7 common macOS Sonoma problems and how to fix them

A perfectly working Mac may behave strangely during or after a software update. So don't worry if you are having problems with macOS Sonoma. Instead, read the following article to learn about common macOS Sonoma problems and how to fix them.

1. macOS Sonoma won't download or update

For some people, the problem may start even before installing macOS Sonoma. If you find that you are unable to update to macOS Sonoma for some reason, it could be due to various factors such as:

1. Poor Internet connection
2. Problem with Apple's download server
3. Lack of storage space
4. Hardware not supported

On the plus side, you can check out these Mac stuck on updates fixes for more details.

2. macOS Sonoma automatically changes the wallpaper

Apple typically adds new wallpapers and screensavers with each major macOS release. However, macOS Sonoma has had a pretty drastic wallpaper change, replacing the lock screen with a video wallpaper of the rolling hills of the Sonoma skyline on all desktops.

While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, Apple has also changed the way you can replace your wallpaper in macOS Sonoma, making this a difficult problem to fix. Here's how to change your wallpaper again:

1. Go to System Settings, scroll down and click Wallpaper on the left sidebar.
2. Choose any of your previous wallpapers.
3. Similarly, select Screen Saver from the sidebar and repeat the same process to change your screensaver again. Also, turn off Show as wallpaper here.

7 common macOS Sonoma problems and how to fix them Picture 1

3. WiFi and Bluetooth connection problems

You may also experience connection issues after the update. For example, your Mac might not connect to WiFi networks you have saved or not pair with your known Bluetooth devices.

In this case, you should restart your Mac. If that doesn't work, you can forget the WiFi SSID and Bluetooth device and try reconnecting them.

For Bluetooth, here's what you should do:

1. Open System Settings and go to Bluetooth from the left menu.

2. Click the Info button (i) next to the problematic Bluetooth device.

7 common macOS Sonoma problems and how to fix them Picture 2

3. Click Forget This Device in the lower left corner of the window and then click Forget Device when the confirmation prompt appears.

4. Re-add the device from the Nearby Devices section to re-pair the device.

4. Freezing and lagging problem

7 common macOS Sonoma problems and how to fix them Picture 3

Some users on Reddit threads have reported unusual lag and freezes after updating their Macs to macOS Sonoma. The main culprit of this problem is an overloaded CPU or GPU.

It's impossible to say for sure why this is happening in macOS Sonoma, but here's what you can do to reduce the load on your CPU:

1. Disconnect an external display on your Mac.
2. Open , click CPU and Stop to stop tasks that are consuming too many resources.
3. Consider clearing some storage space on your Mac.
4. Some users have reported that reducing transparency in accessibility settings helped them. You'll find the Reduce Transparency toggle under System Settings > Accessibility > Display.

5. The app crashes more often than usual

Sometimes, apps, especially third-party apps, may act erratically and sometimes crash after updating to macOS Sonoma. Many users reported such issues with the built-in Safari app on Reddit.

The first thing you should do is restart your Mac, and if the problem persists, check if you're using an older version of macOS Sonoma. If a particular app seems to be giving you trouble, consider updating your Mac apps. There may be a patch that optimizes it according to the nuances of a newer OS version.

And if you still notice apps on your Mac crashing, you can try deleting and reinstalling them to see if that fixes the problem.

6. Battery drains abnormally

7 common macOS Sonoma problems and how to fix them Picture 4

You may also notice that your Mac's battery drains much faster than before.

If you haven't turned off the video wallpaper as the article suggested before, that's also a way to fix this problem. Next, you should restart your Mac and see if its battery life improves. If the problem persists, you may have to look into your Mac's startup applications and remove programs that you consider unnecessary.

And of course, check to see if the new version of macOS Sonoma solves this problem.

You're more likely to encounter optimization issues like these if your Mac is running the beta version of macOS Sonoma. You should not use beta software on your primary work computer.

7. The fan is too hot and loud

Another effect of overworking your Mac is its ability to handle heat. You may notice how loud your fans are and how much heat is radiating from the chassis.

However, this problem is not unique to macOS Sonoma. Immediately after updating the operating system, your Mac needs time (and energy) to index and organize your files for better search. The best thing to do is to leave it alone and put your Mac to sleep while indexing.

If overheating continues after the indexing period, you should review the list of reasons why your Mac fan is loud and address them one by one. Processor-intensive applications and high ambient temperatures are just a few factors that affect fan rotation speed on your Mac.

There's no doubt that macOS Sonoma feels a little less polished than the most recent versions Apple has given us. But with Apple, just a few updates can solve many of the problems reported by its loyal users.

If you simply don't like macOS Sonoma, you can return to macOS Ventura and wait for Apple to fix the bugs with updates over the next few months. Remember that installing the latest software as soon as it becomes available is not ideal if you want to avoid problems.

Micah Soto

Update 02 January 2024