Common macOS Sonoma Problems & How to Fix Them

Apple’s latest macOS Sonoma update is causing problems for some Mac users and we’ll show you how to fix some of the most common issues.

Common macOS Sonoma problems include connectivity issues abnormal battery drain, UI lag, issues with first and third-party apps, Bluetooth problems, and an assortment of bugs and other performance issues.

While some issues may require a fix from Apple in an upcoming macOS Sonoma software update, a chat with customer service, or a visit to your local Apple Store, you might be able to fix others on your own in just a few minutes.

In this guide we’ll provide you with fixes that have worked wonders for us in the past and they could potentially help alleviate the macOS Sonoma problems you’re experiencing on your Mac.

Fix macOS Sonoma Download Problems

If you’re having trouble downloading macOS Sonoma, you’ll want to check your internet connection, especially if the download is going slower than you think it should.

Try plugging an ethernet cable into your Mac (if you have an ethernet adapter) to download the update. This can solve download issues and speed up slow downloads.

If you can’t plug in an ethernet cable or download problems persist, try restarting your router and/or your Mac. You can also try pausing and restarting the download.

Fix macOS Sonoma Installation Problems

If you’re having issues installing macOS Sonoma, make sure your Mac is compatible with the operating system. If it’s not, you won’t be able to install the software. You can check and see if your Mac is compatible right here.

If the download completes, but you aren’t prompted to install the software on your Mac, head into your Mac’s Applications folder and look for the installation file. Double-click the file and the software should start installing on your computer.

Fix macOS Sonoma Battery Life Problems

If your Mac’s battery life is draining faster than you think it should be, check out our list of fixes for macOS Sonoma battery drain problems.

Fix macOS Sonoma WiFi Issues

If you’re having problems with WiFi connectivity, click on WiFi in the menu bar and turn it off. Wait for 10-15 seconds and turn it back on.

If you’re still seeing issues, see if you can connect to another WiFi network. If your other devices can connect to the network that your Mac is unable to, try restarting your Mac and router.

Fix macOS Sonoma AirDrop Problems

If AirDrop stops working on your Mac, try toggling it off and back on. You can do that from Control Center in the top right corner.

You might try switching between Contacts Only and Everyone. You can also toggle these back and forth from the Control Center.

Another option is to “Force Quit” Finder. You can do this by holding Option (or Alt), Command, and Esc (Escape) at the same time. A menu will popup and you’ll want to click Finder and then click Force Quit.

You can also try restarting your Mac.

Fix macOS Sonoma Bluetooth Problems

If Bluetooth connectivity on your Mac is struggling after the move to macOS Sonoma, try turning Bluetooth off and on.

To do this, find the Bluetooth icon in the top right corner. Toggle it off, wait a few seconds, and then toggle it back on.

If that doesn’t work, try unpairing the Bluetooth device from your Mac:

1. Click on the Bluetooth icon in upper right area of your screen
2. Click Bluetooth Settings
3. Click on the gray “i” icon
4. Click Forget This Device
5. Pair the device to your Mac

You can also access your Bluetooth connections via the Settings app. The Settings app is the application with the gear icon.

If you can’t get Bluetooth to work at all, you may need to delete the plist file for Bluetooth:

1. Go into Finder
2. Click on Macintosh HD
3. Click Library
4. Scroll down and go into the Preferences folder
5. Find a file called ‘com.apple.Bluetooth.plist’
6. Delete this file or move it somewhere safe
7. Reboot your Mac and try reconnecting

Apple also suggests restarting your Mac and creating another user to see if Bluetooth works for a new user. If it doesn’t, it may be a sign of a larger problem.

In that case, you’ll need to contact Apple customer service.

How to Fix macOS Sonoma App Issues

If an app stops working properly after moving to the latest software, check the App Store for an update. Developers are rolling out support updates for their apps and they should help to stabilize the app’s performance.

If you’re still having issues, try restarting your Mac. If that doesn’t help, you can also try deleting the app and downloading it again.

If you can’t fix the issue yourself, get in contact with the app’s developer and see if it knows about the issue. If it does, it might have a manual fix or an ETA for an update that will address the issue.

How to Fix macOS Sonoma Performance

If start noticing a lot of lag after the move to macOS Sonoma, try restarting your Mac.

If you’re experiencing lag within a particular app, try installing the latest update. Some updates may include optimizations for macOS Sonoma.

If your Mac is still slow, you may need to do a clean installation. A clean install could have a tremendous impact on your Mac’s performance.

If your MacBook is constantly locking up on macOS Sonoma, you should be able to fix the issue in seconds. Check out our guide, it will walk you through the steps you need to take.

How to Fix macOS Sonoma FaceTime Issues

If you start having trouble making or receiving FaceTime calls on your Mac, make sure Apple isn’t having service issues. If FaceTime has a green symbol next to it, the issues are likely on your end.

Next, make sure your Mac is properly connected to Wi-Fi or a hotspot. If it is, make sure FaceTime isn’t turned off. You can check by heading into the FaceTime app and clicking ‘FaceTime’ in the upper left hand corner of the screen.

If FaceTime is on, and you’re connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network, try restarting your Mac.

How to Fix macOS Sonoma Touch ID Problems

If you own a Mac with Touch ID, and Touch ID isn’t working, try updating your fingerprint. Head into the System Settings and go through the setup process.

If re-adding your fingerprint doesn’t work, you’ll need to reset your Mac’s SMC.

Downgrade From macOS Sonoma

If you can’t fix your issue(s), and you can’t wait for the next version of macOS Sonoma, you can try downgrading to older macOS software. This could help improve your Mac’s performance.

If you don’t know how to downgrade your Mac’s software, take a look at our walkthrough. Note that unlike the iOS downgrade process, the macOS downgrade process is always available.

Install macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 for Better Security

> 1 / 14

If security is important to you, think about installing Apple's macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 update right away. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 includes two security patches and these will help protect your device and it data from harm.  You'll also get patches from updates you missed when you upgrade to macOS Sonoma 14.4.1. macOS Sonoma 14.4 brought 50+ security updates to compatible Mac devices. The update also delivered quantum security protection for iMessage. Apple says the upgrade gives iMessage "the strongest security properties of any at-scale messaging protocol in the world." Apple's macOS Sonoma 14.3 update brought 16 new security patches to Mac. These will help keep your device and its data protected from harm.  macOS Sonoma 14.2.1 featured one security patch and it fixed an issue where a user who shares their screen may unintentionally share the incorrect content. macOS Sonoma 14.2 included a whopping 20 security patches for your Mac. If you want to learn more about them, head here. The software also included iMessage Contact Key Verification which improves the security of iMessage. macOS Sonoma 14.1.2 delivered two security patches, both related to WebKit. These patches were extremely important. macOS Sonoma 14.1 had numerous security patches on board and they addressed issues with Photos, Safari, Siri and more. You can learn more about them over at Apple. macOS Sonoma 14.0, the first version of macOS Sonoma, brought a ton of new security patches to Mac. And when we say a ton, we mean a ton.  It delivered over 50 security updates to Mac users. You can learn more about the particulars over on Apple's security site. In addition to the patches, macOS Sonoma brings additional enhancements to privacy and security including improvements to Communication Safety beyond Messages. It now includes content sent and received in the systemwide photo picker and third-party apps. You also have an option to blur out sensitive photos and videos before you choose to view them. There's also an expanded Lockdown Mode which will help protect you against cyber attacks and improved sharing permissions which means you have more control over what you share with the apps on your device.  If you skipped older versions of macOS, you'll get the security patches from those updates with your macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 update.

> 1 / 14