Apple Preparing Fix for Sleep/Wake Crashes in 2013 MacBook Airs

macbook_air_mavericks_roundup_headerApple is preparing an update to fix an issue that causes 11 and 13-inch 2013 MacBook Airs to crash when they are wakened from sleep, according to information from an Apple Authorized Service Provider.

According to multiple lengthy threads on the Apple Support Communities, 2013 MacBook Air users have been experiencing sleep/wake issues for several months. Crashes, freezes, and blank black screens are common after waking a MacBook Air from sleep, and fixing the problem requires a hard restart.

It appears that the problem is related to OS X Mavericks and requires a combination of the computer going to sleep and a press on the keyboard or touchpad to initiate. One user has been able to successfully re-create the problem by pressing the power button to put the MacBook Air to sleep and then immediately clicking on the touchpad, which causes the machine to freeze.

The service provider that notified MacRumors about the update has said that it appears to be a bug in the sensor that detects when the lid is being opened, which has led to multiple machine returns and replacements as it was previously unclear whether it was a hardware issue or a software issue.

An Apple Support representative has also confirmed that a fix is in the works and should be bundled with the next OS X Mavericks update, which likely points to 10.9.2. A user on Apple's support forums has noted that 10.9.2 beta 4 appears to fix part of the problem by altering the function of the power button, preventing the machine from going to sleep when the power button is mis-tapped.

Ahead of the update, customers who are experiencing sleep/wake crashes with their MacBook Airs appear to be able to repair the problem with a restart.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Neutral)
Related Forums: MacBook Air, OS X Mavericks

Top Rated Comments

2457282 Avatar
119 months ago
If you try to wake me too soon after I have gone to sleep -- I too will freeze up and crash. It is not just an Mac Air problem. :D
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rotax Avatar
119 months ago
Its not just the Mac Book Air that has this problem. My MBP has been having this crash problem for 2 years.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
needfx Avatar
119 months ago
at least the MBAs are not falling asleep and crashing against each other
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
casperes1996 Avatar
119 months ago
I've been asked about this

I've been asked about this a few times. I always thought it was a user error, as the girl who asked me had never used a Mac before her Air, and was, no offense to her and god bless her, not exactly gifted when it comes to electronics...

Moral: Don't judge users when they report issues... And actually read up on it before you assume them to blame... At least now I have good news for her.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gpat Avatar
119 months ago
About ********** time. I've been having this problem since October.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
btbeme Avatar
119 months ago
I was working on this for my father-in-law today...frustrating issue for sure.

I fiddled with some of the sleep and hibernate settings in the Terminal to see if I could either replicate or fix the problem. I don't know if I was able to cure it by changing a couple very specific parameters (this is an intermittent issue on his Air) but I was able to freeze it on command.

Was pretty simple - in the terminal I just used a sleep now command, then attempted to "intercept" the sleep (or wake it up I guess you could say) by touching the spacebar as the system started to sleep. Trying to wake it just as the keyboard lights went out would freeze it every time. The backlight and keyboard would light back up but the screen would stay blank and a hard reset was the only way to get back in.

Whether this has anything to do with the power button or a lid sensor I do not know...but I wasn't closing the lid or touching the power button in any way and could freeze it at will.

As much as I like Mavericks, I sure do see a lot of problems with it. Lazy icons, sleep issues, wireless connectivity issues, etc. - across the board, and having little or nothing to do with hardware. All of it since Mavericks.

I think that a lot of it relates to trying to make an OS as power-friendly as possible and the hardware not being able to keep up. Too many different hardware combos to try to smother their power use with software and drivers that try to make it all work on the knife-edge of power consumption.

Let's get this fixed, folks.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 16

iOS 16.4 for iPhone Nearing Launch With These 5 New Features

Monday March 20, 2023 11:50 am PDT by
Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the update should be released "in the next three weeks or so," meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April. iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features ...
iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Leak Reveals Unified Volume Button and Mute Button

Monday March 20, 2023 8:33 am PDT by
As previously rumored, the next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a unified volume button and a mute button, according to leaked CAD images shared in a video on the Chinese version of TikTok and posted to Twitter by ShrimpApplePro. Instead of separate buttons for volume up and volume down, the iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have a single elongated button for...
voice isolation

iOS 16.4 Adds Voice Isolation for Cellular Phone Calls

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:01 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 update that is set to be released to the public in the near future includes voice isolation for cellular calls, according to notes that Apple shared today. Apple says that Voice Isolation will prioritize your voice and block out the ambient noise around you, making for clearer phone calls where you can better hear the person you're chatting with and vice versa. Voice...
airpodsd 3 purple 4

iOS 16.4 Seemingly References New AirPods and AirPods Case

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:43 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 release candidate version that was provided to developers today appears to hint at a new set of AirPods that could be coming in the near future. According to @aaronp613, the beta features references to AirPods that have a model number of A3048 and an AirPods case with a model number of A2968. There have been no rumors that new AirPods are on the horizon, and it is early for...
maxresdefault

Nothing Launches $149 Ear (2) Wireless Earbuds to Compete With AirPods Pro 2

Wednesday March 22, 2023 9:48 am PDT by
Nothing today announced the launch of its second-generation wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear (2), which offer many of the same features as Apple's AirPods Pro 2 at a lower price point. We went hands-on with the Ear (2) earbuds to see whether they're a viable alternative to the AirPods Pro 2 for those who want to save some cash. The Ear (2) earbuds are the successor to the Nothing Ear (1),...
iOS 16

Apple Seeds Release Candidate Versions of iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 to Developers [Update: Public RC Available]

Tuesday March 21, 2023 10:25 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after the launch of the fourth betas. The RCs mark the final version of the software that will be provided to the public in the near future. Registered developers are able to download the iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates...
apple park at night 1

Apple 'Tracking Employee Attendance' in Crackdown on Remote Working

Thursday March 23, 2023 3:41 am PDT by
Apple is tracking the attendance of its employees at offices using badge records in order to ensure they are coming in at least three times a week, according to Platformer's Zoë Schiffer. Since April 2022, Apple employees have been operating on a hybrid home/office work policy as part of a gradual return strategy following the pandemic, with staff required to work from the office at least...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Rumor Recap: 10 New Features and Changes to Expect

Thursday March 23, 2023 6:42 am PDT by
While the iPhone 15 series is still around six months away from launching, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes have been rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in particular. Below, we have recapped 10 changes rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A1...