You are trying to complete an assignment or a very important task…halfway through it, your MacBook suddenly goes off.
Worse still, you were working offline and ended up losing significant progress.
Even if you are simply watching a movie, it is not a good sign for your computer to suddenly go off. It means that there is some cause for concern.
This article will review the possible reasons why your PC suddenly shuts down and ways to fix it and prevent it from happening again.
Possible Reasons Your Mac May Suddenly Shutdown
Before figuring out how to fix the problem of your MacBook suddenly shutting down, it is essential to understand why this is happening.
Identifying the possible reasons will help you understand the necessary measures to take in fixing or preventing the issue.
Some possible reasons your MacBook is shutting down include the following:
Problematic or Malicious Applications
Despite the common misconception that Macs can’t get viruses, they do. Viruses can cause a Mac to shut down abruptly. It may be that the malware needs the computer to shut down in other to complete a process.
There is also the possibility that the background activity of the malicious app is impeding the performance of the computer.
Alternatively, it may be that a regular application downloaded from an external source (because it is not available on Apple App Store) is responsible. This may not be a virus and may not involve any malicious function.
In case Mac users suspect that an application is responsible for the abrupt shutting down, they should take essential security measures.
It’s simple enough to teach yourself how to check for viruses on Mac devices and complete a thorough scan. If the issue is a problematic app that is not a virus, it is best to uninstall it and look for alternatives.
Connection of Peripheral Devices
It is common practice for people to connect external devices to their computers for data transfer.
What they fail to realize is that every peripheral isn’t compatible with Mac devices. Some of these external accessories maybe even be corruptible.
One sure way to ascertain if an external component is the cause is to notice whether your PC usually shuts down after you connect this device.
If this is the case, then the external hard drive, flash drive, or data transfer cord is either bad or does not work well with your computer.
Outdated Version of macOS
The operating system of your MacBook is vital to its performance, of course. Apple constantly upgrades it to meet security and performance standards. For various reasons, many people tend to ignore completing their macOS update.
Failure to do so may result in poor performance on your computer. The PC might lag terribly as it cannot efficiently process commands.
If the load becomes too much, the Apple MacBook might automatically shut down or restart to prevent a hard drive or system crash.
Hardware Problems
Sometimes, the problem may not be the software or anything related to applications. Hardware issues like a faulty connection may be responsible for a MacBook abruptly shutting down.
For example, the charger may be connected, but the battery is not charging. While this may keep the Mac on, it is not recharging the backup power supply.
Unplugging the charger may cause the PC to go off. It is also possible that the battery has developed a defect and can no longer serve its purpose.
Speaking of hardware, overheating can also cause this issue. Perhaps the ventilation system is blocked and the cooling fans cannot work well.
How to Fix and Prevent Mac From Shutting Down Randomly
There are several ways to fix the concern of a MacBook shutting down. Even better, some of these solutions will prevent this issue from reoccurring.
Some of the solutions include the following:
- Upgrade your macOS to the latest version compatible with your device
- Properly shut down your MacBook
- Turn on your computer in safe mode to repair corrupt files
- Scan for and remove any malware plaguing your Mac
- Uninstall problematic apps from your computer
- Avoid connecting faulty and incompatible peripheral devices
- Clean up the ventilation system to prevent overheating
- Reconnect, repair, and change faulty batteries.
Conclusion
The MacBook is a very efficient device that should not normally shut down abruptly. You can use the information in this article to ascertain the possible reasons for this issue.
You can also take necessary steps not just to fix it, but also to prevent the problem from reoccuring.
