Recycle your Computers & Technology with us.

ARTICLES

Helpful Computer Repair Articles

Let Data Doctors be your personal IT department today

home » articles » 7 Common MacBook Problems (and What to Do About Them)

7 Common MacBook Problems (and What to Do About Them)

published 12/6/2021

Did you know that there are over 100 million active Mac users today? Are you one of those users? If so, then you've probably run into a few bugs or issues with your Mac since you've got one.

Don't get us wrong, MacBooks are extremely dependable. However, they can run into problems, just as any other laptop on the market would.

But what are the most common MacBook problems? And how do you diagnose these MacBook issues?

That's what we're here to look at today. Read on to find out more about MacBook problems and what you can do about them here!

1. My Macbook Keeps Suddenly Dying

If your MacBook is persistently dying out, it's probably not a problem with your battery. We cover defective MacBook batteries later in the article, but here we'll assume it's another issue.

A MacBook that's shutting off even when you have a full charge is another problem entirely. If a shutdown like this happens again, restart your Mac with the Power button, then load MacOS upon restart.

Once macOS loads, choose another restart to initiate a full, healthy restart for your computer. It also lets you restart the System Management Controller (SMC), something that controls parts of your Mac's hardware.

If the SMC doesn't help here, then you should take it to the Apple Store for a check-up.

2. Blank Screen on Startup

A failed MacBook startup can occur with different colored screens. If you get a black or blue screen, that means your Mac probably froze while trying to load an app or during log in.

If this occurs, try pressing the reset button for about 6 seconds. You can also boot it in Safe mode if that doesn't work. Use PC cleaning software to get rid of any problematic apps that might've caused this.

A gray screen upon startup indicates that software is failing to load correctly. Manually restart and start in Safe mode when possible. Locate any disk problems with the Disk Utility tool, or try updating your OS.

3. External Devices Not Connecting

Do you have a few USB devices that just aren't working? Start by checking if those devices work on other computers or laptops. If it does work on other devices, check that you're connecting everything to the right ports.

Are your devices' USB ports damaged? If not, restart your Mac and the external device and try everything again. When all else fails, look up whether that external device is compatible with your specific MacBook.

Make sure you connect other devices to your Mac to see if it's not an issue with your computer. If it's a hardware issue within your MacBook, you should take it in for repairs right away.

4. Poor Facetime Camera Quality

A lot of recent MacBook Air users have reported getting terrible, grainy camera quality during FaceTime calls. This might not be a hardware issue, so test other camera-related apps on your MacBook to see if the camera works.

If it does, then the Facetime software might be to blame. Unfortunately, all you can really do is wait for a new OS update to see if that fixes the issue.

However, if your camera isn't working for any of your apps, then it's most likely an issue with your camera or its related hardware. Take it to the shop if you feel this is the case.

5. Flickering Screen

When your MacBook screen dims intermittently or loses resolution rapidly, that might be a serious issue. There are however, several reasons this might be happening.

One is a damaged screen. A cracked or broken screen could explain the flickering issues. If your screen is perfectly fine, there are a few other solutions you can pursue.

Reset your PRAM/NVRAM, as this might solve minor flickering issues. Also check for any macOS updates that haven't been applied, as that could contribute to a solution.

Apps like Chromium and Firefox have reportedly caused minor screen flickering. Disable or remove those apps and see if that fixes the issue.

6. Slow MacBook

When you run too many apps and other functions at the same time, any computer is bound to slow down. Your Mac might be trying to do too much at the same time, and is taxing your RAM.

If your hard drive is getting full, your Mac might have issues with reading and writing data efficiently. For these issues, a new MacBook might be the solution. Make sure you back up all your data as well.

For new MacBooks that are exhibiting slowdowns, you can try restarting your computer or looking for any updates. Look at your Activity Monitor and see if there are any apps taking up an unusual amount of disk space.

Running a virus scan or simply cleaning up your files can do wonders with speeding up a slow Mac. If your slow MacBook is accompanied by weird noises, take it in for repair as soon as possible.

7. MacBook Won't Charge

Just like with the external devices earlier, make sure all your charging hardware is properly plugged in. Ensure that your devices are compatible with each other and that everything is up to date.

If your MacBook ceases to charge even then, reset your PRAM and SMC settings to see if that helps. You can also hit the Option key and the battery icon from your menu simultaneously.

This will take you to advanced battery options. The battery menu screen might tell you to replace your battery or service it, in which case you should take it in for a replacement.

Solutions to Your MacBook Problems

Just because your MacBook is showing signs of slowing down or isn't functioning right, doesn't mean it's completely broken. Use this guide to help you understand what your MacBook problems entail and how to fix them.

Looking for a reliable MacBook repair and other computer fixes? Contact us or find one of our locations today, and we'll hook you up with a solution right away!