How to Fix Almost Any Mac Problem

by Michael Sitver · July 5

What would you say if I told you that you could fix the majority of Mac OS problems with three easy solutions? Would you call me crazy? Or do you already know? I’ll show you here how to fix the majority of problems.

1. It’s Cliche, but it’s True

“Have you tried turning it off and on?” Those 8 words have haunted generations of new computer users looking for tech support. It sounds stupid, but many people try all of these solutions and new software on their computer and never try it. Turning your computer off and on kills many issues by resetting many aspects of your computer, and for some odd reason it just works. I was working to help someone resolve an issue where a screen wouldn’t connect. Everything looked fine to me, but the screen still wasn’t working. I asked them if they’d turned the computer off and on yet. They hadn’t. Sure enough, when I turned it off and on the screen worked perfectly. Give it a try.

2. PRAM Reset

This is another old piece of magic that’s good for fixing malfunctioning hardware that may not actually broken. For example, I’ve used this to fix batteries. Simply turn the computer off, turn it on while holding CMD+OPT+P+R until you hear the startup chime, and if you hear the second chime, it will have reset. For more detailed instructions, see http://bit.ly/1J5nw4

3. Check your Activity Monitor

Have you ever had a program crash or severely slow down and not respond? If you’ve used a mac for more than a week, you likely have had that happen. To prevent this and protect against slowdowns I always keep activity monitor (Applications-utilities) running. You can see which programs are using up your RAM or Processor and quit unnecessary processes with ease. The best part is that activity monitor allows you to force quit too, so you can close those non-responsive programs too.

There are certainly many much-more-complicated situations out there which can’t be solved by these, but with these three tools at your disposal, you’re in a good position to solve many common issues. Good luck, and have fun with your tech!