But your Macbook shouldn’t be freezing on a regular basis, especially if it’s relatively new. And even if it isn’t, there are definitely some things that you can do to try and stop it from freezing.
The most common reasons for a frozen Macbook are;
- Not enough RAM
- Insufficient processing power
- An outdated operating system
- Hard drive problems
- Lots of apps running simultaneously
- Too many browser tabs open
- Malware on your device
Let’s run through all of these in a little more detail so you can determine exactly what the problem is, and how you can get it resolved.
Insufficient RAM/Overloaded CPU
One of the primary reasons your MacBook freezes is due to insufficient RAM (Random Access Memory), which is essentially the amount of power your laptop has.
If you only have 8GB of RAM in your Mac then you’re going to struggle when running intensive processes like editing or playing games. This can also occur when too many applications are running simultaneously.
An overloaded CPU, or processor,can also cause your system to freeze. So, it’s important to know the limitations of your own Macbook.
Outdated Software
Keeping your Macbook up to date is another important thing to make sure you’re doing if you want to avoid system instability and freezing.
It’s important to regularly check for and install software updates, as they often contain bug fixes and performance improvements. You can do this by going to About This Mac in your Apple menu bar.
In About This Mac, you’ll be able to see whether your operating system is out of date.
Failing Hard Drive
A failing hard drive is another potential cause of system freezes, as the longer you go without maintaining it, the more likely it is to fail.
If your MacBook’s hard drive is old or damaged, it might struggle to perform tasks, leading to freezing issues. You can check this by going into Disk Utility, which is found in your Utilities folder within Applications.
If there’s an issue, you’ll be able to see it here. You can also run First Aid on the specific drive to see if it resolves any problems too.
Too many apps running
When you have a lot of different apps running at the same time as each other, you can end up having issues with your device. This is related to your RAM and processing power too, as your Macbook may not be able to keep up.
For this reason, it’s a good idea to do some spring cleaning every so often and close down all of the apps that you’re no longer using.
Closing down browser tabs
Just like having too many apps open and running at the same time can cause your Mac to freeze, so can having too many browser tabs open.
This is especially true if you have websites open that are running activities or are newspaper websites filled with ads. This can force your Mac to use too much power, which leads to it freezing.
Malware problems
Dealing with viruses is something that we hope not to have to deal with on Macbook, but you can still have malware issues occasionally. And, some viruses can cause your Macbook to slow down, or even freeze completely.
There are various different softwares that you can use to try and solve this issue, but often the best thing to do is simply go to Activity Monitor and sort by CPU to see what processes are using so much power.
Make sure to close down any processes that are using a lot of computing power, and keep an eye out for anything malicious.
Conclusion
By following the above advice – addressing RAM and CPU issues, updating software, and ensuring hard drive health – you can significantly reduce the likelihood of system freezes.
