How to Fix a Mac That Keeps Freezing

We often think of Mac and Macbook products as shining examples of high performance. And while this is true for the most part, these computers are also likely to freeze up and run slowly, like all other devices. Fortunately, there are ways to fix this frozen mark and avoid these freezing issues.

Why is my Mac freezing and running slowly

Your device may not work properly for various reasons. Most of the time, your computer will run slower when space is limited. Simply put, the more loaded your Mac is, the harder it has to work to run.

Another possible reason that your Mac freezes for a few seconds is that you haven’t updated your software. Beyond getting all the coolest new features, keeping your macOS up to date is critical to preventing malware and eliminating bugs.

You may also find that your Mac continues to malfunction because you have too many applications open. As with the first point, your computer will have to work harder if it powers dozens of different windows.

Now that you know why your computer is not running as fast as you would like, you can find solutions to this problem below.

Clear clutter files

When you take a close look at your computer’s storage, you’ll be surprised at the size of some programs, files, and apps that you don’t use. Fortunately, macOS devices make it easy to remove these space thieves; all you need to do is follow the steps below.

Step 1: Go to the search bar at the top right of your screen and click on it.

2nd step: Type “Store management”; when the search results load, click on “Store Management.app”.

Step 3: Next to Minimize clutter, select Check files.

Step 4: Go through each of the tabs. Whenever you see something that you want to get rid of, click on it and hit Delete at the bottom right.

You can also manually browse your computer and send anything you don’t use to the recycle bin. After deleting the files and apps, open the Bin app and tap Empty in the top right corner.

Force close applications

If you’ve tried closing an app but continue to see the dreaded colorful ball spinning, force quitting may be an option to explore.

To do this, you will need to follow the steps below.

Step 1: Press Alt, Command, and Esc at the same time. You should then see a pop-up screen with a list of apps.

2nd step: Highlight the app you want to force quit.

Step 3: In the lower right corner of the window, select Force Quit.

After performing this action, your computer should close the application.

Update your macOS software

If closing apps and freeing up storage didn’t work, the reason your Mac freezes for a few seconds is because your software is out of date. You can find out if this is the case by following each of the instructions listed under this paragraph.

Step 1: Click on the Apple logo at the top left of your screen.

2nd step: When the System Preferences window appears, click Software Update.

Step 3: If you need to update your software, agree to do so.

Step 4: Once the new software is installed, check if your computer is working better.

It’s also worth checking the box next to “Automatically keep my Mac up to date” to make sure your computer handles everything for you in the future.

Resetting your computer

Sometimes a simple restart is all it takes to get your Mac to perform at its best again. The steps for this are simple, and you can find them below.

Step 1: Click on the Apple logo in the upper left corner.

2nd step: Choose the Restart option.

Step 3: Click the blue Restart button.

Step 4: Wait for your computer to restart and see if you have fixed the problem.

If your Mac freezes again, try these tips

If you’ve ever wondered “how do I stop my Mac from freezing”, you’re not alone. A poorly performing Mac often surprises us because we are so used to them running efficiently.

Fortunately, you have a lot of options if you need to fix this and get back to work. Try to free up space and update your macOS software if necessary. Forcing applications to quit can also work, as can resetting your computer.

If none of these tips work, consider going to your local Apple Store and see if they can help you with anything.