OS X Yosemite Problems Frustrate Users

Josh Smith

Apple released OS X Yosemite for Macs last week, adding new features and connectivity to the iPhone and iPad as part of an update for Apple computers. This impressive update unlocks exciting new features but it also brings a number of OS X Yosemite problems that should make some users think twice about updating, at least until Apple delivers a OS X Yosemite bug fixes.

On October 16th Apple announced the OS X Yosemite release and downloads started later that day. The free OS X Yosemite update runs on old Macs, as far back as 2007, although these older machines don’t get as many features as new computers.

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For months developers and regular users tested OS X Yosemite betas to discover potential problems, bugs and issues. Through this time we saw performance improve and features come to life, but days after the release users report a number or OS X Yosemite problems.

OS X Yosemite problems arrive with the free update for Macs.

OS X Yosemite problems arrive with the free update for Macs.

OS X Yosemite problems include black screens, finder problems, WiFi issues and other troublesome problems that prevent owners from fully using their computers.

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There are ways to downgrade from OS X Yosemite to OS X Mavericks, but unless you have a Time Machine backup and a major problem it is probably not worth it.

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On Apple Support Forums, Reddit and social media users complain about OS X Yosemite problems that range from troublesome to downright showstopping. Here is a look at some of the OS X Yosemite bugs you should know about before upgrading. When possible we’ll share fixes for these problems.

OS X Yosemite blank screens and dark screens are common problems. If you see a dark screen after restarting you can try the solution below.

If you see it when opening the lid on a notebook you can try closing the lid and waiting 30 to 60 seconds and opening it again. These two options should help fix these issues.

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Other similar problems include the Mac taking forever to resume when it goes to sleep or to a screensaver. Printing a calendar that should start on Monday now starts on Tuesday. Creating folders in Launchpad is very challenging, as the image below from reddit user scarlac shows.

OS X Yosemite Problems

 

Spotlight Suggestions deliver a new way to search without opening browser, but suggestions and Bing Searches don’t work if your language and region don’t match. OS X Yosemite thinks users need to install iTunes over and over. Installing iTunes from the web should fix this issue.

The Notification Center supports widgets, but some users cannot add widgets that are not social. Can’t start a phone call from the Mac, even when the Mac rings on an iPhone call.

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Overall OS X Yosemite battery life is good, but some users report troubling battery drains on OS X 10.10.

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https://twitter.com/KevinVSr/status/523652302532775936

OS X Yosemite Bluetooth problems are frustrating users. Some people cannot connect bluetooth speakers on Yosemite and others experience Bluetooth audio lag. Other complaints include stalls, no sound and the system locking up with Bluetooth headphones connected. Resetting PRAM may fix some of these issues.

As far as OS X Yosemite performance goes there are some users complaining about lag. After the update your Mac needs to index files and performance may suffer. This should disappear after using the computer for a few hours or so.

https://twitter.com/roccoiak37/status/523967432038580224

https://twitter.com/LUK3MAN5/status/523576398049734656

https://twitter.com/nilthacker/status/522968879492898817

We are looking for fixes to these OS X Yosemite problems, and hope to deliver help this week. Some problems may need an OS X Yosemite update, which could take some time. Apple delivered the first x.x.1 update to Mavericks in December 2013, but the company seems to be focused on frequent updates, at least on iOS 8.

14 Responses

  1. Dave Reply

    I’m dealing wth frozen screens and non-stop color wheels! Does anyone know how to fix this??

    • Brian Reply

      Same here. One time it crashed my system. Even simply opening different internet pages on Safari will freeze my system for 10-15 seconds at a time. I am running a late 2011 MBP with brand new logic board (CPU, GPU, graphics card), brand new 16GB RAM, brand new battery, brand new Samsung 840 Evo SSD. The machine is about as fast as you can make it. I have always told people the biggest reason I stick to Apple is their operating system. This is the first time I’ve ever regretted upgrading my Apple OS. I tried like hell to go back to Mavericks, but encountered problem restoring my Time Machine backup. This OS is awful!!! *FYI, my system froze briefly while writing this.

  2. Jim Reply

    Mac users need to realize with each release of OSX, the more and more features that are added, the more the OS becomes bloated and makes greater demands on your system. You have to ask yourself whether or not the new features are worth the performance hit. To me, they aren’t. I’m a heavy user of Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, InDesign, and Dreamweaver and I won’t upgrade to either Mavericks or Yosemite because they both impose a big performance hit on my systems (iMac, MacBook Air and Macbook Pro) that I’m not willing to live with.

    The architecture of the latest generation of Macs makes it very difficult to upgrade your equipment internally (such as add memory and change out storage) and it seems they’ve gone back to the closed system concept of the original Macs. Many of us don’t like that and it will influence our future buying decisions.

    Frankly, like many others, I question whether or not the Mac platform will continue to be useful for creative professionals. It’s pretty clear Apple has focused on the consumer market (much larger, so I understand the business decision) at the expense of their professional users. At least we still have Linux and Windows as an alternative as Apple continues to ignore its professional user segment. Me? I think I’m done with Apple’s Macs.

  3. leonwevans Reply

    “As I’ve noted many times, iOS updates are not supposed to bring battery life problems to iPhones or iPads. Typically, bad battery life is caused by third-party apps or users themselves.”

