Choose the Startup Disk option in the warning window. Then click Target Disk Mode button, when the computer has started up, a disk icon appears on the desktop of the other Mac. Access the disk and got to /Users/username location, to delete some files. When your mac storage space is not enough. Of course, we can use external disks to extend computer storage, but usually we use external disks to back up time machines. A macbook with two external disks will make everything even heavier. So I prefer to free up the startup disk storage space on macOS. With some tricks, we can always keep enough. Dec 16, 2020 Choose Apple menu About This Mac and then click Storage. Each segment of the bar is an estimate of the storage space used by a category of files. Move your pointer over each segment for more detail. Click the Manage button to open the Storage Management window, pictured below. What to Do When a Macbook Says Not Enough Space on Startup. The MacBook, a type of laptop computer manufactured by Apple generally has ample hard drive space for most users. However, in this age.
Summary:
Is your MacBook stuck on the loading screen?
Here are some effective solutions to fix the MacBook stuck on the Apple logo with a loading bar. Also, we will learn how to boost Mac performance & recover wasted storage space.
Most Mac users have reported encountering Mac stuck on the loading screen, which seems to be a common issue. If you, too, are facing a similar problem, you've come to the right place.
This post will discuss the solution to fix the iMac, MacBook or Mac stuck on the loading bar screen.
Whether you encounter the message after updating macOS or starting up, we've got it covered.
Note: The following fixes work on macOS Catalina, Mojave, High Sierra, and a few older macOS X.
Before learning the fixes, let's understand the reasons for the MacBook stuck on the loading bar.
Causes for Mac stuck with Apple on the startup screen
When you boot Mac, a screen with an Apple logo appears; after that, the startup disk files are read. The loading bar that you see is the indication for the same. However, when something goes wrong, incompatible updates are downloaded and installed, or the file system is being corrupted, the progress bar freezes. To fix this issue, we need to perform different actions.
Hence, for your convenience, we have listed all of them here.
How To Resolve iMac, MacBook & Mac Stuck On Loading Screen With Apple Logo
You are not the only one facing the issue. There are others, too, and they are seeking help via forums. Here's a list of common questions.
- After installing macOS Catalina, my iMac progress bar gets stuck at 100%. How to resolve it?
- iMac running Mojave gets stuck on the loading screen with the Apple logo.
- After updating the OS, unable to load MacBook Pro, etc.
So, this is a list of common issues related to Mac being stuck on the login screen. Now, if you face any of this, follow the fantastic and excellent solutions listed below:
Quickest Way to Fix MacBook Pro Stuck on Loading Screen
There are several reasons due to which MacBook gets stuck with the loading bar. This can be resolved by resetting SMC, booting Mac in Safe Mode, repairing disk permission, resetting NVRAM, and more. All of which is explained below.
However, if you are short on time and are looking for a simpler way, we've got that covered too. We suggest running Disk Clean Pro – a one-click Mac optimization utility that helps to detect and deter useless residues, the primary reason for the MacBook stuck on the loading bar. It automatically detects and removes junk files from the system.
This tool is worth giving a shot. Once all the errors are fixed, using Disk Clean Pro, restarting Mac is recommended. This helps save all the changes, experience performance boost, and recover valuable storage space. To know more about this tool, read the complete review.
Top Ways to Fix MacBook Stuck on Apple Logo with Loading Bar
Solution 1: Restart your Mac
First thing first, whenever you come across any problem with your Mac, try rebooting it. This might sound too simple, but it does help. For this, you can follow the method explained below. It is the best bet and won't cause any harm.
Note: Shutting down Mac using Apple Menu when it is stuck on the loading screen is impossible. Hence you need to press and hold the power button for a few seconds. This will shut down the machine. Once done, detach all peripheral devices except the display, keyboard, and mouse. This will remove the problem creating factor. Afterward, restart Mac, your system should boot past the loading bar.
If this doesn't work, let's move to the second solution.
Solution 2: Boot in Safe Mode
Mac stuck on the loading screen can be caused due to corrupt software or compatibility issues. Hence, to troubleshoot the Apple logo with the loading bar problem, you will need to boot Mac into Safe Mode. A Safe boot will stop unnecessary apps from loading at startup. This will also help perform a basic startup disk check. To boot in Safe Mode, follow the steps below:
- Shut down Mac by pressing and holding down the power button for a few seconds
- To restart, press, and hold the Shift key. Simultaneously press the power button to reboot Mac.
