[2024] Mac Stuck on Loading Screen after Sonoma Update? - 8 Fixes

It's a common issue for a Mac to become stuck on the loading screen after an update or reset. Many Apple users have encountered this problem at work or in their daily lives.

This can be troublesome, especially when you're working on important documents.

So, how can you fix the Mac stuck on the loading screen issue? Is there a simple and effective solution? The answer is yes. In this article, you will discover 8 methods. Keep reading!

Why Is Your Mac Stuck on Loading Screen?

There are many potential reasons why your Mac might become stuck on the loading screen. However, these reasons generally fall into two main categories: software and hardware problems.

To troubleshoot why your Mac is stuck on the loading screen, you can investigate the specific issues within these two categories. Below is a list of common reasons why Mac users encounter this issue:

• Update Failure
• Outdated macOS System
• Peripheral Devices Issues
• Damaged Hard Drive
• Malware and Virus
• Hardware Damage

How to Fix Mac Stuck on Loading Screen

Now that you know the possible reasons why your Mac gets stuck on the loading screen, let's learn some practical solutions.

1. Reboot Your Mac

Rebooting your Mac is one of the easiest and most convenient things to try. This can resolve most occasional errors and better avoid data loss.

It's worth noting that if your Mac gets stuck on the loading screen after an update, just be patient at first. Updating can take a long time.

But if your Mac is still stuck on the loading screen after waiting an hour or two for the update, try rebooting your Mac. And if that doesn't work, try the following methods.

2. Reconnect Peripherals

Problems with peripheral devices can also affect your Mac performance. If rebooting doesn't work, try to disconnect all peripheral devices (mouse, keyboard, printer, external hard drive, etc.).

Follow the steps below to find out if peripherals are the cause of your Mac getting stuck on the loading screen:

1. Turn your Mac off.
2. Disconnect all peripheral devices.
3. Reboot the Mac to see if your Mac is still stuck on the loading screen.
4. If your Mac is still stuck on the loading screen, skip to other solutions.

3. Boot Your Mac in Safe Mode

Booting your Mac in Safe Mode can help you identify if the problem you're experiencing is caused by software that loads when your Mac starts. The way you enter recovery mode varies from chip to chip.

So you'll need to know whether your Mac has an Apple chip or an Intel chip. Check what type of Mac you have via About This Mac. Once you know your Mac's chip, follow the tutorial below:

For a Mac with an Apple chip:

1. Turn your Mac off and wait until it is fully powered off.
2. Press and hold the Power button on your Mac until “Loading startup options” appear.
3. Select a volume.
4. Press and hold the Shift key and click Continue in Safe Mode.

Your computer will automatically restart. When the login window appears, you will see Safe Boot in the menu bar.

For a Mac with an Intel chip:

1. Boot or reboot your Mac, then immediately press and hold the Shift key until the login window appears.
2. Log in to your Mac.
3. You may need to log in again.

In the menu bar of the first or second login window, you should see Safe Boot.

4. Reset the SMC

SMC (System Management Controller) resetting can resolve certain unexpected power or thermal management uncommon issues. Actually, it is more suitable for Intel-based Mac computers to solve power-related issues. So if you are an Intel-based Mac user, you can turn to the detailed tutorial.

5. Reboot in Recovery Mode

macOS Recovery is the built-in recovery system on your Mac. Accessing to recovery mode varies from Mac chip to chip. Before you put your Mac into recovery mode, please turn off your Mac first. Then follow the steps below:

For a Mac with Apple Silicon:

1. Press and hold the Power button until you see the startup options.
2. Click Options＞Continue.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions if you're asked to select a user you know the password for.

For a Mac with Intel Silicon:

1. Press the Power button, then release the Power button and immediately press and hold both Command+R until you see an apple logo or spinning globe.

2. Follow the on-screen instructions if you're asked to select a user you know the password for.

6. Repair Your Mac Disk Using Disk Utility

Disk Utility finds and fixes errors related to the format and directory structure of your Mac's disk. Errors can cause unexpected behavior when using your Mac, and major errors can even cause a Mac to fail to boot completely.

Here is how to repair your Mac disk with Disk Utility:

1. Enter your Mac into recovery mode.
2. Click Options＞Continue＞Disk Utility＞Continue.
3. Click First Aid ＞Run. (Repair volumes, then containers, then disks.)

7. Reinstall macOS

As we mentioned before, your Mac may get stuck on the loading screen of a system issue. Whether the system is outdated or corrupted, you can fix the problem by reinstalling macOS.

However, it's worth noting that as your computer is now stuck on the loading screen, you will need to enter your Mac into recovery mode to do this. We've already mentioned how to enter recovery mode above, so here just skip it.

Follow the steps below to reinstall macOS:

1. Reboot your Mac from recovery mode.
2. Select the option to reinstall macOS.
3. Click Continue and follow the on-screen instructions.

8. Turn to the Apple Support Center for Help

If all the methods fail to get you out of the loading screen, then there may be a hardware issue with your Mac. Thinking about whether you have dropped or broken your Mac recently. The hardware issue is hard to solve on your own, so just turn to the Apple Support Center for help.

Extra Tips about Mac Stuck on Loading Screen

Besides the 8 detailed solutions we mentioned above, you can also fix the loading screen by checking and cleaning malware and viruses, resetting NVRAM/PRAM, downgrading macOS, etc.

Mac stuck on the loading screen may also be led by system junk accumulated with time. Having a thorough cleaning for your Mac contributes a lot to great Mac performance and reduces the frequency of your Mac stuck on the loading screen, Mac freezes, etc.

Pick one professional Mac cleaner to do it! BuhoCleaner is one of the most powerful Mac cleaners. It focuses on cleaning your Mac and monitoring as well as maintaining your Mac's performance. Free download it and have a try!

Conclusion

In this post, 8 practical solutions are introduced in detail for you. Hope at least one of them helps you get out of the loading screen. Combining with your actual situation and practicing the proper method with your Mac. Just do it.