothing wrong in the settings end. 

There are instances when a microphone is working for a particular application but is not accessible for other apps. That usually happens because you have not given microphone permissions, so keep that in mind.

If the problem persists regardless of you configuring and enabling proper settings, it might be that the microphone is no longer functioning, and replacing it is the only option.

Problem #2 – Lack of Hard Drive Space

If you run out of disk space, consider files that you can remove or keep on external storage devices and cloud services. Junk files like temporary backups or app extensions also consume hard drive storage, and you can remove this type of data with cleanup software or manually. Though the former option is better because a cleaner tool will do the work automatically.

Problem #3 – Poor Performance

When no particular problem stands out, but you still notice that the loading speed and the performance is lackluster in general, you have a couple of options. Some people go as far as reinstalling the OS and giving their Macbook a fresh start. But doing something like decluttering the desktop and closing background applications will help as well.

Problem #4 – Lackluster Battery Life

A battery should last for long, especially if your Macbook is idle for the majority of the time. If you need to recharge the computer more often than you feel is right, something is wrong with the system or how you use the Macbook.

For starters, shut the Macbook down after you are finished using it. The sleeping mode requires more battery life than just shutting down the Mac. Also, look at Activity Monitor and see which applications are consuming the most resources. You should have some that can be closed down, removed, or replaced with alternatives.

Problem #5 – Random Restarts

Random restarts are not that common, but if your Macbook restarts on its own a few times throughout the day, you need to get to the bottom of the problem. Finding where the issue lies can be difficult. Scan the system with an antivirus to make sure that there are no malware or other cybersecurity threats. Go on the internet and see what other Macbook owners did to fix random restarts. If the problem does not go away, taking the computer to a service store is your best bet. 

Problem #6 – Persistent Beachball

Some call the multicolor sphere on macOS a ball of death. The name is apt in certain situations. The spinning sphere appears when a Macbook has to think. If the sphere disappears almost immediately, you should not have a lot of problems. However, there are cases when this ball does not disappear.

For the most part, you can shut the sphere down by closing an application that made the sphere appear in the first place. If the application finishes processing everything, the sphere should disappear. And if you are still facing a problem, then restarting the computer should solve it.

Think of a regularly appearing sphere as a warning sign. These spheres should not appear often, but when they do, it means that there are other problems with the computer, and you should look to fix these problems.

Problem #7 – Slow Internet Browser

An underperforming internet browser causes headaches to people trying to enjoy their time on the internet or need to find information online for work or school. The simplest solution is to try a different browser. There are many options, and you might find that another browser does a much better job.

At the same time, if you are too attached to your current browser, or have too many bookmarks and history that cannot be transferred to another browser, there are a couple of ways to optimize the browser you are using right now. For starters, get rid of add-ons and extensions you do not really need. Clearing the cache regularly helps as well. Finally, when using a browser, limit the number of open tabs because even when idle, browser tabs are consuming system resources.