- Unless you see the Apple logo and the loading bar, do not release the keys.
How To Resolve iMac, MacBook & Mac Stuck On Loading Screen With Apple Logo
You are not the only one facing the issue. There are others, too, and they are seeking help via forums. Here's a list of common questions.
- After installing macOS Catalina, my iMac progress bar gets stuck at 100%. How to resolve it?
- iMac running Mojave gets stuck on the loading screen with the Apple logo.
- After updating the OS, unable to load MacBook Pro, etc.
So, this is a list of common issues related to Mac being stuck on the login screen. Now, if you face any of this, follow the fantastic and excellent solutions listed below:
Quickest Way to Fix MacBook Pro Stuck on Loading Screen
There are several reasons due to which MacBook gets stuck with the loading bar. This can be resolved by resetting SMC, booting Mac in Safe Mode, repairing disk permission, resetting NVRAM, and more. All of which is explained below.
However, if you are short on time and are looking for a simpler way, we've got that covered too. We suggest running Disk Clean Pro – a one-click Mac optimization utility that helps to detect and deter useless residues, the primary reason for the MacBook stuck on the loading bar. It automatically detects and removes junk files from the system.
This tool is worth giving a shot. Once all the errors are fixed, using Disk Clean Pro, restarting Mac is recommended. This helps save all the changes, experience performance boost, and recover valuable storage space. To know more about this tool, read the complete review.
Top Ways to Fix MacBook Stuck on Apple Logo with Loading Bar
Solution 1: Restart your Mac
First thing first, whenever you come across any problem with your Mac, try rebooting it. This might sound too simple, but it does help. For this, you can follow the method explained below. It is the best bet and won't cause any harm.
Note: Shutting down Mac using Apple Menu when it is stuck on the loading screen is impossible. Hence you need to press and hold the power button for a few seconds. This will shut down the machine. Once done, detach all peripheral devices except the display, keyboard, and mouse. This will remove the problem creating factor. Afterward, restart Mac, your system should boot past the loading bar.
If this doesn't work, let's move to the second solution.
Solution 2: Boot in Safe Mode
Mac stuck on the loading screen can be caused due to corrupt software or compatibility issues. Hence, to troubleshoot the Apple logo with the loading bar problem, you will need to boot Mac into Safe Mode. A Safe boot will stop unnecessary apps from loading at startup. This will also help perform a basic startup disk check. To boot in Safe Mode, follow the steps below:
- Shut down Mac by pressing and holding down the power button for a few seconds
- To restart, press, and hold the Shift key. Simultaneously press the power button to reboot Mac.
- Unless you see the Apple logo and the loading bar, do not release the keys.
If you can boot Mac in Safe Mode, indeed, the problem is software or firmware related. To find out the problem, you'll now need to restart Mac in Verbose mode. To achieve this, follow the steps below:
- Restart Mac and press Command + V at boot time.
- Once you see Apple Logo release both the keyboard keys
This will boot Mac into Verbose mode, and here you can get the live report of the software that is not allowing Mac to boot normally. This means once the culprit is identified, you need to boot into Safe Mode and uninstall the program that is creating a problem.
Solution 3: Reset NVRAM/PRAM
Note: If your Mac is stuck on the loading bar after updating macOS, try resetting PRAM and NVRAM
PRAM is a non-volatile random-access memory used to save system settings. This includes recent kernel panic information & startup disk selection. So, if you get stuck at a 100% loading bar, try resetting it. For this, restart Mac and press Command + Option+ P + R keys. Now restart it. The problem should be resolved.
Solution 4: Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)
System Management Controller, fused with Mac's motherboard, controls several core functions. This includes thermal management and sudden motion sensors. So, if Mac freezes at startup, resetting SMC is a good idea. This typically helps resolve unresponsive issues on Mac.
To reset SMC, you'll first need to check if the battery is removable or not. We need to do this, as the process of resetting SMC is different for both.
