Stuck on your MacBook startup screen, or is it completely unresponsive? A frozen MacBook Air could result from a software glitch or resource overload. We have compiled a list of all the troubleshooting methods that may help you fix an unresponsive or frozen MacBook display.
Table of Contents
1. Reboot Your Mac Air
The first method that you can try is rebooting your Mac Air. When your MacBook Air is frozen, and no keys or touchpad is working, you should start with a hard reset.
For this, you can do a manual reset:
1. Press and hold the Power button on your Mac.
2. Wait for macOS to shut down.
3. Now, press the Power button again to start your Mac.
Check if your Mac starts normally. If everything is working as it should, the error might have been with the particular app you used or due to overload.
2. Use Safe Mode
If a normal reboot isn’t working, you need to restart your MacBook Air in the Safe Mode. This method helps to determine if the issues are caused by any particular software or not. If you are unsure, here is how you can find your Mac’s specifications.
For Apple Silicon MacBook
1. Press and hold your Power Button to shut down your Mac.
2. Now, again, Press and hold the Power button to start the system.
3. Hold the button until the Loading startup options appear on the screen.
4. Select the Boot Volume option.
5. Now, press and hold the Shift Key. Click on Continue in Safe Mode.
Mac air will now restart in Safe Mode.
For Intel-Based Mac
1. Switch off your Mac.
2. Then, press the power button to restart your Mac.
3. Press and hold the Shift key on the keyboard while the system restarts.
4. Release the key once you see the login window.
Enter your Mac password to enter your system. You can now check if your system is working without any errors.
Again, restart the system in normal mode and see if the problem persists. If the MacBook Air is still frozen, the problem might have been due to a faulty cache fixed in safe mode.
3. Run Apple Diagnostics
We will be checking the Mac for any hardware issues through Apple Diagnostics. This model also suggests certain solutions that will eventually resolve the frozen MacBook Air issue as well.
Make sure you have updated your macOS and removed all external devices connected to it. Let’s look at the steps to run Apple Diagnostics.Â
Note: How to Find Your MacBook’s Specs and OS Version
For Silicon MacBook
1. Go to the Apple menu on the top-left and choose Shut Down.
2. Now, press and hold the Power Button to restart.
3. Keep holding the button till you see the Startup Options on the screen.
4. Press and hold Command + D on the keyboard until the diagnostics start.
For Intel-based Mac
1. Go to the Apple menu on the top-left and choose Shut Down.
2. Press the power button to start again once the system is switched off.
3. Instantly press and hold the D key while your Mac starts. Let go of the D key and choose your network connection on the screen.Â
Whether you are using a Silicon or Intel-based Mac, follow the steps below.
1. Choose the language on the screen and click I agree or press Return on the keyboard to continue.
Wait for the system to start the diagnostics; that will take 3-5 minutes. Once done, if any issues are detected, they will be displayed on the screen with a reference code that you can search on Google and try resolving by yourself.
If not, note the issue and try contacting Apple customer care for the same.
4. Repair your Mac Disk
Another major reason your Mac might be frozen or stuck on the startup screen is the errors related to your Disk. However, this can be repaired.
Here is how you can do it.
1. Open Disk Utility
You can open Disk Utility on your Mac through the following methods. It depends on whether you are looking for an Apple Silicon or an Intel-based Mac.
Apple Silicon
1. Press and hold the Power button to shut down the Mac if stuck.
2. Now, turn on your Mac. Press and hold the Power button till you see the Startup Options.
3. Choose Options and click on Continue.
Intel-based
1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Press the power button and hold the Command + R to enter Recovery Mode.
Choose the user on the screen and enter your Mac password. In the recovery window, click on Disk Utility.
2. Repair Disk
Now we have entered the Disk Utility; we will be repairing the Disk and checking for any errors that might be causing the frozen issue on your system.
1. Select the Disk you want to repair.
2. Then, click on First Aid at the top.
3. Select Run in the dialog box on the screen.
4. Wait for the system to check for any errors. Once done, you can repeat the same for all the other volumes on your Mac.
After the Disk Repair is completed for all the volumes, you can exit the Recovery Mode by restarting your Mac.
5. Force Quit Apps
If your MacBook is frozen while you are working on a certain app or software, the error could be due to a faulty third-party app. Hence, you need to force quit that particular app or all the apps opened on the system.
Here is how you can do it.
1. Press Option + Command + Esc on the keyboard.
2. Now, choose the app you want to quit.
3. Click on Force Quit.
You can select multiple apps at once or do it multiple times, whichever works best for you.
6. Switch to a Different Browser
Google Chrome is one of the best browsers for your Mac, but it is a highly power-hungry software. Another reason that your Mac might be frozen or unresponsive could be because of such browsers.
Hence, you can either switch to Safari or use other browsers such as Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge. These are relatively safe to use and are highly responsive even while working on heavy tasks.
7. Update macOS
If the error keeps popping up after trying out all the listed solutions, you must update your macOS.
Apple often recognizes such errors and releases necessary updates. Follow the steps below to update your macOS.
1. Go to the Apple menu on your screen’s top-left and choose System Settings.
2. Select General on the left sidebar and open Software Update.
3. Wait for the system to look for updates.
4. If the system detects any pending updates, click on Update Now.
The system will now start updating and will restart once completed.
8. Reinstall macOS
The last option that you can go with is reinstalling your macOS. This might seem like a huge step, but the only method that might work.
For this, we need to use Mac Recovery Mode. Let’s see how you can reinstall macOS.
1. Use macOS Recovery Mode
To enter macOS Recovery, make sure you have a reliable internet connection and shut down your Mac.
For Apple Silicon:
1. Press and hold the Power button to restart.
2. Keep holding till you see the Startup Options on the screen.
3. Select Options and click on Continue.
Choose the user and enter your Mac password to authenticate.
For Intel-based Mac
1. Press the power button to start your Mac.
2. Then, press Command + R until you see a spinning globe or Apple logo on the screen.
3. Choose the user and enter your Mac password to authenticate.
2. Reinstall macOS
Once you have entered the recovery mode, follow the steps below.
1. Choose Reinstall macOS Ventura and click on Continue below.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions and wait for the Mac to complete the installation.
3. Then, enter your Mac’s password and start over again.
Mac Up in the Air
Hopefully, your MacBook Air is no longer frozen. The process is straightforward and involves a few methods that work for almost all. If nothing works, you can either look for updating the system or reinstalling your Mac might do the job.
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