If your Apple Mac has frozen with an app open you can try pressing CMD + ALT + Shift + Escape to force close an app. If this doesn’t work and you’ve given your Mac a few minutes to try and catch back up, you’re going to have to force a shut down by holding down the power button.
App Updates
If an App has frozen the first point of call is to check that app for updates that may patch the broken part that’s causing problems. The easiest way to check this is by clicking the Apple icon in the top left corner and looking for Updates next to the ‘App Store…’ option
You may also find it beneficial to check your apps for Add Ons. If they aren’t vital you may be better deleting them, and if they are it is worth checking how old they are and if they have any updates. If you’re having trouble with this last part. Try deleting the Add On and reinstalling it.
Software Updates
Although you’d like to think it wouldn’t happen, occasionally new Operating Systems have bugs in and cause issues until they are patched over by updates. To check if there’s new updates waiting, head over to the Apple Icon at the top left of your screen and you will see it at the top of the drop down menu.
Try Working More Efficiently
If you use the magnifying glass icon in the top right of your screen to search for Activity monitor, you’ll be able to see what the brain of your Mac is doing at any given moment, with 3 main performance indicators that all show a percentage next to them.
User indicates how much power you are using with the apps and processes you are using whilst the System shows you how much the computer is doing in the background to facilitate your actions. The bottom one named Idle shows you how much brain power your Mac has left to use. The less Idle power your Mac has, the more likely it will crash and cause issues.
Above these Indicators you’ll see a list of Processes and in the column next to the name, a %CPU. These numbers will show you which Processes or Apps are using up the majority of your power.
The best use of this tool is to open it, then open up the apps you wish to use and keep an eye on how much power they are using. You may find that certain app combinations are too much for your Mac and cause a meltdown. If this is the case, you can either open apps separately for better efficiency or, if this isn’t productive, it’s time to get your Mac off to a professional to have a bigger brain installed. Also known as Memory or RAM (Random Access Memory)
Clear Some Storage Space
If you select the Apple icon in the top left and click About this Mac in the drop down menu, you’ll open a window that will allow you to view how much is storage you have available under the Storage tab. This will show you if storage is affecting your Macs performance.
If the available space in your storage is limited, select the manage button to have a look at the Recommendations your Mac has for optimisation. If none of these recommendations are viable and you have no choice but to keep all of your current files. It’s time for you to speak to a Apple specialist about increasing the hard drive on your Mac. On the left hand side of this window you will also be able to have a closer look at exactly what files are on your Mac.
Get Some Cleaning Software
Cleaning software are tools that scout through your storage to find any files that are unnecessary and delete them for you. To be impartial I’m not going to plug any particular software but simply searching ‘cleaner’ in the App Store will bring up a selection of great Free apps that you can use for this purpose.
Hardware Upgrades
If none of these have helped you on your quest for a smoother Mac that doesn’t crash, the final option is to upgrade some of the internals of your Mac to give you more computing power. Things such as RAM upgrades and swapping your Hard Drive out for a newer, more powerful alternative are the most common upgrades. As with all hardware issues, make sure you enlist the help of a professional to undertake any work.
Talk To An Apple Mac Specialist
If your Apple Mac is still freezing and you need specialist help you can contact us for advice. Hero Tech Support is a leading Apple Repair company based in Southampton. We offer free collection and diagnosis of your Mac. Call or complete our contact form for repair advice.