1. Reset SMC when the battery is removable:
- Shut down the MacBook > detach battery > press button and hold it for a few seconds > attach battery > power on Mac.
When the battery is non-removable:
- Press Shift+Control+Option to force shutdown Mac and press the power button.
- Keep the keeps pressed for 10 seconds > unhold them > power on Mac.
That's it; using these simple steps, you can reset SMC on MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
2. Reset SMC when the Apple logo is stuck with the loading screen on iMac, Mac Mini, & Mac Pro
Shut down Mac > detach power cord > wait for 15 seconds > connect the power cord to the socket > wait for 30 seconds and then power on Mac using the power button.
Solution 5: Repair startup disk via macOS Recovery Mode
Often when the startup disk is corrupt, you might face Mac stuck on startup. Luckily, you can resolve it using First Aid, an in-built disk repair tool. This tool helps fix disk errors on Mac internal hard drives.
To run First Aid, launch Finder > head to Applications folder > Utilities > Disk Utility.
If the disk that is giving trouble is Macintosh HD, we will need to repair it in macOS recovery mode. To start Mac in Recovery mode, hold Command +R and restart Mac. Now select Disk Utility from the window and click Continue.
Click View > Show All devices > select the drive or volume you need to repair > click First Aid > Run and check for errors.
When you see a message, the operation is successful; it means the errors have been repaired. Click Done > and restart Mac. You will now be able to get past the loading bar.
However, if First Aid doesn't work, you will need to erase the startup disk. This will reformat the hard drive and will fix the issue. So, if you are ready for it, let's move to the next step.
Solution 6: Reformat startup disk and reinstall macOS
Note: As this step involves reformatting the startup disk and reinstalling macOS, we suggest you take a backup of your important data. However, if you have the backup or don't worry about losing data proceed with the steps explained below:
Steps to reformat corrupt startup drive
- Hold Command +R and restart Mac.
- Choose Disk Utility from the macOS Utilities menu > Continue.
- Choose the hard drive > click Erase > name the hard drive > give it a scheme and format > Erase.
- Wait for the process to finish.
This will certainly erase all data from the hard drive but will make it workable. No longer will you be stuck at startup with an Apple logo and loading bar.
Now to boot Mac follow the steps below:
Reinstall macOS in macOS Recovery mode
Since the internal hard drive has been erased in macOS Recovery mode, you need to reinstall the operating system. To do so, follow the steps below:
Note: Before following the steps explained below, make sure you are connected to a stable Internet connection.
- To reinstall OS compatible with your Mac from the internet, press and hold Command + R + Option.
- However, if you want to reinstall the macOS, you came with your Mac press Command + R+ Option+ Shift.
- To reinstall the macOS version, including updates saved on macOS built-in recovery disk, press Command + R.
- Once done, you will see the Apple logo or Utilities window > select the option accordingly > enter password > decide the operation you wish to perform.
This way, you can reinstall macOS and fix the Mac stuck on the loading bar.
Solution 7: Delete System Junk
Another way to resolve the frozen Mac loading screens is to clear out system junk. Once you do so, you can fix several issues that might lead to this problem in the future. To fix system junk, follow the steps below:
1. Download and install Disk Clean Pro.
2. Launch Disk Clean Pro – The best Mac cleanup and optimization tool
3. Scan the system for junk files, malware and other unwanted data.
4. Once the scanning is done, click Fix All Items to delete detected errors that were slowing down Mac and taking unnecessary space.
This will help clean up Mac and make it run smoothly without any problem. Remember, like you need proper cleaning, your Mac, too, needs to be optimized. So, use the right tools to achieve it and keep it working at peak performance. To know more about top Mac optimization and cleanup tools, read Best Mac Optimizers.
Conclusion:
A Mac stuck on the loading screen is terrible; it makes you lose access to any files and your Mac. Hence if you are stuck at a 100% loading bar or a screen with an Apple logo and frozen loading bar, you need to resolve it ASAP. To resolve such an issue, sometimes you might have to restore Mac; therefore, you should always keep a data backup.
