How to Fix MacBook Keeps Freezing [Solved]

Are you troubled with MacBook freezes? If yes, you may continue reading this article to learn the most effective solutions to this annoying problem. A MacBook is not just a computer, for many users, it is one of their most premium assets. We often prefer performing heavy-duty tasks on a MacBook for its powerful performance. However, for some users, the MacBook keeps freezing despite having the most power-packed features and specifications.

Do not be disheartened if you are also one of those not-so-fortunate fellows. This article is here to help you bring your frozen Mac back to life.

This write-up brings to light some quick and easy solutions to the MacBook freezing issue.

However, before fixing the frozen Mac screen, let us first understand why it froze in the first place.

If you know the answer to a common question, “why does my Mac keep freezing,” fixing it becomes fairly simple. Hence, let us first focus our attention on the same.

Reasons MacBook Keeps Freezing

The following are the most common causes behind the MacBook Pro/MacBook Air freezing.

• Malware attacks
• Resource-hogging background processes
• Installation of a buggy application
• Corrupted hard disk or SSD
• Junk overload
• Too many active browser tabs

So, these are the most prominent factors resulting in a frozen Mac. Now, it is time to learn how to fix them.

Fixes to MacBook Keeps Freezing Issue

You may execute the following tried and tested solutions to fix the frozen Mac if it keeps on freezing and you can’t click anything/something on the screen.

Fix 1: Quit the unnecessary/non-responding apps forcefully

If too many apps are open unnecessarily or there is some app that is not responding, your MacBook may freeze. Therefore, quitting these applications can help you fix the frozen Mac. The following are the steps you can take to do it.

• You may use the Cmd+Opt+Esc command to launch the tool to Force Quit Applications on Mac.
• Choose the applications you want to close and click on the button to Force Quit them. As an example, we are quitting the VLC media player.

• In the next window, select Force Quit to exit the unwanted applications.

• Check whether your MacBook keeps freezing or the issue is resolved.

Fix 2: Close resource-intensive processes

Your Mac does not need all the background processes. Some of them run unnecessarily and hog up the resources required to use other applications. Hence, you may follow these directions to close these processes and fix the frozen MacBook Pro.

• Navigate to Applications on your Mac.
• Select Utilities and choose the Activity Monitor. 

• Try to spot the applications with high CPU usage. If you find any such application, click on it twice.
• Click on the option to Quit it.

• Select the Quit option. If the Quit option does not work, perform the above steps again, but choose to Force Quit the process.

• If your MacBook still keeps freezing, jump to the next solution.

Fix 3: Uninstall the recently installed application

If you have installed some application recently, it is possible that the app is buggy and leads to the MacBook freezing issue. Thus, uninstalling the app can most likely help you solve the problem. You can follow the below step-by-step instructions to do it.

• Go to your Mac’s Applications. 
• View the applications as a list.

• Right-click anywhere on the name bar.
• Choose Date Added from the available options.
• Now, right-click on the possibly buggy application (after installing it your MacBook keeps freezing) and choose the option to Move to Trash/Move to Bin. 

• Input your login credentials, if required.
• After uninstalling the application, ensure your Mac is working fine, or you need more solutions to fix the frozen Mac screen.

Fix 4: Ensure your hard disk/SSD is not corrupted

We agree Mac is among the most powerful computers. But, it is not immune to problems like a corrupted SSD or hard disk. Disk corruption can also cause the MacBook to freeze. Therefore, you should check your disk by following these directions.

• Open the Applications on your Mac.
• Launch the Utilities folder.

• Select Disk Utility to start it.
• Choose the First Aid option to proceed to the next step of disk checking.
• Click on the Run button to begin the first aid of your disk.

• Continue with first aid so that your Mac can find and fix the problems.

Fix 5: Clean the accumulated junk

Junk accumulation is a menace to your Mac’s performance. It eats crucial resources unnecessarily and is one of the major reasons your MacBook Air keeps freezing. Therefore, you may use the best Mac cleaner applications to get rid of junk, such as app cache, etc.

Fix 6: Close the unneeded browser tabs

If you have too many browser tabs open, it may also lead to a frozen Mac. Therefore, close the tabs that you do not need to save resources and make your device perform smoothly.

Fix 7: Perform a virus scan

Viruses and other malware can make their way into your Mac through various sources, such as email attachments, and freeze your MacBook. Hence, running an antivirus scan is a good idea to solve the problem. We have reviewed a software called MacKeeper which is great at making your Mac malware-free.

Fix 8: Try resetting your device’s NVRAM

Sometimes, resetting the non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) also fixes complex problems like MacBook freezing. Hence, if your device keeps running into such issues, you may perform these steps to reset NVRAM.  Note: The below steps may work only on Intel Macs. The newer Mac devices with an M1 chip do not actually allow an NVRAM reset.

• Get your Mac restarted.
• Press and hold the keys Cmd, Opt, P, and R at the same time and wait for the gray screen to appear.

• Keep holding these keys until your device restarts and you listen to the startup sound for the second time.
• After completing the above process, release the keys.
• Check whether this solution worked or not. If it did not work, proceed to the next one.

Also Read – Best Mac Disk Repair Software in 2022

Fix 9: Try resetting the SMC of your Mac

If the NVRAM reset did not work, you may try resetting the SMC to fix the frozen Mac screen. Below is the direction to do it.  Note: Like NVRAM, SMC reset also applies only to Intel Macs. Mac devices with an M1 chip do not let users perform it.

• Shut down the device and disconnect everything except power.
• Press and hold the left side’s Ctrl, Shift, and Opt buttons for ten seconds.
• Release all these keys and the power button simultaneously.
• Power on your Mac.

MacBook Keeps Freezing: Fixed

This article attempted to answer the question, “why is my MacBook frozen” and helped you fix it. You may apply the above-mentioned solutions one after the other to arrive at the most effective solution in your case.  If you know a better way to fix the MacBook keeps freezing issue or have any questions/suggestions, we would be happy to receive them in the comments section.  In case you need help with other tech problems, software recommendations, or other technology updates, continue exploring with the FirmsExplorer blog. We will see you with another tech article soon, until then, we wish you a great experience with your Mac.