Suppose you have completed your morning routine, brewed a pot of fresh coffee, and are ready to turn on your Mac to start your day. You switch on your Mac, and as you sip your coffee, you notice something.
Your Mac is not turning on because the battery or charging cable is faulty. Therefore, you cannot start your day without replacing the cable or battery, which can ruin your mood. Or, you may encounter a faulty Escape button and wonder why is my Escape key not working Mac. You suddenly remember it is because you had accidentally spilled liquid on the keyboard before logging out the last day, and now the key is stuck. You must replace your keyboard if you cannot go on your workday without the Escape key.
However, not all Mac problems require extreme solutions like replacing the keyboard or the battery. Most problems can be solved in an instant. If you memorize the following troubleshooting guide, it will help you get out of messy situations as quickly as possible.
Learn How To Force Quit
Force quitting is one of the best solutions to tackle misbehaving applications. First, press the Command + Option + Escape keys on the keyboard to bring up the Force Quit menu. Then, choose the apps that are frozen or unresponsive and force quit them.
This solution also works if the display is frozen.
Reboot
Restarting your Mac can solve most problems. Whether it is an unresponsive app or the system is sluggish, rebooting can give your system a fresh start.
To keep your device running smoothly, you must restart it at least once a month.
Install The Latest Software Update
You must always install the latest software updates to get updated protection and bug fixes.
Apple releases yearly updates for macOS and other Apple devices. First, on your Mac, click the Apple menu > System Preferences > Software Update. Then, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update process.
You must also update the apps installed on your device to ensure they function smoothly. Go to the App Store and look for updates.
Reset SMC
If your Mac is facing sleep issues, not displaying videos, or not starting up, you can reset the SMC or system management controller to get back on track.
The process of resetting the SMC is dependent on your Mac model.
If you use a desktop system, unplug the power cord and plug it back in after fifteen seconds. Then, turn on your Mac after five seconds.
For laptops with non-removable batteries, press Shift + Option + Control and the power button. Release all the buttons simultaneously before starting your device normally.
If your Mac has a removable battery, disconnect your device from the power supply and remove the battery. Next, press the power button for five seconds. Then, refit the battery and start your Mac.
Boot In Safe Mode
Whether there’s an issue with the login items or other software problems, boot your device in Safe mode to identify and rectify the issue.
In Safe mode, the computer starts with the minimum drivers and files needed to run macOS. Therefore, it makes it easier to verify if one of the applications loading at startup is causing trouble. In this mode, the apps listed in Login Items do not load.
Also, while your device is booting in Safe mode, it will perform a quick check of the startup disk. If there are any corrupt file systems, they will be repaired.
You can boot in Safe mode on an Apple Silicon Mac by holding the power button when powering until the startup options are seen on the screen. Then, select the startup disk and hold the Shift key. Finally, click Continue in Safe Mode.
On Intel-based Macs, you must hold the Shift key to enter Safe mode and release the key after the Apple logo is seen on the screen.
Free Up Space
A lot of issues are caused because your Mac’s storage is almost full. Your Mac will become sluggish if it is bloated with data.
Therefore, free up space by deleting all the redundant files, attachments, documents, and photos. Search and remove duplicate items from your device. It would be best to uninstall the applications you don’t need.
Clearing browser and app caches is also a way to speed up your system.
If you don’t want to delete files and documents on your system, you can upload them to cloud storage and sync iCloud with other Apple devices. Or, you can use an external drive and store essential data on the external drive. Then, the data can be removed from your system to make space.
Final Thoughts
These troubleshooting ideas will ensure your Mac is always functioning at its optimal, and you don’t have to stop everything from running to the nearest Apple service center.
