Kernel Panic: Fix the "Mac keeps restarting" issue (Tips & tools)

When your Mac keeps restarting or unexpectedly tells you that you have to restart because of a problem, that's a kernel panic.

A kernel panic occurs when your Mac runs into a problem that is so serious it is unable to continue running. When it happens, your Mac displays a dark grey screen with the words "You need to restart your computer.” Hold down the Power button for several seconds or press the Restart button." In this article, we explain why it happens and how to solve it.

Why does my Mac keep restarting?

Let’s say you’re in the middle of an online meeting or editing a document when suddenly your Mac hits you with an error message that reads something like "there's been a problem." Before you can do anything, your Mac shuts down. Once it restarts, you’ll see a message saying that "your computer restarted because of a problem." That’s kernel error also known as kernel panic. 

What is a kernel panic? Basically, it’s a failure of the macOS kernel — an important part of the operating system responsible for controlling CPU, memory, and other critical processes. Frequent kernel panics not only disrupt your workflow, they also disrupt your Mac’s health. This is why it’s important to find out what’s causing kernel panic and fix it as soon as possible.

macOS issues  

When was the last time you updated your operating system? If the answer is you don’t remember, you’d better go to the Apple menu > About This Mac > Software Update. If you see any updates pending, click Update. Apple brings security and performance improvements to every new macOS, so your Mac will definitely work better if you run regular updates. 

Software issues 

It’s not only an outdated system that might cause kernel panic, old and incompatible software is another common issue. The best practice is to consistently update macOS as well as every individual app you use. Yes, every app! Outdated apps tend to misbehave on newer macOS, which includes kernel panic. Even more, some of your apps and plugins might stop working after you update macOS. 

Update apps manually through their menus, App Store (if you installed them through App Store), or the CleanMyMac X Updater. The latter can automatically generate a full list of outdated software and let you update all apps in one click. 

There might be the case that a new app just won’t work with your macOS. Check system requirements every time before you install new software. 

Incompatible peripheral devices 

One of the ways to quickly diagnose a kernel panic issue is to disconnect all peripherals such as mice and keyboard. If your Mac goes back to normal and stops restarting, you’ve found it. Peripheral devices and accessories can indeed cause kernel panic. The best way to fix it is to find out which one is at fault — simply reconnect peripherals one by one — and replace that peripheral. 

External device issues 

If you notice kernel panics happen after you’ve connected an external drive, USB, or SSD, there’s probably a problem with that external device. Maybe some directories or file systems are corrupted, or maybe the file system is incompatible with your macOS, etc. The best solution is to run First Aid with Disk Utility, Apple’s native troubleshooting tool: 

1. Shut down your Mac through the main menu 
2. Restart in Recovery Mode by pressing and holding Command + R
3. Choose Disk Utility at startup 
4. In Disk Utility, select the external device > First Aid. 

First Aid essentially does an attempt to repair the disk. If it fails, you’ll see the message that reads something like “the task reported failure.” If it succeeds, you’ll get “operation successful.” Successful repair means you can restart your Mac, connect the external device, and continue your work without any issues. Otherwise, you might need to replace the external device. But first, make sure you recover data from that device. 

Disk issues might sound intimidating because if a disk fails, the files are in danger. The good news is if you have Disk Drill on your computer, you can recover data from any external or internal drive. Here’s how it works: 

1. Open Disk Drill and select your drive from Storage Devices 
2. Click “Search for lost data” on the right 
3. Once Disk Drill completes the scan, click Recover. 

Disk Drill is not only good for recovering lost or deleted files, it can also run byte-to-byte backups — which is a great alternative to Apple’s Time Machine. In other words, if you have Disk Drill, you can never be worried about losing your precious files and photos. 

RAM issues

Some users report that Apple Diagnostics points them toward RAM issues when they try to figure out why MacBook keeps restarting. This indeed can be the cause. Sometimes, there’s a problem with RAM blocks (especially if you have an older Mac). It can be fixed by replacing RAM modules and we recommend that you book an appointment with Apple’s Genius Bar to get it fixed. 

If your Mac runs low on RAM, it will freeze and slow down, with the possibility of shutting down and restarting unexpectedly. Lots of applications we use throughout the day can exhaust memory, including Chrome, Slack, and others. Mac would send you a notification saying you’re running low on RAM a few times, but we all know how easy it is to miss those. 

To keep an eye on memory consumption, you can use CleanMyMac X menu bar app — it shows the amount of memory available and notifies you if there are any RAM-heavy apps running. If you want even more detailed insights, get iStat Menus. It shows real-time stats on memory pressure, a breakdown of wired, active, and compressed memory, etc. And not only that, iStat is perfect for monitoring CPU, fans temperature, and network — everything that can impact your Mac’s performance. 

Read this guide on how to reduce RAM consumption on Mac.