macOS Sequoia 15.5 may not be big on new features, but it has packed several under-the-hood enhancements. However, like any other recent macOS update, it also introduces a fair share of bugs and performance hiccups. From rapid battery drain to malfunctioning features like iPhone Mirroring, users have been reporting a variety of frustrating issues.
If you’ve recently updated to macOS Sequoia 15.5 and noticed your Mac isn’t running as smoothly as before, you’re not alone. In this guide, I’m going to break down the 10 most annoying problems plaguing users on macOS Sequoia 15.5 and provide practical, reason-backed solutions to help you get your Mac back to peak performance. Read on…
1. iPhone Mirroring Not Working
Right from day one, iPhone Mirroring has been glitchy and inconsistent. And it continues to malfunction even in macOS 15.5.
- Ensure both your Mac and iPhone are using the same Apple ID and are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Then, open iPhone Mirroring > click on the iPhone Mirroring at the top left > Settings > Revoke Access to “Your iPhone”.
- Restart both devices to clear any temporary connection glitches. This helps reinitialize Handoff and Continuity services, which are essential for mirroring to work.
- After that, set up the iPhone Mirroring from scratch.
2. Battery Draining Too Fast on MacBooks
After the macOS 15.5 update, some MacBook owners have complained about the rapid battery drain.
- Open the System Settings on your Mac > Battery and check the apps consuming power in the background.
- Now, disable unnecessary features like Bluetooth, Location Services, and Power Nap under Energy Saver settings.
- These services run persistently and consume power even when you’re not actively using the Mac.
- Reducing their usage can extend battery life significantly. Additionally, resetting the SMC can fix battery calibration issues caused by firmware-level glitches.
3. Slow System Performance
The latest update has slowed down the system for a handful of users.
- Launch Activity Monitor on your macOS device and inspect which processes are hogging CPU or memory.
- Then, quit or uninstall apps that are using an unusually high amount of resources.
- Also, disable unwanted login items from System Settings > General > Login Items, as these apps slow down the boot process and run in the background unnecessarily.
- Manually clearing cache files from
~/Library/Cachescan also improve responsiveness by removing outdated or corrupted data that might be slowing the system down.
4. External Drives Not Mounting
For some Mac owners, the external drivers are not mounting.
- First, open Disk Utility and see if the drive is detected. If it appears but doesn’t mount, click “Mount” manually. If not, try using a different cable or USB port, as faulty connections are a common culprit.
- Also, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access and ensure Finder and Disk Utility have permissions, especially if you’re using third-party formatting tools. This ensures macOS has the necessary access to interact with external volumes.
5. Wi-Fi Keeps Disconnecting
At times, Wi-Fi automatically disconnects. At other times, it refuses to connect.
- Forget the Wi-Fi network by going to System Settings > Wi-Fi > Known Networks, remove the problematic network, and reconnect with your credentials.
- Simply, hit the info icon next to a Wi-Fi network > Forget this network and confirm. Then, reconnect to it.
- Additionally, you can also reset the network configuration by deleting the Wi-Fi preference files located at
/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.airport.preferences.plist. This clears any corrupted network settings that could be causing instability. Restart your router if the issue persists.
6. Apps Keep Crashing or Freezing
Though app crashing has long been a classic issue on Mac, it has become a bit more intense in the latest macOS update.
- Open the App Store or developer website and check if an update is available for the affected app. Many crashes stem from incompatibility with the latest macOS version.
- If updated and the issue persists, delete the app’s preferences file from
~/Library/Preferencesand reinstall the app. This removes any corrupted settings that could be triggering crashes.
7. Display Scaling or Blurry Text
A good many Mac owners have complained about the display scaling or blurry text.
- On your Mac, head over to System Settings > Displays and select Default for Display or manually adjust the scaling option.
- Blurry text often results from non-native scaling that conflicts with retina optimization. Using the recommended display setting ensures that macOS renders text at its optimal resolution for clarity and performance.
8. AirDrop Not Showing Nearby Devices
The ever-reliable AirDrop is unable to show the nearby devices.
- On both devices, make sure Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled, and set AirDrop to Everyone or Contacts Only under Finder > AirDrop.
- If the issue continues, toggle AirDrop off and back on or restart both devices. This resets the discovery protocol and reinitializes the proximity-based detection required for AirDrop functionality.
9. Spotlight Search Not Working Properly
Spotlight Search is misbehaving. Sometimes, it doesn’t appear at all. On other occasions, it doesn’t show specific results.
- Reindex Spotlight by opening System Settings > Siri & Spotlight, then scroll down and click Spotlight Privacy, add your main disk (usually Macintosh HD), then remove it after a few seconds.
- This forces macOS to rebuild the Spotlight index, fixing search inaccuracies caused by indexing errors or missing metadata.
10. Notifications Not Showing Up
Mac notifications have also been playing hide and seek. The latest notifications don’t show up or arrive too late.
- Navigate to System Settings > Notifications, ensure the app in question has alerts enabled, and verify Do Not Disturb or Focus Modes aren’t active. Notifications may be suppressed if these modes are turned on.
- Also, confirm the app is allowed to send alerts by checking Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions in case it’s being blocked.
Wrapping up…
And that’s about it! While macOS Sequoia 15.5 brings exciting new features, it’s not without its rough edges. Fortunately, most issues can be resolved with a bit of troubleshooting and awareness of the system’s settings.
By understanding the causes behind each problem and applying these targeted solutions, you can enjoy a smoother and more stable Mac experience. If issues persist despite these fixes, consider submitting feedback to Apple so future updates can address them more effectively.
