In 2020 alone, Apple generated $365 billion in revenue. A large portion of the company’s sales every year come from MacBooks, and that notion isn’t one that’s likely to go away any time soon.
Like any other machine, though, MacBooks come with their fair share of problems. Some MacBook problems are common among users and are pretty simple to fix on your own, but others can require a lot more work and sometimes have to be shipped off for Apple to fix and send back.
What are those issues, you ask? Luckily, we’re here to help. Read on to learn eight of the most common MacBook problems and what you can do to fix them.
- Long Load Times
If your MacBook has become too slow for your needs, there might be a few things you can do to fix it.
The first thing you’re going to want to consider is the laptop’s age. If your MacBook is too outdated, then there might not be anything you can do that’ll fix its loading times. If this isn’t the case, though, then there are a few other things you can do.
Be sure to check how much free space is sitting on your hard drive. Sometimes, if it’s almost full, this can slow the machine down a lot. The same goes if your desktop is filled up with files.
Keeping the number of things on your desktop and Mac as a whole to a minimum can free up space for the machine to run optimally.
Another problem could be the version of macOS you’re using. While you don’t necessarily have to have the newest version on your computer, you want to make sure it’s a working one.
- Screen Randomly Blacks Out
This is a fairly common problem that MacBook users deal with. Luckily, this article can help you through the process of what to do if your MacBook screen goes black randomly.
- Not Charging
If your MacBook either isn’t charging or dies too quickly, there are a few steps you can take.
Start with inspecting the charger and adapter. If there are signs of damage or wear, it might mean you need a new version of either item. You should also inspect the charging port for damage or debris.
If those all look good, then you should remove the battery and run the system while connected to an A/C cord. If you don’t have any issues with that, then it more than likely means you need a battery, which might mean a trip to the Apple Store.
The last step to take is resetting the NVRAM/PRAM and SMC on your Macbook to attempt to resolve the issue.
- No Sound
Having no sound on your MacBook is definitely no fun. Before you start troubleshooting for the problem, though, you should double-check a few things:
- Is the MacBook muted?
- Does the source file have audio embedded in it?
- If you’re using headphones or a speaker, do they work properly?
If all of those seem to check out, then it’s probably the sound controller and you’re going to have to reset it.
Start by going to the finder, clicking on Applications, and then Utility. In the Utility window, locate and launch Activity Monitor, then locate CoreAudio and force quit the service.
From there, your sound should work normally.
- External Device Issues
Having trouble connecting external devices is another common MacBook problem that often has to do with the device itself and not the MacBook. You should start with verifying that the external device actually works on a different device. If that’s the case, then you know it’s the MacBook and not the device itself.
Next, you should verify that the device was plugged into the proper port. If it wasn’t incorrect, then you should try plugging a different device into that same port to, once again, determine whether it’s a problem with the MacBook or the device. If you find that neither device works in the port, then be sure to check the port for any physical damage before moving to the next step.
The next step you should take is to unplug the device, reboot the MacBook, and then plug the device back in and reconnect everything.
It’s also important to note that, sometimes, devices simply have compatibility issues with MacBooks and they might not work properly at all.
- Loud Fan
If you have a loud MacBook fan, the inside of it probably just needs a good cleaning. There are plenty of videos online that can walk you through the process, but keep in mind you’ll need to buy some special tools.
If you don’t feel comfortable cleaning it yourself or just don’t want to, then you can always opt to take it to a professional that can do it for you. Most computer service stores offer this service for a fee, but it’s worth paying the money.
Not only are you going to reduce the fan noise, but you’re also going to cool the inner temperature of the computer as a whole, meaning you don’t have huge chances of everything overheating as often as they might right now. You can also invest in a cooling pad to help combat the problem.
Fix Your MacBook Problems Easily
Now that we’ve gone over a few of the most common MacBook problems, you can start fixing issues easily any time they arise. Whether it’s your first time dealing with these issues or it’s a common occurrence, you’ll probably find that they’re a lot easier to handle as they do come up.
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