Mac Spinning Wheel

A colorful spinning wheel is the last thing you’d want to encounter while working on important tasks on your Mac, especially as it can remain on the screen for longer durations.

Before we start:

 

Several issues can lead to your computer displaying the spinning wheel. MacKeeper’s tech experts can help identify underlying issues leading to this problem and assist in getting rid of it.  

 

Follow this approach to use MacKeeper’s Premium services to get rid of the spinning wheel on your M1 MacBook Pro, Air, iMac, or Mac mini:

1. Download and install MacKeeper.
2. Select Premium Services from the sidebar.
3. Use the chat feature to explain the problem in detail and follow any advice from the tech expert.

What is spinning color wheel on Mac?

The spinning wheel goes by many names, including the spinning pizza of death or the spinning wheel of death. A beach-ball-like item characterized by rainbow colors is a system indicator replacing the cursor. Mac’s spinning wheel is a sign or symptom that something is wrong, and it may appear temporarily or be indefinitely until fixed.

What does the rainbow circle mean on Mac?

The spinning wheel on a Mac is a signal that your system is failing to handle all the tasks it is currently running. Think of it as your Mac’s system being overwhelmed and getting stuck as a result. It can appear for a few seconds, minutes, or until you remove it.

What causes the spinning wheel on MacBook?

Mac’s spinning wheel of death is triggered when your apps consume more resources than your macOS device can handle. The processing unit may be overwhelmed by all the processes it’s running. Another cause is insufficient system capacity due to a lack of Mac memory.

Can you get rid of the spinning wheel on Mac without losing work?

Yes, you can remove the spinning beach ball on your Mac without losing your work. Several solutions can help get rid of the spinning wheel without compromising your work.

How to stop spinning wheel on Mac

Try these solutions to cancel the spinning wheel:

1. Check the app status in the Activity Monitor
2. Force close applications
3. Close background programs
4. Reinstall apps and extensions
5. Free up disk space
6. Clean up RAM
7. Decrease CPU usage
8. Restart your Mac
9. Contact Apple support

1. Check the app status in the Activity Monitor

The app you’re using may be consuming a huge amount of resources—learning how to check Mac CPU usage can help you find out if that’s the case. Here’s how to check the app’s status in Activity Monitor:

1. Click on Finder > Applications > Utility > Activity Monitor.
2. Select the CPU tab, find the app on the list, and check its status.

2. Force close applications

Using force quit on Mac can help revive your laptop, so you can continue using it. Here’s how to do it:

1. Click on the Apple menu and pick the Force Quit option.
2. Select the app that isn’t responding in the pop-up window and click Force Quit.

3. Close background programs

Closing background programs can help lighten the load on your Mac’s system. Here’s how:

1. Click on the Apple menu > System Preferences > Users & Groups.
2. Select Login Items, choose an app, and hit the minus (-) icon to prevent it from automatically opening at startup.

4. Reinstall apps and extensions

If your apps and extensions are causing the spinning wheel of death, uninstalling and reinstalling them may fix the problem. Use MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller to do the first part of the job easily, and then install the necessary app again.

5. Free up disk space

A clogged-up disk can cause performance issues, such as causing a spinning beach ball to appear. Learning how to free up space on Mac can stop a constant beach ball from showing up and interrupting your flow.

A note from our experts: 

 

Instead of freeing up disk space manually, consider doing it automatically with MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup software. Not only does it automate the process of creating more room on your disk, but it also does a thorough job than you could ever do.

 

Make a better choice and clean your disk with MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup tool:

1. Download MacKeeper and choose Safe Cleanup from the sidebar, followed by the big, blue Start Scan button.
2. Click on the Clean Junk Files button after the scan is completed.

6. Clean up RAM

If a lack of memory is the root of the spinning wheel problem, learning how to clear RAM on Mac may alleviate it. Follow this approach to free up RAM:

1. Go to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor > Memory.
2. Select a memory-hogging app, hit the X button at the top of the window, and choose either Quit or Force Quit.

7. Decrease CPU usage

Quitting CPU-intensive apps using the Activity Monitor Mac shortcut or the steps below can reduce the amount of resources expended by your device. To reduce CPU usage, do this:

1. Launch Finder and click on Applications > Utility > Activity Monitor > CPU.
2. Select an app from the list, hit the X icon at the top of the window, and choose the Force Quit option.

8. Restart your Mac

Rebooting your desktop computer is always recommended for fixing minor performance issues, such as the spinning wheel of death, as it refreshes the system and resets the SMC. Restart your MacBook like this:

1. Click on the Apple menu and choose Restart.
2. Deselect the Reopen windows when logging back in option and click Restart.

9. Contact Apple Support

When nothing you’ve tried has worked, Apple Support can help you get the problem fixed professionally.

A hint from our team: 

 

Why jump through hoops to get your Mac fixed when you can get expert assistance without having to leave your home or hold the line? MacKeeper’s Premium Services are your answer to quick, dedicated expert assistance for issues such as a spinning beach ball that won’t go away.

 

Give MacKeeper’s Premium Services a try today:

1. Download MacKeeper and install it on your MacBook device.
2. Select Premium Services > Chat Now, and describe what you’re experiencing in the chat box.

A safer way to unlock a frozen Mac

With a few attempts at the solutions listed in our article, you can unfreeze and gain back control of your Mac.

If your MacBook keeps freezing or spinning the wheel regardless, reach out to MacKeeper’s expert team of technicians using the Premium Services feature. Simply provide as much detail about your issue as possible and trust them to work their magic on a spinning wheel of death fix.