According to some research, there are 100 million active Apple users. If you’re one of those users, you might be experiencing some hardware issues on a Mac.

But sometimes it could also be a software issue. How do you know the difference?

Keep reading to learn about whether to tell if your Mac hardware or software is the problem.

Software vs. Hardware: What’s the Difference?

Software is anything that works when your computer is on. For example, if your iTunes is malfunctioning, there might be a problem with the software.

On the other hand, the hardware is anything that is physical on the computer. Your battery, RAM, or hard drive is part of the computer’s hardware.

Software issues are pretty easy to fix, and normally they don’t completely shut your system down. Usually, you can fix software issues by clearing your cache, restarting, updating your OS, or uninstalling certain apps.

A hardware problem is normally more severe. If your computer doesn’t boot up or won’t turn on, it could be a hardware problem. You might need to open up the machine and see what’s physically wrong with the computer.

However, there are some other signs that can be a good indication.

Slow Computer

First, you might notice that your computer is getting slow. Sometimes the computer will slow down because there is too much software installed on the computer. Or it could be infected with malware.

Normally, a hardware issue won’t cause your computer to slow down. There are some rare exceptions, like if your CPU overheats and locks itself down.

But most of the time, a slow computer is caused by having different software problems.

Not Loading

If you’re having problems with the computer not booting up, then you likely have a hardware issue.

You could have a loose connection to the computer, which means that you only have to plug it back in. But you could have a bigger problem on your hands.

You might be having too much power go to the components in the computer. This can cause serious damage and cause your computer to stop working permanently.

You should get this fixed as soon as possible.

However, it could be a software issue if your computer starts up and then stops halfway through the reboot. You should then install the operating system completely. If it works, then it was most likely a software issue.

Blue Screens

Most people are familiar with the blue screens of death, but thanks to the advancement in technology, they’re not as common.

However, if this happens, it’s probably caused by your hardware. It could be caused by a bad hardware driver.

If you’ve just installed or upgraded new hardware drivers and started getting a blue screen, you’ll need to uninstall those drivers and restore the system.

If you haven’t done anything with the drivers, you might have a hardware problem.

Look for Changes

So what happens when you start noticing problems? There are a few ways that you can start trying to figure out what’s wrong.

If something goes wrong, then you should ask yourself what you’ve changed recently. Did you alter a setting or get a new app? Did you drop your device?

To isolate the problem, you can try retracing your steps. Uninstall any app that seems weird. Send altered settings back to normal.

Remove any peripherals like external drives and cameras. Undo any changes to a system.

Run Apple Diagnostics

You’ll always want to run Mac diagnostics to figure out if you’re having hardware issues on Mac. This is a way to troubleshoot whether it’s a software or hardware problem.

The test will scan everything on your computer and then tell you what’s wrong and provide the next steps.

To do this, you’ll first have to shut down your Mac. Next, unplug anything that’s plugged into the computer.

Make sure your Mac is connected to the power. Put it on a flat surface that is stable and offers good ventilation.

Next, turn on your device and then press down on the D key until you see a progress bar.

This will cause the diagnostic to start running and scanning the computer.

Boot in Recovery Mode

If you had software issues on Mac, you’ll need to boot your Mac in recovery mode. This will give you an area outside of all the system-wide issues.

If you have a software problem, it won’t show up in the recovery space. If it does, then you likely have a hardware problem and will need to take your computer into a professional.

To start your computer, hold Comand and R during the startup.

From there, you’ll be able to troubleshoot different options to see what is malfunctioning. Sometimes you’ll also have access to Wi-Fi and Safari, which can help to isolate web-related issues.

If you can’t get into the recovery area, then you most likely have a hardware problem.

Keep in mind that Mac diagnostics might not always catch everything that could be wrong with a computer. That’s why you should always do your

Discover More About Mac Hardware vs. Software

These are only a few things to know about Mac hardware vs. software, but there are many other factors to consider.

When in doubt, take the computer into a professional or the Apple Store to get it evaluated.

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