While the hardware and software compatibility on a MacBook surpasses a laptop running on Windows, you may still find yourself struggling with common problems.
But, troubleshooting is reasonably straightforward. If you still have Apple coverage, you can have them fix it for you at no cost, go to a Genius Bar, or better yet, try to fix it yourself.
So, if you have been facing any of these eight issues, here is how you can overcome them.
Problem #1: Your SSD has issues
Apple released a batch of 13 inch MacBook Pro during the 2017 – 2018 period with some lousy SSDs. This caused users unable to access the hard drive or resulted in the loss of data.
If this happened to you, you could visit an authorized center, and they will fix it for you at no extra cost.
But, if you are worried about this happening, click on About this Mac and check your system’s model and take preventative measures by backing up all your data to iCloud and Time Machine and then taking it to the center to get your SSD serviced.
Problem #2: Your MacBook screen has gone black
If you start up your computer and notice nothing happening, it can be pretty upsetting. You might wonder why macbook screen black is the default screen state of your laptop. Well, there are some straightforward explanations for this.
For one, you may have your brightness turned all the way down, or you have not plugged in your device into an outlet.
If that does not work, you can restart your system by long-pressing the power button. You can also try resetting the NVRAM because that can fix most startup issues.
If all else fails, reset the SMC. That should do the trick.
Problem #3: Your battery is draining faster than usual
If you notice that a single charge doesn’t last you as long as it usually would, your battery may be draining faster than usual. To fix this, you can reset the Power Management or the SMC.
Resetting the SMC takes care of most problems to do with battery life.
Problem #4: Your external device is not being recognized
When you connect an external flash drive, and your MacBook fails to acknowledge it, it can be a huge problem.
You can try some of these tips to fix this –
- Remove the device, shut down your Mac, and turn it on again. Now try connecting it again.
- Remove unnecessary plugins
- Check if your drive is up to date
Sometimes it can also be caused by a faulty external hard disk. If they have a ‘bad sector’ or the data is corrupted, your Mac may not recognize it.
Problem #5: Your Time Machine Backup was accidentally deleted.
It may so happen that you can’t find your important files on the Time Machine backup. It is possible that they were accidentally deleted, or your Time Machine did not take a backup when it should have.
To fix this, you can try the following –
- Restart your MacBook and check if it is updated.
- Verify the AirPort base station is up to date
- Use the ‘Verify Backups’ option on Time Machine settings to make sure it is working correctly.
If there are any errors in the last step, you can resolve these by following the on-screen instructions.
And if everything fails, invest in data recovery software to try and get your files back possibly.
Problem #6: Your documents disappeared after an upgrade
If you find yourself in this situation, you can do one of two things –
- Use Time Machine to restore a previous version of your MacBook
- Look for your files in other folders
If your mail folders are missing, you can rebuild and re-index the Mail app. This can take quite a while, but it will fix the problem.
Problem #7: You accidentally deleted a file
Files that are deleted end up in the Trash. So, if you deleted a file by mistake, you can find it in Trash and restore it from there.
If your Trash has emptied as well, Time Machine is your best bet at recovering the file. It is also recommended that you take multiple backups across different external disks and also use cloud storage services like iCloud to prevent this from happening.
Problem #8: Your laptop has become unbelievably slow
If your Mac lags, hangs, or freezes, then you are experiencing what is called performance issues. This can happen due to a multitude of reasons. Perhaps your storage is full, or you are using too many apps at a time. Maybe your device has been affected by a virus or malware.
There are ways to fix all of these problems, like cleaning out your storage or making your system secure, but if nothing seems to work, your last resort is to wipe out your MacBook and do a ‘clean install.’
Before you wipe out your data, make sure it has been backed up to Time Machine or iCloud or both.
To conclude
So there you have it: all the common MacBook problems and an easy way to fix them. In most cases, you will find rebooting your Mac makes all the difference. If these tips don’t work or exacerbate the problem, you should visit an authorized center for the best possible resolution.