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While a frozen Macbook is an uncommon occurrence, Macbooks run on cycles, and sometimes, software gets stuck in a loop. If this happens, you might notice an unresponsive application or even the entire macOS.
In the following article, Mytour outlines various scenarios of a frozen Macbook and provides solutions on how to troubleshoot effectively.
Is the Issue Occurring in an Application or the Entire Operating System?
The initial step in addressing a frozen Macbook is to determine whether the entire macOS - a modern, intelligent operating system managing memory usage for applications - is affected or if it's just a single application.
Typically, in most cases where only one application is frozen (due to the app being stuck in a loop and consuming excessive memory), you'll receive a warning on the screen stating that the application has unexpectedly quit. However, if your Macbook is locked without any alerts, the issue might lie with the operating system. If your Macbook is frozen and not shutting down, not responding to the mouse, simply hold the power button for about 10 seconds and check the mouse battery.
If the application is the culprit causing the Macbook freeze, you have two main options:
- Select Reopen to restart the application and send an error report to Apple.
- Choose OK to dismiss the warning window.
Stop Sending Error Reports for Macbook Freezes to Apple
By default, whenever an application freezes, macOS sends a report to Apple. Apple utilizes this data to manage, enhance macOS, and provide users with a more stable operating system (and applications) in the future.
However, if you prefer not to send data about the frozen application to Apple, you can disable the automatic reporting feature in System Preferences.
Here's how to turn off the automatic reporting feature in System Preferences:
Step 1: Open System Preferences.
Step 2: Click on Security & Privacy.
Step 3: Choose Privacy at the top of the toolbar, then select Diagnostics & Usage from the list of options on the left panel.
Step 4: Click on the padlock icon at the bottom left of the window to allow changes, and enter your Admin password.
Step 5: Uncheck the options Send diagnostic & usage data to Apple and Share crash data with app developers.
Step 6: Click the padlock icon once again to prevent further changes and close the System Preferences window.
Now, when your Macbook freezes, you'll see the Reopen and Report buttons on the screen. Click Report to send a report to Apple and click Reopen to reopen the program.
What to Do If an Application Freezes?
Exiting and restarting the application is the best way for macOS to handle a frozen app.
If it's just a simple application freeze, you'll likely notice it easily as the menu and app icons become unresponsive, and you may see the spinning cursor, also known as the “spinning pizza of death” (SPOD).
If an application freezes, here's all you need to do:
Step 1: Switch to a different location on macOS by clicking on another app window or on the desktop. Alternatively, use the Command + Tab key combination to switch to a different application.
Step 2: Press Control + click on the app icon in the dock.
Step 3: Press and hold Option (the Quit option in the menu will change to Force Quit).
Step 4: Choose Force Quit.
The application will close immediately.
There are multiple ways to force close and exit an application. If the dock is unresponsive, press the Command + Option + Esc key combination to open the Force Quit Applications window. Here, select an app from the list and click Force Quit.
What to do if the macOS operating system freezes (or if an app refuses to force quit)?
If unable to force quit an application or if macOS is unresponsive, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Open the Apple menu at the top left corner of the window, then choose Restart and select Restart again.
Step 2: If unable to interact with the Apple menu, press the Command + Control + Eject key combination to immediately restart macOS.
Step 3: If the above methods fail, press and hold the Power button until the Macbook completely shuts down, then press the Power button again to turn the Macbook back on.
After the Macbook restarts, you may find files in operation that are corrupted or damaged. Attempt to restore these files from a backup or transfer their contents to a new file, then delete the corrupted file.
Identify the Root Cause of Macbook Freezing
Additionally, it's advisable to pinpoint the 'culprit' causing the Macbook freeze. If you frequently encounter Macbook freezes, it's best to investigate and provide solutions for Macbook freezes, determining the most effective troubleshooting methods.
- Check if the macOS hard drive has sufficient free space.
- Check if you've uninstalled any updates in the Mac App Store and ensure that you've updated to the latest macOS version.
- Manually update installed apps outside the App Store. Most apps feature a Check for updates option.
- If you frequently face Macbook freezes or crashes, it's advisable to update software, then disconnect from all peripheral devices (such as USB, …). Reconnect each peripheral device one by one to identify which device is causing the Macbook freeze.
- Disable plugins. If you're using applications with plugins, you should disable (or remove) those plugins and observe if the Macbook freeze error persists.
- Initiate Safe Boot by holding down the Shift key during Mac startup. This action launches macOS without any additional processes and runs clean files.
- Utilize the Repair Disk function of Disk Utility to tidy up issues on your hard drive.
- Run the Apple Hardware Test. This is a specialized utility on Apple's support page to detect issues on your Mac.
The cause may be due to viruses or malicious software (malware) attacking the system
Malicious websites, such as those utilizing 'safari-get' attacks to download malware on Mac users' visited sites, causing users to open numerous spam emails or iTunes windows, overload the system memory, and lead to Macbook freezing.
Prevention is better than cure; it's advisable to download and install antivirus software on your Mac to prevent virus attacks and malicious software. Explore some of the best Mac antivirus software to safeguard your computer.
These are some methods to address Macbook freezing issues that Mytour introduces to you. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to leave your comments below, and Mytour will respond to your queries as soon as possible.