Furthermore, keeping your Mac optimized is essential. This not only helps boost Mac performance but also reduces the chance of you encountering stuck loading bar issues on MacBook, iMac, and Mac. To clean up Mac, you can try using the Disk Clean Pro, the best Mac cleanup tool. What's more, unlike other Mac optimizers this tool even helps stay protected from malware. This excellent Mac optimizer focuses on all areas that makes your Mac vulnerable. Using it, you can clean junk files, delete privacy exposing traces, and do a lot more. All this will help run apps and Mac flawlessly. If you don't believe us, just give it a try.
Disk Clean Pro is a must-have tool for your Mac, so, without any delay, give it a try. Once you use the product, do share your feedback. After using the steps explained above, we hope you could resolve the Mac stuck on the loading screen problem.
If you regularly work in programs like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Photoshop, you've probably encountered errors relating to a 'scratch disk.' The most common error is Photoshop's refusal to open along with the message 'Could not initialize Photoshop because the scratch disks are full.'
If you've stumbled on this page because you've experienced this issue, you're in luck: we're going to show you how to resolve your scratch disk problem easily and, as a bonus, keep your computer clean and performing at its best.
What is a scratch disk?
Before we highlight some solutions, it would be a good idea to have at least a general sense of what a scratch disk actually is. When you are using programs like Photoshop or Final Cut Pro, they require a working space called virtual memory or cache memory. This is where temporary project files are stored and accessed.
For this guide, we are focusing our laser sights on Photoshop. After all, it is the most common application. But rest assured that the info we cover will apply to most programs that rely on scratch drives.
Scratch disk is your hard drive space used by Photoshop as virtual memory when there is not enough RAM to complete a task. Photoshop allows you to assign several scratch disks: that way, it has more space at its disposal.
Best free cad software for mac. When working with large images and lots of layers, Photoshop is secretly chewing up your drive space by rapidly creating a mountain of project temp files.
It's important to note that when you set up Photoshop, you will have the option to assign the scratch disks to the drive of your choice. We highly recommend not using your system drive unless you have no other alternatives.
Reasons behind 'scratch disks are full' error
Temporary files are the most significant reason behind the 'scratch disks are full' error. They usually mass up in your drive without leaving single evidence of their presence. If you have a habit of force-quitting Photoshop, you may have a lot of temporary files stored in your system. As Photoshop can't fully close all projects after you quitted it so rapidly, it keeps such files on your machine.
Here are some other reasons that may cause the mentioned message:
- Lack of space in the drive where the scratch disk is located
- The partition of the disk being used by Photoshop is full
- Limited RAM allowed for the Photoshop
What to do when your scratch disks are full?
Next, we'll explain how to clear out the scratch disk and fix the Photoshop issue on a Mac. If you've faced the problem on the Windows computer, follow the instructions below.
How to fix 'scratch disks are full' error on Mac
Mac users receive a 'scratch disk full' message when Photoshop (or any of the other programs) has used up all the space on the hard drive that has been assigned as a scratch disk. This used up space is temporary and separate from your actual project file.
The problem is that Photoshop doesn't always get rid of these temporary files when they aren't needed anymore, which is more like a permanent problem if the user can't find a solution.
So how to clear your scratch disks? Jewel case cover software. Let's find out.
Important takeout: If your HD is full, Photoshop will display scratch disk errors.
1. Clear your Photoshop cache
Photoshop has an in-built solution for deleting specific Photoshop caches. When these pesky caches aren't removed automatically by the program, they can grow and take up a lot of space on your scratch disk.
To use this tool, simply enter Photoshop in Mac and with an image open:
- Click the Edit menu button.
- Hover your mouse over 'purge' to reveal 4 different options.
- Undo, Clipboard, Histories, All. If an item is greyed out, that means it has already been deleted.
- Select the specific item you want to delete or select 'all' to delete all of your caches.
- You will be warned that the purge cannot be undone, so make sure you don't need a previous version of one of your projects and then click OK.
A good way to keep Photoshop cache from piling up is running regular disk cleanups. But here is a problem: the cache sits so deep in system folders (and their subfolders) that deleting it manually becomes a pain. A company called MacPaw produced a tool just for this purpose, CleanMyMac X. You've heard of similar tools, but that one actually pioneered Mac cleanup.
Here's how you can schedule regular cleanings with CleanMyMac X:
- Launch CleanMyMac X tool.
- Click System Junk and press Scan.
