Fix Library

Common Mac problems,
clearly solved

Expert, first-hand guides — the exact checks and fixes for what's actually wrong with your Mac.

Performance 6

PerformanceGames stuttering or dropping frames on your Mac?Choppy games and low FPS on a Mac are usually heat, background apps, or Game Mode being off — not weak hardware. How to find which, and the exact fix.Performancecom.apple.WebKit.WebContent is eating your Mac. Here's what it actually isThat WebKitWebContent process in Activity Monitor is the thing that draws web pages inside Safari. High CPU or memory means one page, extension, or a stuck process — here's how to tell which, and the fix.PerformanceChrome is eating your Mac's memory. Here's whyChrome runs every tab, site, and extension as its own little program — that's why it multiplies memory. How to find the one tab responsible, and the settings that actually help.PerformanceYour Mac's swap is huge. Here's what that meansHigh “Swap Used” in Activity Monitor means your Mac ran out of memory and started using the drive as overflow. Small swap is normal; gigabytes means one of three things — and each has a fix.PerformanceWhy is my Mac so slow?A slow Mac is almost never just old — it's usually one specific thing eating processor, memory, or disk. How to find which — and the exact fix for each.PerformanceMacBook running hot with the fans roaring?A hot MacBook with loud fans almost always means one process is overworking the chip, or heat can't escape. How to find which — and the exact fix.

Storage 2

Storage“Purgeable” space eating your disk?Your Mac's disk is full but your files don't add up, and a chunk shows as “purgeable” or “System Data.” It's usually local Time Machine snapshots. How to see them and clear them safely.StorageMac storage is fullYour Mac says the disk is full but your own files don't add up. Here's how to find where the space really went — including the mysterious “System Data” — and get it back safely.

Power 2

PowerMacBook waking from sleep on its own?A Mac that wakes itself up — draining battery in your bag or lighting up overnight — is almost always a Bluetooth device or network activity. How to read the wake log and stop it.PowerMac shutting down or restarting by itself?A Mac that powers off or restarts on its own is almost always heat, power, or one crashing program. How to find which — and the exact fix for each.

Network 3

NetworkConnected to Wi-Fi, but nothing loads?Your Mac says it's connected and no page will open. Four commands find exactly which link in the chain is broken — your Mac, the router, the internet, or the name lookup — and each has a different fix.NetworkDNS is not working on your Mac. Pages fail while the connection looks fine.When DNS fails, your Mac is online but cannot turn website names into addresses. Learn the one test that proves it, and the causes worth checking in order.NetworkMac Wi-Fi keeps dropping or crawling?Wi-Fi that drops or crawls on a Mac is almost always a weak signal, a slow website lookup, or a stale setting. How to find which — and the exact fix.

Apps 6

AppsChrome keeps crashing on your Mac. The crash evidence can tell you whySeparate Chrome tab crashes, freezes, and full app crashes. Check local crash reports, memory pressure, enabled extensions, profiles, and graphics acceleration.AppsCreative Cloud keeps asking you to sign in. Here is what to check.When Creative Cloud will not stay signed in on a Mac, the cause is usually a saved credential, a blocked connection, or a wrong clock. Learn how to tell which.AppsFinder keeps crashing or relaunching. Here is what to check.Finder quitting and reappearing usually means it cannot read something: an add-on, a stalled drive, or saved view settings. Learn how to tell which, in order.AppsSafari keeps crashing or quitting unexpectedly?Safari quitting the moment you open it, or crashing on one site, is almost always a bad extension, a full cache, or a stuck page. How to find which — and the fix.AppsApple Mail keeps crashing or quitting?Mail quitting the moment you open it, or crashing on one message, is almost always a corrupt index, a bad message, or an old plugin. How to find which — and the fix.AppsInDesign, Photoshop or Illustrator won't open after macOS Tahoe?Adobe apps that hang on launch after upgrading to macOS Tahoe are usually stale preferences, not a broken install. Four checks, in order, starting with the cheapest.

Security 1

SecurityIs my Mac secure?Five checks, all built into macOS, that tell you whether your Mac is protected — and what to look at instead of antivirus, because that's not where the real risk is.

Updates 1

UpdatesMicrosoft AutoUpdate keeps popping up (or won't finish)?The Microsoft AutoUpdate window that keeps opening on your Mac — or gets stuck checking for updates — is a setting, not a fault. How to quiet it, fix it when it's stuck, or remove it cleanly.

Processes 5

Processesmdworker_shared is using high CPU. Which file is Spotlight stuck on?mdworker_shared reads individual files so Spotlight can index them. Learn when the load is ordinary indexing and when one file or plug-in is causing it to repeat.Processesphotoanalysisd is using high CPU. Is Photos still analyzing your library?photoanalysisd scans your Photos library for faces, scenes and Memories. Learn when high CPU is expected, when it looks stuck, and what to check before changing anything.ProcessesWindowServer is using lots of memory. The cause is usually on screenWindowServer draws everything on your Mac's displays. Diagnose high memory using display load, open windows, screen sharing, memory pressure, and changes over time.ProcessesThe bird process is using high CPU. Is iCloud syncing or stuck?bird is tied to iCloud Drive syncing on your Mac. Learn when its CPU use is expected, what stalled syncing looks like, and what Noah can inspect.Processesmds_stores is using high CPU. Is Spotlight busy or stuck?mds_stores powers the Mac's Spotlight index. Learn when high CPU is normal, when indexing may be stuck, and what to check before rebuilding it.

Errors 1

ErrorsFinder error -36 means the copy hit an I/O failure. Find out whereMac error -36 is an input/output error during a file copy or move. Isolate the file or disk causing it before trying dot_clean, First Aid, or a reformat.

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