Falls Technology ServicesMacs are reliable, but they slow down and occasionally refuse to start like any computer. The usual causes are easy to check.
If it's slow
- Check free space: Apple menu, System Settings, General, Storage. A nearly full drive slows everything down
- Open Activity Monitor and look for one app using most of the CPU or memory
- Too many apps opening at login: System Settings, General, Login Items
- Install pending macOS and app updates, then restart
- An older Mac with a spinning hard drive: replacing it with an SSD can make it feel new
If it won't start
- Nothing at all: try a different charger and outlet, and for a laptop leave it charging for half an hour
- A folder with a question mark: the Mac can't find its startup disk. The drive may have failed or the system needs reinstalling
- Stuck on the Apple logo or progress bar: try starting in Safe Mode (the steps differ between Apple silicon and Intel Macs; Apple's support site shows both)
- macOS Recovery has Disk Utility, which can check and repair the startup disk
Before anything drastic
If the Mac still starts, back up first, with Time Machine or by copying your files to an external drive. Reinstalling or erasing should never be the first step.
We repair Macs as well as Windows computers: drives, batteries, keyboards and screens, and getting your files off one that won't start.
Need a hand?
More about our computer and laptop repair help. Or tell us what's going on and we'll tell you what it takes before we start.
Send us a message or call (208) 745-2981, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.