It’s very annoying that your Mac shuts down suddenly when you are working on a document or email. The file may be lost or the content may get damaged. It’s even worse if your Mac keeps shutting down every couple of days. Why does it happen? And more importantly, how can you stop your Mac from shutting down automatically?

Imagine this: you’re joining in a meeting, working on an essay, or sending an email, but suddenly find that your Mac shuts down, without giving you any notification. How terrible it is! The Mac random shutdown may lead to huge losses sometimes. Even if it doesn’t, Mac shutting down unexpectedly could be very annoying.

Taking these into consideration, MiniTool Solution – the professional software development company – decides to discuss the main reasons why your Mac keeps shutting down and how to fix the problem properly (MacBook/MacBook Pro/MacBook Air keeps shutting down).

Tip: You’d better back up your Mac with the built-in Time Machine application or a third-party backup tool that works for macOS. If your important files had been already lost, please use Stellar Data Recovery for Mac (jointly designed by MiniTool and Stellar) to restore the lost data ASAP!

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Why Does My Mac Keep Shutting Down

Mac shutting down randomly is a hot topic among users. Do you know what causes the problem? Actually, it’s hard to identify the exact cause. However, there are some factors that are proven to cause Mac random shutdown easily.

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Software Error

If your MacBook Pro shuts down randomly after you have installed some software, it’s very possible that the software error or software conflict should be responsible for the problem.

  • Your operating system may be infected by the software bugs.
  • Two or more specific applications are conflicting with each other.

macOS Not Updated

If your Mac is running an older version of OS or there are some bugs in the update process or Mac settings, it may shut down frequently. You should solve the problem by updating your macOS.

Peripheral Devices Issue

The MacBook Pro turns on then shuts off immediately if any peripheral devices are connected to it, but they are not working properly. You can detect the problem by removing one peripheral device each time.

Virus/malware Infection

If your Mac is attacked by some virus or malware, it may be forcibly shut down frequently. In this case, you need to kill the virus/malware completely to stop Mac from shutting down automatically.

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How to Fix When My Mac Keeps Shutting Down

The random shutdown problem may occur on both Windows and Mac. But the following content will focus on how to fix the problem when MacBook keeps shutting down, MacBook Pro keeps shutting down, or MacBook Air keeps shutting down.

Restart Mac

Restarting computer is always the first and effective way to fix some common problems. When your Mac keeps shutting down, you should also try to fix it by restarting.

  1. Press the power button to turn on your Mac.
  2. Press Command + Option + Esc.
  3. Force quit all the not responding apps.
  4. Click on the Apple menu at the top and select Sleep, Restart, or Shut Down.

Sleep, Restart, or Shut Down

Reset SMC

SMC refers to System Management Controller, which is a chip responsible for the management of battery, thermal, and other components. The steps to reset SMC settings are not all the same; it depends on whether the battery is removable or non-removable.

Reset SMC

How to reset SMC on MacBook with removable battery:

  1. Shut down your MacBook as usual.
  2. Remove the MagSafe power adapter completely and safely.
  3. Remove the battery properly. You can also go to Apple Service Center or Apple Retail Store to ask for help.
  4. Press and hold the power button for a few seconds (about 5 seconds).
  5. Put back the battery and reconnect the adapter.
  6. Press the power button to turn on your MacBook.

How to reset SMC on MacBook with non-removable battery:

  1. Shut down the MacBook.
  2. Press Shift + Control + Option + power simultaneously.
  3. Hold these four keys for about 10 seconds and then release them.
  4. Turn MacBook on by pressing the power button.
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How to reset SMC on Mac desktop computers (iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro, etc.):

  1. Shut down Mac.
  2. Remove the power cord.
  3. Wait for about 15 seconds.
  4. Reconnect the power cord.
  5. Wait for about 5 seconds.
  6. Press the power button to turn it on.

How to reset SMC on Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip:

  1. Shut down Mac.
  2. Press the right Shift key + left Option key + left Control key for about 7 seconds.
  3. Press and hold the power button while holding these three keys for another 7 seconds.
  4. Release all the keys and wait for a while.
  5. Press the power button to turn on Mac.

If this didn’t work, you can also try to reset the PRAM or follow these methods:

  • Check Mac for virus/malware.
  • Keep control of the battery health.
  • Reinstall macOS.
  • Update macOS.
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About The Author

Sarah

Position: Columnist

Sarah has been working as an editor at MiniTool since she graduated from university. Sarah aims at helping users with their computer problems such as disk errors and data loss. She feels a sense of accomplishment to see that users get their issues fixed relying on her articles. Besides, she likes to make friends and listen to music after work.