Having problems with your computer? Follow these tips…
Mac error codes
We’ve all seen them. Those irritating error windows that pop up while you’re trying to do something on your Mac are never welcome, but if you know how to read them, they can tell you much about what’s gone wrong.
Error code –36, for example, occurs when copying files, and Error code –500 means that there’s a problem with an App Store download. There’s a great article on error codes and what they mean at https://bit.ly/3xygau9.
Force–quit a misbehaving app
If an app has crashed with the spinning beachball, or simply isn’t behaving as it should, quit it and relaunch. If Cmd+Q doesn’t work (which is highly likely if it’s crashed), click the Apple icon in the top–left corner of your desktop window and select Force Quit. Alternatively, press Cmd+Opt+Esc. From the window that appears, select the app that’s crashed and click the Force Quit button.
How to squash those bugs
macOS and the apps that run on it are very reliable, but given the complexity of today’s software, it’s inevitable that a few bugs will creep in. These bugs are squashed by free updates, so it’s important to keep your apps and macOS up to date with the latest bug fixes. Click on the Apple icon, and if App Store or System Settings is captioned “[X] updates”, select that option and update.
Problems booting your Mac
If your Mac is having trouble booting up, try starting it in Safe Mode. This disables all startup items and third–party design features. If your Mac has an Apple silicon processor, press and hold the power button on your Mac until you see “Loading startup options”. Choose your startup volume, hold the Shift key and click “Continue in Safe Mode”. If it has an Intel processor, restart and press and hold Shift until you see the login window. Log in (maybe twice) and you’ll boot in Safe Mode. Then investigate which app is causing the problem.