    Sorry I will have to call you out on this one. And your Article about battery life.

    You’ve said iOS updates are not supposed to bring battery life problems but that’s in fact the complete opposite. This is from a business stand point. If Apple releases a new product and wants the public to buy it, you must bring problems to the current devices before the consumer will upgrade – not everyone runs a business and needs to get the latest technology.

    So yes, the updates are suppose to bring problems to current hardware so they can force current users to upgrade.

  4. Niels W. Reply

    After installing Yosemite I can’t open iTunes and all my music is completely gone, i.e. totally vanished. Can’t be found via Spotlight, Finder or in any way way.

    Any suggestions?

    • Michael Hankinson Reply

      I’m ready to just plain retire from trying to use a Mac for music – Logic Pro x – Yosemite – just total lack of compatibility. I’ve wasted days of work and hundreds of pounds trying to get my system working but it’s a disaster. Midi timeout – core midi not initialising crashes, hanging – I think it would be better if it was me hanging ! Sorry I ever moved to Mac. They’re only interested in watches – phones and other consumer crap.Overpriced, unreliable and not fit for purpose any longer.

  5. Patrick De Ganck Reply

    Updated to Yosemite.
    Startup takes forever. Have to logon twice.
    Keyboard is not lighting up until system is fully started up.
    Very slow response on every command such as opening safari and others

    Very very dissapointed

  6. Helmuth Reply

    Many folks experience a major runaway memory leak problem which crashes Mail and blocks the use of other programs, in activtity monitor Mail goes up has high as 60 Gb.Did PRAM rand SMC reset mail rebuild nothing works is major major issue. Also the green, orange and red upper right window buttons are grayed out in all apps and windows. Did safe mode as instructed by Apple computer became very slow and unworkable, when I unplugged the secondary display (Apple thunderbird) speed improved a bit, Mail app started slow, I worked on it and the runaway memory leak came back.
    Also the grayed out green, red and orange upper right window corner remained grayed out in safe mode. It appears thousands of folks have this problem after Yosemite upgrade based on Apple support fora
    no solution offered works except total clean install in some cases but I can not do this. I have had enough of Apple’s disastrous ugrades of OSX and iOS and no apologies and the kids on the chat or phone know zero, they think that activity monitor is a device that needs to be unplugged!

  7. chad Reply

    my programs keep quitting with errors its doing my head in its put me so far behind on work!!
    is anyone else having this problem!

    • Pedro Reply

      I’m having exactly the same problem. My work is very late ‘cuz of that issue. Some programs keeps on quitting after 2min of running. I’ve just bought a new mac for new working quality and now this update, Yosemite, is messing my life around. It’s so frustrating. I tried to downgrade to Mavericks, but it’s very complicated. Someone knows WHEN A NEW VERSION OF YOSEMITE WILL BE RELEASED??

  8. John Reply

    Experiencing a plethora of these issues.

    Connectivity with bluetooth is atrocious after an hour. Lag begins– you’re looking at 5 seconds of lag, at least, to swap songs, turn down volume, etc.

    Moving onto the more intriguing items: apple airplay is abysmal. Stream breaks constantly, every 25 minutes the instability issue arises over and over.

    Battery power is beyond bad. 9 hours to 3 hours huh?? Try 7-9 hours down to 1 hour.

    I’m not even going to explain how horrible load times are to switch users or to even reboot.

    Steve Jobs is turning in his grave, again, and again….

  9. Evonne Reply

    Upgrading to Yosemite really messed up my whole MacBook to the point where I couldn’t launch finder or system preferences (both said I needed to upgrade and it may not be compatible with new OS!!?!?!?)

    I am now reinstalling the whole Yosemite and hopefully it will fix the problem.

  10. Hannah Hewetson Reply

    I have had problems with the mouse jumping all over the place completely independently when I am not touching the computer at all. Watching I player and it was dancing all over the screen. It is also sticky and troublesome when I’m actually trying to use it. Anyone else had this issue?

  11. Paul Reply

    I would like to concur with what Simon & Phoenix Ares both say. Yosemite is a real pig to use, its a beta product at best, its a good job it was free, because it isn’t worth paying for. There are so many fundamental issues, its hard to know where to begin. But the really annoying thing is I can’t revert back to Mavericks, because I use audio software (Ableton Live) which flatly refuses to work on Mavericks. The most annoying issues are, multi-monitor appears to be a real dog’s dinner in its implemenation, launching applications onto a random unexpected screen. Moving windows around, sometimes make the window leap unexpectedly onto the other monitor. Rendering of UI elements is sometimes misplaced, eg click on a drop down, but the drop window is rendered out of line with the host edit box. Font rendering is sometimes very blurry, and sometime appears washed out. Random unexpected freezes, of the whole OS, only recoverable via a reboot. And a really bug bear with me (not unique to Yosemite) is the pathetic attempt to implement full screen. They have made a complete mess of that too. Going into full screen is not consistent between different applications, so you have to rememeber different key sequences for different apps. Why wasnt this implemented at a system level, rather than leave it to be application specific. And then that aweful slow animation entering and leaving full screen that just makes you go dizzy and feel sea-sick. It wouldn’t be so bad if you could turn it off, but oh no, Apple knows best, and doesn’t give us this option. And the list goes on. What are you playing at Apple, this is DISGRACEFUL.

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