iMac Shuts Down Randomly: How to Fix It

Did your iMac suddenly shut down while doing your regular tasks for the day? Once or twice and it must have been just a glitch. However, if this has happened on multiple occasions, it might be time to inspect your iMac for any underlying problems. There are some troubleshooting steps that you can take to check what might be causing your iMac to shut down randomly. Here are some things you can do to fix this issue.

iMac Shuts Down Randomly? Do This:

Check the Power Connection of Your iMac

Is your iMac powered up properly? Check all the electrical connections in your iMac as well as the electrical outlet. It’s possible that your iMac is working just fine but your electrical outlet isn’t. To check, try connecting another electric device to the same electrical outlet. If it doesn’t turn on, then you know that the electrical outlet is the problem. However, if it does, the next step is to check your iMac and its connections.

Obviously, your iMac gets power from the power socket. Check the cables that you’re using to plug your iMac into an electrical outlet. The cables and connectors you’re using might have some visible damages that you haven’t noticed before. If they do, you’ll have to replace them and check if your iMac faces the same issue again. Also, make sure that both ends of the cables are firmly plugged. If they are loose, they might be causing the issue of your iMac randomly shutting down.

Inspect Your iMac’s Ventilation

As with all engines, they heat up over time while running. The same also applies to devices like your iMac. Fans and vents are installed to help cool down the internal parts of your iMac. Through this, your device would be able to perform at its optimal condition. However, if they overheat, it’s possible for your iMac to shut down to prevent damaging its internal parts for good.

Consequently, you should check if your iMac’s ventilation is still clear and working properly. This is how to inspect it the right way:

1. Spot the vents of your iMac. They’re located along the bottom edge of the screen. There are also vents located on the back of your iMac.
2. While your iMac is still on, place your hand across the vents. Do you feel any air blowing out of the vents? Here are some scenarios:
3. You can’t feel any air blowing out of the vents. This means that the fans inside your iMac may not be working properly. Hence, it’s overheating, which might be causing your iMac to shut down randomly. Bring your iMac to a Genius Bar and have it checked and fixed.
4. You can feel some air blowing out of the vents but it seems pretty weak. If that’s the case, then the problem probably lies in the state of the fans. It’s working but there might be some built-up dirt or debris that’s causing it to slow down. At this rate, your iMac is not getting cooled down as fast as it should. Consider having your iMac cleaned inside and out.
5. You can feel air blowing out of the vents and it feels normal. If it’s not a hardware issue, you’ll have to consider that there might an underlying software problem. Now, there are different software fixes depending on the actual software problem. So you’ll have to investigate all the apps in your iMac.

Update or Reinstall macOS

Should it be a software issue, you can first check all the apps you’re using in your iMac. Are there any apps that you recently installed prior to your iMac acting up? Try removing these apps from your device and check if it solves the issue. If it doesn’t, try checking for macOS updates. It might just be a bug that the latest macOS can fix. However, if your iMac still randomly shuts down, you can try reinstalling macOS.

Before reinstallation, make sure to back up all your data. This is because the reinstallation of macOS will erase all programs and files on your iMac. After you’ve had your data backed up, this is how to reinstall macOS on your iMac:

1. Located on the upper left corner of your screen, click on the Apple Menu and select Restart.
2. Right after your iMac reboots, press and hold Command + R. Release the keys when you see the Apple logo appear on your screen.
3. Choose Reinstall macOS. A window will prompt you to select Continue.
4. The setup of macOS will start. Click on Continue.
5. A window will ask you to accept the Terms of Service. Select Agree.
6. A follow-up confirmation of the acceptance of the Terms of Service will appear. Select Agree.
7. Select the drive you wish to install macOS in. After this, click on Install.
8. Installation of macOS will begin after this and may take some time. Your iMac will also restart during the installation process. After installation, you can now log into your iMac again. Check to see if the reinstallation fixed the problem.

If these fixes still won’t work, it might be high time to seek the help of a professional. Set up an appointment with a Genius Bar and have your iMac checked by the experts. They should be able to help you find what’s causing the issue and solve your problem. There might be a deeper issue in your iMac that only a professional can fix.

Featured Photo by bongkarn thanyakij from Pexels