Macs are such great systems that users can’t even think of their systems glitching. But when problems do arise, they can cause a lot of frustration. However, it is critical to understand that Macs can also encounter issues now and then. You need to be aware of those issues and deal with them.
Some of the common Mac problems are listed below, along with quick fixes. Hopefully, these resolution hacks will put you back on track and not make you run to the service center.
‘Safari can’t establish a secure connection’ error on Mac
When Mac users think of surfing the Internet, they think of Safari. So, if Safari stops working, it can cause you a lot of frustration.
While the web browser is excellent with an intuitive interface and enhanced privacy features, Safari sometimes malfunctions. Sometimes, it might show you the ‘Safari can’t establish a secure connection’ error on your Mac and prevent you from loading websites that are unsecure. It is a warning message, and you can fix it by checking the URL and ensuring you are not trying to enter an unsecure website. Sometimes, the error might be due to an incorrect date and time. Rectifying the date and time should resolve it.
The login items aren’t compatible
If a blue screen is staring back at you when you start your Mac, one of your startup items isn’t compatible with macOS. Startup items are those applications that automatically launch themselves when you switch on your system.
It is crucial to find which app is the culprit. So, you have to remove the login items and reboot your Mac after deleting each item. You can remove the startup items by going to System Preferences > clicking Users & Groups. Then, select your name and choose the Login Items option. Click the ‘-’ button to remove an item and restart your system. If the problem isn’t solved, you need to repeat this process until you know which login item is malfunctioning.
Don’t worry, you can click the ‘+’ button to add the items back to your Startup Items list.
You have been staring at the spinning beach ball for quite some time
Seeing the spinning beach ball regularly means you need to investigate the reason behind this slowdown seriously. Go to the Activity Monitor in the Utilities folder and determine how much of your system’s resources are taken up by the applications you are currently running.
The Activity Monitor will show you real-time stats on the amount of memory resources and CPU each application uses. You can quit the apps using more than their fair share of the resources. Highlight the apps and select the X button to Force Quit or Quit.
Mac is running slower than usual
System slowdowns and sluggish performance are a nuisance and affect all types of computers. As explained above, one of the slowdowns might be the apps taking up too many resources. It might also result from a filled-up hard drive, making your system struggle to read and write data.
The problem is fixed by upgrading your Mac, clearing your hard drive space, and opening a few apps or tabs simultaneously.
Applications are not responding
If an application has stopped responding, the best solution is to force close it. Right-click on the app and choose Force Quit. You can also press the Command + Option + Escape keys to bring up the Force Quit menu and close the app.
The FaceTime camera image quality is inferior
Do you see a bad, grainy representation of your face when you are on a FaceTime call? Most of the time, this issue is not related to your system’s hardware. If you find your Mac’s camera is working fine, the problem is with the FaceTime app. You need to update your macOS to see if the issue is fixed.
If the problem persists, you may need to call a technician to get it checked out.
The mice cursor isn’t moving
The feared mice beach ball is an issue encountered by every Mac user. Whenever your system freezes, the cursor turns into a beach ball, and it won’t stop spinning. You cannot click anywhere or on anything.
Press the Command + Q keys to finish the loading process and unfreeze your computer. If this doesn’t bear fruit, you must forcefully press Command + Option + Escape to kill the process. Or, you can wait for your Mac to finish working and then get back to using it.
If everything fails, reboot your Mac.
The bottom line
While these Mac problems are pretty common and most users have encountered them, they can be annoying. These issues can also make you nervous if you don’t know what you’re dealing with. So, keep in mind the quick fixes, so you don’t panic when your computer glitches.
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