- Click Review Details to deselect the data you want to keep.
- Hit Clean to clean up junk files.
Just let it do its thing. That way, you'll never forget to clear Photoshop cache and tons of other system junk on your system.
You can download CleanMyMac X free version and see how it works.
How your Scratch drive is filling up, an example from Sketch
Along with Photoshop, Sketch is another app that keeps temporary versions of projects on your disk. And it eats up a whole lot: from 60 to 220 GB on average.
Each time you press Command + S, some space is wasted away from your Scratch drive. Say your file weighs 23 MB. Then, 7 temporary editions would increase that size to 161 MB. This problem hasn't been widely known until recently, but, luckily, there is an automatic solution.
CleanMyMac's System Junk module lists Documents' Versions from Sketch and other similar apps. You can keep the final and the oldest version of a project and delete all revisions in-between. Voila, you've got free space again!
2. Delete your temp files
When it comes to wasting space on your scratch disk, the worst culprit is often Photoshop's own temp files. If Photoshop isn't going to get rid of them, I guess you're going to have to do the job yourself.
To find them, you'll need to look for files that begin with 'pst' and then a string of numbers followed by the file extension '.tmp.' Search 'Photoshop Temp' with a space between the two words.
You can just search your scratch drive but to make sure everything is found, rather perform the search on the entire computer. It may take a couple of minutes for the search to complete, so pop into the kitchen for a quick snack while you wait.
When you return, you should have a long list of files. If your work is saved and the program is closed, you can safely delete these files and watch as your scratch disk space is reclaimed.
3. Clear your disk space
If you don't have another drive or don't want to buy one, then it's time to do some spring cleaning. Look at the drive contents to see if you can delete anything you don't need. Is there storage space that can be cleared? Usually, there is, so go ahead and delete your old files and free up some space.
Alternatively, you can simply transfer files to external drives, DVDs, or cloud storage solutions like Dropbox and iCloud.
Take a look at our How to Clean Your Startup Disk (10 Ways). Inside we have lots of practical advice for macOS users who want a clean drive that performs well. Even if your scratch disk isn't your startup drive, and we hope that is the case, there are many tips to help you spring clean like a pro.
Notice for macOS Sierra (and higher) users:Users of macOS Sierra might be aware that Apple has added new tools to 'help' manage storage space. If you navigate to Apple Menu > About This Mac > Storage tab, you will see the new Sierra bar graph.
If you click on 'manage,' you will be taken to the new tools. While there are some truly helpful elements, like using Optimized Storage to customize what email attachments download to your Mac, most of the tools move junk from one place to another place.
Because many of these processes are automatic, Sierra users might not be aware of what the OS is doing on their behalf. If it sounds like a good idea to have macOS deciding what files to send to iCloud and what iTunes videos to remove, go for it.
For everyone else, we'd recommend turning off these tools or at least making sure you understand them fully before turning them on.
It can be challenging to check and analyze all contents of your disk space. Luckily, some tools can provide a disk scan and can save up lots of space on your Mac. Apps notarized by Apple is best for this job. CleanMyMac X, the app I talked earlier about, has a Large & Old Files feature, which finds and removes massive files stored on your Mac.
4. Change your scratch disk
If the disk being used is nearly full, change the directory for a more spacious one. Then, restart Photoshop. You can change the Scratch Disk location by pressing Command + Option when launching Photoshop. It can be a hassle, but if you keep an eye on the available space on your scratch disk, you can do something when space is becoming limited. It's also worth noting that problems don't just occur when the drive is completely full, hard drives should ideally never be above 85% capacity. Pass that threshold, and problems will be just around the corner.
So, you've identified rapidly depleting free space on your Mac hard drive — now what? Well, it may be a good idea to change your scratch disk to another drive in your system (just not the system drive, as that is one drive you really don't want to slow down). If you don't have another drive, you could purchase one, with SSD being the best option for Mac OS X scratch disk purposes.
Follow these steps to change your scratch disk in Photoshop:
- Click on the Photoshop menu.
- Go to Preferences and then Scratch Disk.
- Tick the checkbox to select or remove a drive as the scratch disk.
- Click OK.
- Restart Photoshop.
