Fixing Macbook Shutdown Issue

Dealing with an uncooperative Mac that refuses to shut down is beyond frustrating. Despite attempting various solutions like unplugging and removing the battery, your Mac remains stubbornly unresponsive.

In this article, Mytour provides effective solutions to address the Macbook shutdown problem.

1. Fixing Macbook Shutdown Issue

1.1 Method 1: Resetting SMC (System Management Controller)

To address the Macbook hanging during shutdown, the first solution is to try resetting the SMC to see if the issue persists.

+, Resetting SMC on Macbooks with Built-in Batteries

Follow the steps below to reset the SMC on Macbooks with built-in batteries:

Step 1: Start by turning off your Macbook, then connect the power cable to the device.

Step 2: Simultaneously press and hold Shift + Control + Options while clicking the Power button.

Step 3: Finally, release your fingers from the keys; the light on the MagSafe adapter will change, indicating that the SMC has been successfully reset.

After the successful SMC reset, you can shut down your Macbook normally without encountering any errors.

+, Resetting SMC on Macbooks with Removable Batteries

Step 1: Turn off your Mac.

Step 2: Disconnect the power cable from the device.

Step 3:

Press and hold the Power button for about 5 seconds.

Step 4: Release the Power button, then reconnect the power cable and start your Mac normally.

1.2. Method 2: Resetting NVRAM

NVRAM (short for Non-Volatile Random-Access Memory) is a small section of Mac memory that stores specific settings accessible by the Mac.

This memory area stores information such as speaker volume, screen resolution, startup disk selection, and recent kernel panic reports.

To reset NVRAM and fix shutdown issues on Macbook, first turn off the device and then power it back on. After hearing the startup chime, press and hold the Option + Command + P + R keys for about 20 seconds. The screen will display as if the computer is restarting. If you hear the startup chime, release your fingers from the keys.

What is Kernel Panic?

Sometimes, the culprit causing shutdown issues on Macbook may be recent 'kernel panic' events. Resetting NVRAM can help address this issue. Kernel panic often results in various system-related incidents related to restarts and shutdowns. Essentially, kernel panic is a system error when the Mac operating system cannot recover quickly.

These errors stem from actions when Mac attempts to write or access memory incorrectly. The culprits causing errors can be faulty or malicious software (malware), or hardware issues or incompatibility with external devices connected to Mac.

1.3. Method 3: Run Apple Diagnostics or Apple Hardware Test

The hardware inside Mac, including system memory, logic board, and wireless components, can also be the cause of shutdown issues on Mac. Running tools like Apple Diagnostics or Apple Hardware Test can help troubleshoot issues and fix errors.

Follow the steps below to run the Apple Diagnostics tool. However, before initiating the tool for issue resolution, note that both Apple Diagnostics and Apple Hardware Test cannot test external hardware components, such as external memory or non-Apple manufactured devices. Additionally, these tools only assess hardware and do not check the operating system's status.

- On Macbook devices released after 2013, the Apple Diagnostics tool is integrated into the computer.

- Users with Mac models released in 2012 or earlier, running Mac OS X v10.8.4 and above, can use the Apple Hardware Test.

- Macbook users released in 2012 or earlier, running OS X version 10.8.3 and below, can utilize the system disk or USB drive provided with the device.

Running the Apple Diagnostics Tool

Disconnect all external devices connected to the Macbook, except for the keyboard, mouse or trackpad, and monitor. Next, restart the Macbook, press and hold the D key during the reboot. Apple Diagnostics will automatically initiate. Follow the on-screen instructions to troubleshoot issues.

Running the Apple Hardware Test

Similarly, disconnect all external devices connected to the Macbook, except for the keyboard, mouse or trackpad, and monitor. Next, restart the Macbook, press and hold the D key during the reboot. When the Apple Hardware Test tool starts, the screen will display a window with a list of languages. Choose any language you prefer, then press Return or click the right arrow.

If Apple Hardware Test fails to initiate, try running the tool from the Internet. Reconnect the Wifi or network cable to the Macbook, then restart the device. After hearing the startup chime, press and hold the Option + D keys simultaneously.

If a prompt appears on the screen, choose any language you prefer and follow the on-screen instructions to address issues or problems detected by the tool.

1.4. Method 4: Boot Macbook into Safe Mode

Boot into Safe Mode to clear system cache, rebuild the Mac's startup database on the hard drive, addressing various issues and problems.

Additionally, Safe Mode is the best solution to determine whether the issue is systemic or limited to a specific user folder. Shutdown and restart errors may be related to third-party software loading automatically. Safe Mode checks the system for errors, issues, and addresses them.

To boot Macbook into Safe Mode, first turn off the Macbook using any method. After the device is off, wait for about 10 minutes, then press the Power button again. If you hear the startup chime, press the Shift key and release it when the Apple logo and progress indicator appear on the screen.

Note that booting into Safe Mode takes longer as the Macbook needs to load and check the system. If the Macbook operates correctly, click the Apple logo and choose Restart to check if the Shutdown issue on Macbook persists.

1.5. Method 5: Use Terminal to Fix Shutdown Issue on Macbook

For experienced users, utilizing Terminal can be effective in fixing Shutdown issues on Macbook and other related errors.

First, open Terminal through Spotlight by pressing and holding the spacebar, then enter Terminal into the Search box. Alternatively, access the Utilities folder through Finder. After opening the Terminal window, enter each of the following commands one by one and press Return after each command:

rm -rf -/Library/Caches/*

rm -rf -/Library/Saved\ Application\ State/*

sudo rm -rf /Library/Caches/*

sudo rm -rf /System/Library/Caches/*

atsutil databases -removeUser

sudo atsutil databases -remove

sudo atsutil server -shutdown

sudo atsutil server -ping

sudo rm -rf /var/folders/*

1.6 Method 6: Other Methods to Fix Shutdown Issues on Macbook

In addition to the methods above, you can apply the following approaches to fix shutdown issues on Macbook:

- Utilize Combo Cleaner to delete cache memory files and malware on Macbook.

Download Combo Cleaner to your device and install it from here.

Link:

- Delete all printers connected to Macbook by accessing System Preferences, selecting Printers & Scanners, and then re-add these devices if necessary.

- Before shutting down, force quit all running applications on Macbook by pressing the key combination Command + Option + Esc.

- Restart Finder before Shutdown, turn off Macbook from the forced exit menu.

- Ensure the Trash is empty.

- Try shutting down Macbook through Terminal, enter the command sudo shutdown -r now and press Return.

- Boot into Recovery Mode by pressing Command + R during Macbook startup, access Disk Utility, and run Repair disk or First Aid.

In this article, Mytour has just guided you through some ways to fix Shutdown issues on Macbook. Additionally, if there are any concerns or questions, such as fixing computer not shutting down when running Windows, readers can leave their opinions in the comments section below the article.