Mac Users Reporting Widespread System Freezes With OS X El Capitan 10.11.4 Update

A large number of MacBook Pro owners running OS X El Capitan are reporting widespread system freezes since installing the 10.11.4 update to Apple's Mac OS.

Hundreds of MacRumors forum members have been posting to a dedicated thread to discuss the issue, which spans 20 pages at the time of writing. The problem appears to be concentrated on 13-inch Retina MacBook Pros (Early 2015) running 10.11.4. Users report that their system becomes totally unresponsive at seemingly random times, with no way to regain access to their Mac other than to force a hard reboot.

macbook_pros_2015
The issue was initially reported by MacRumors forum member Antonnn on March 25, four days after Apple released what is the third update to the Mac OS. In Antonnn's case, the freezes have been occurring "about once a week", first when browsing in Safari, but then also during the use of other Mac apps, including Adobe Photoshop and several third-party browsers. The freeze seems to affect not only the screen and mouse cursor but also the Mac's Force Touch trackpad, which completely loses feedback.

Many other users have since reported similar freezes after updating to 10.11.4, with some 15-inch MacBook Pro (Mid 2015) owners also experiencing issues. One potential cause has been identified from crash logs as a system framework or an Intel Graphics driver bug. The issue is also being reported after installing Safari Technology Preview Version 1 and OS X 10.11.5 Public Beta 1.

Video by MacRumors forum member appleofmy"i" experiencing the freeze issue.

Apple Support is apparently aware of the issue but have so far offered no concrete solution. Meanwhile, some users have resorted to downgrading their system to 10.11.3 by restoring from a Time Machine backup or performing a clean install.

We'll update this post throughout the day as we learn more.

Related Forum: MacBook Pro

Top Rated Comments

niun Avatar
104 months ago
Thank god windows users don't make videos of windows crashes, youtube would collapse.
REAAAAALY?

1 crash since windows 10.
1 crash at least every other week with El Cap.

So tired of this....
Score: 84 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Col4bin Avatar
104 months ago
Apple Engineer: Sir, OSX 10.11.4 is freezing up. Let's focus R&D efforts to fix.

Apple Executive: Er well... let's focus on making a rose colored car instead!
Score: 61 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FieldingMellish Avatar
104 months ago
Apple's losing it. Maybe stop building campuses, working on cars, fiddling with the stupid watch, and just concentrate on the one thing that built Apple from the ground up: Stable Mac Hardware and Software.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Marshall73 Avatar
104 months ago
Thank god windows users don't make videos of windows crashes, youtube would collapse.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sofila Avatar
104 months ago
Thank god windows users don't make videos of windows crashes, youtube would collapse.
Yes, or because we're in 2016. You're stuck in the past and probably late to the party. Anyway, it's a OSX and Apple problem, hopely it will be fixed. Can't understand how bashing Windows could be helpful for those affected
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
testcard Avatar
104 months ago
Apple Engineer: Sir, OSX 10.11.4 is freezing up. Let's focus R&D efforts to fix.

Apple Executive: Er well... let's focus on making a rose colored car instead!
Apple Engineer: Er...OK. What about investing in a Chinese ride-sharing company in the meantime?
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

f 7ba5b5b668dd68b7179a599305cff6b117ef35d1

Apple Announces New iPad Pro With M4 Chip, OLED Display, and More

Tuesday May 7, 2024 7:15 am PDT by
Apple today unveiled redesigned iPad Pro models featuring the M4 chip, Ultra Retina XDR OLED displays, a nano-texture display option, and more. The new iPad Pro offers a considerably thinner design and slightly larger 11- and 13-inch display size options. The 11-inch model is 5.3mm thick and weighs less than a pound, while the 13-inch model is just 5.1mm thick and weighs a quarter pound less ...
5

Apple Event Live Blog: New iPad Pro, iPad Air, and More

Tuesday May 7, 2024 6:33 am PDT by
Apple's "Let Loose" event kicks off today at the unusual time of 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and we're expecting to see an iPad-focused event with new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, updated Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard accessories, and perhaps some other announcements. Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across various platforms. We...
iOS 17 All New Features Thumb

Apple Says iOS 17.5 Coming 'Soon' With These New Features for iPhones

Monday May 6, 2024 7:33 am PDT by
Apple today announced that iOS 17.5 will be released to the public "soon," following over a month of beta testing. While the software update is relatively minor, it does have a few new features and changes, as outlined in the list below. "The new Pride Radiance watch face and iPhone and iPad wallpapers will be available soon with watchOS 10.5, iOS 17.5, and iPadOS 17.5," said Apple, in its...
f 157980180c661f30ff9611287c90241baf30faff

Apple Announces Redesigned Magic Keyboard for New iPad Pro Starting at $299

Tuesday May 7, 2024 7:39 am PDT by
Apple at its "Let Loose" event today announced a new Magic Keyboard for the latest iPad Pro models, with a thinner, lighter design. Apple says the Magic Keyboard has been redesigned to be thinner and lighter, while maintaing the same floating design. Two colors are available that match the new iPad Pro. New features include a function row with screen brightness controls, an aluminum...
maxresdefault

Everything Announced at Today's Apple Event

Tuesday May 7, 2024 1:06 pm PDT by
Apple today held the first event of 2024, debuting new iPad Air and iPad Pro models and accompanying accessories. While the event was faster than normal and took 40 minutes, we've condensed it down even further for those who want a quick overview of everything that was announced. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've also got a full recap of all of the coverage...
iPhone 15 Colors yellow

'iPhone 17 Slim' With Smaller Display Rumored to Launch Next Year

Monday May 6, 2024 9:14 am PDT by
While the iPhone 16 series is still months away from launching, an early rumor about an all-new iPhone 17 model has now surfaced. In a research note with investment firm Haitong this week, analyst Jeff Pu said Apple is planning a so-called "iPhone 17 Slim" model that would replace the Plus model in the lineup. Pu said this model will feature around a 6.6-inch display, a slimmer design, an...
Apple iPad Air hero 240507

Apple Announces New M2 iPad Air Models in 11-Inch and 13-Inch Sizes From $599

Tuesday May 7, 2024 7:10 am PDT by
Apple at its "Let Loose" event today announced new M2-powered iPad Air models in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes with a new landscape FaceTime camera, AI features, and better sound quality with the larger model. Apple says the iPad Air has been designed "to make features pioneered on iPad Pro at a more affordable price," with the brand new larger 13-inch model offering 30% more screen real estate ...