You can change the Scratch Disk location by pressing Command + Option when launching Photoshop.
5. Consider buying a new SSD
The scratch disk problem happens because of 2 simple reasons: lack of RAM and lack of HDD space. Both can be addressed if you buy a Thunderbolt SSD (solid-state drive) to use as your Scratch Disk. By today's standards, 60 GBs should be enough.
Buy an external SSD to use as a Scratch Disk. 60 GB should be enough.
6. Follow the 15% rule
Not strictly a rule, but rather a common practice states that you should keep at least 10-15% of your disk space free at all times. If your HDD size is 256 GB, your lower limit is 25 GB. You'll have enough room to render your Photoshop files, save multiple project copies, etc.
Loud fans noise is a sign your CPU is overloaded and approaching its carrying capacity.
7. Free up RAM in Terminal
When Photoshop gets paralyzed due to lack of RAM, there is a command you can run in Terminal.
- Open the Terminal app (find it in the Launchpad).
- Paste in:
sudo purge
- Then, enter your password.
At first, you may not see the difference, but you've just flushed your RAM, releasing all the files kept in virtual memory. There are a few more ways to free up RAM, check them out too.
You can also download CleanMyMac (get a free edition here) and use its Free UP RAM command.
- Install the app and click on Maintenance.
- Select Free Up RAM and click Run.
You can apply this trick anytime to unfreeze an app. Also, check out the other tools in the Maintenance section. They will help you take some load off your Mac's memory.
8. Search for hidden files in your Photoshop folder
Some projects' leftovers are invisible and yet take up lots of space. There is a shortcut combination to display hidden files in whatever folder you are in. So, open your main Photoshop folder and click Command + Shift + Period. If you find any greyed out folders, check their weight.
To see hidden files in any folder, press Command+Shift+Period.
As you see, there are many methods to solve the 'scratch disks are full' error. There is also one more way to reorganize data on your Mac and save up some space. Disk defragmentation gathers related items and lets you delete unneeded data as well as leftovers. Note that the latest macOS doesn't need to be defragmented as Apple has provided it with in-built utilities, which automatically remove fragmented files. So, defragmentation may only work for you if your Mac's running the OS version earlier than OS X 10.2.
How to clear the scratch disk on Windows
If you are experiencing a 'scratch disks are full' error on your Windows computer, freeing up space in the drive that accommodates the scratch disk may fix the problem. Best used macbook pro for music production. To do that, you need first to find out which drive Photoshop uses as a scratch disk.
- Open Photoshop and go to Edit > Preferences.
- Choose Scratch Disks.
- Check which drive is used as a scratch disk.
The scratch disk should have at least 40GB of free space. If you see that it's running out of space, access the drive and remove or transfer the largest files.
Mac Startup Disk Blank
Another thing you may do to fix the error is clear out Photoshop temporary files. Just make sure you save your work first and close all Adobe apps. Then, go to the temp data folder C:UsersYour UsernameAppDataLocalTemp
. Look for the files that have 'Photoshop Temp' in their names, highlight and remove them.
The 'Scratch Disk Is Full' error is fixed!
If you followed this guide, there is absolutely no reason why you should ever have to deal with the annoying 'scratch disk full' error again. Next time you want to create something amazing in Photoshop, you should experience something new - a Photoshop that runs so smoothly it practically purrs.
Whether you solve the problem yourself or let a great piece of software like CleanMyMac X do it for you, just make sure you clean up your scratch disk. Your Mac will thank you for it*.
*Not literally. That would be weird.
Frequently asked questions
Why does 'scratch disks are full' error may appear?
The number one reason for the 'scratch disks are full' message is the lack of space in the drive where scratch disks are located. You can also run out of space in the partition of the disk allocated for Photoshop, which may also cause the above-mentioned error.
What are Photoshop temporary files?
Temporary files will appear if you don't close Photoshop fully or open the Smart Object and don't close them with the Smart Object layer. Photoshop temp files have a '.tmp' extension, so it's easy to find them on your Mac.
Macbook Air Not Enough Space On Startup Disk Drive
How to fix the 'scratch disks are full' issue?
One of the solutions is to change the scratch disk allocation. You may also need to clear the Photoshop cache and remove temporary files.