Level 1

57 points

overheating of MacBook Pro with macOS Tahoe 26

I upgraded the system from macOS 15.6.1 to macOS 26 on the first day of release. I'm aware the laptop is hot, and I get the same apps running in both versions. I checked the activities, mds, and mds_stores are not using much CPU.

I also restored the system, installed os on the formatted SSD. But it's still hot after the spotlight index finished. I can clearly feel the temperature in the middle of the keyboard and bottom of the laptop.

I tried to use some third-party apps to check the system temp, and I can see the CPU is 75-80 °C and the GPU on 75+ °C all the time. The fans are running at 2500 rpm but have never stopped.

I downgrade to macOS 15.7 now. I can see the CPU temp is 39 °C.

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.7

Posted on Sep 18, 2025 4:58 AM

Top-ranking reply

riccardofrommiami

Level 1

116 points

Posted on Oct 4, 2025 10:34 AM

Me too, same issue. My MBP was on fire... but fire-hot... fans blowing all the time...

------------------------------

I HAD to Switch Back to MacOS Sequoia 15.7

My Mac is now like 1000% faster... and "BACK TO NORMAL" !!!

For Tahoe, I tried everything,

even a full format and fresh install of MacOS Tahoe 26.01

with NOTHING else in the SSD !

This MBP is an intel i9 2.4ghz with 64GB RAM and 4TB SSD...

So it is NOT a slow machine... or with limited RAM or Drive...

The Problem is obviously in Tahoe itself...

It's rather better to be thinking that for some obscure reason the OS was rushed out and it still needs a ton of bugs and performance fixes...

if this is the new MacOS going forward, it is simply a disaster.

After you re-install a fresh sequoia, You have no idea...

Literally You have NO IDEA... how smooth and fast it is...

How good it is compared to Tahoe...

After 2 weeks using it, You start forgetting how was the same Mac Running on Sequoia.

I'm surprised that in the major websites all the reviewers are praising MacOS Tahoe, so much...

Unless they are all "paid-out" by the Big Apple, to deliver fake reviews...

there is no way Tahoe can be praised as it is...

I also have a Mac mini M4 and that one too the slow-down is heavy.

I had to reformat all the machines from an external USB and go back to a full fresh sequoia.

And then restoring my data.

As said above, tried Tahoe, with FULL fresh install of the OS on both the intel and M4 machines.

So no other apps, then what comes and ships with Tahoe.

Browsing with safari... SLOW

Right clicking on the dock on Safari to see the contextual menu... SLOW...

Like ... seconds... between the click and opening the menu...

On sequoia everything is INSTANT... immediate...

There are issues... too many issues.

As someone said in another post...

It's not a specific issue... it's the aggregate of bugs, issues, and performance drops...

Like death by a thousand cuts.

My advice to anyone... DO NOT UPDATE or "UPGRADE" to Tahoe.

It is NOT an Upgrade... not right now...

Going back to Sequoia IS an upgrade from Tahoe.

View in context

58 replies

Sep 23, 2025 10:29 PM in response to fengchu

I’ve had the same overheating issue and traced it back to WindowServer. I’m still not sure if it’s coming from Adobe or Affinity (my two main design apps), but the GPU only overheats when I use them. I’m on a Mac Mini M4 24/256. I even formatted and reinstalled everything from scratch, yet the GPU overheating problem still persists. :(

Sep 26, 2025 3:17 PM in response to Bada-Bing

As a follow-up, if you want to get back to Sequoia from Tahoe, the link above will get you to the install file for download. That's only the first of several steps.

Below are instructions to install Sequoia by creating a bootable installer (using the file you downloaded) with a USB flash drive.

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

Sep 26, 2025 4:17 PM in response to fengchu

i’m running an M3 Max for 2 years and still going fast, Tahoe does cause heating issues. Hopefully they release a fix for it. internal temp increases by around 10-20•C as compared to the last update. Battery level drops quicker as well even though I do the same tasks everyday:

full - stack activities , browsing… etc.

Sep 29, 2025 5:31 AM in response to fengchu

Hi all,

I do not have a solution; jsut more feedback to confirm that my mac book pro 16-inch, Nov 2024 was silent, always, until the update to 26.0 (25A354). Now the fan is on at least once every hour for like 2-3 minutes. Yes, the laptop is warm and I can confirm that even on a fresh Mac book pro. WindowServer is top on the list, like always :(

curnla

Level 1

18 points

Sep 29, 2025 4:04 PM in response to curnla

An update: It's been about 18 hours since I neutered Spotlight Search and I've been running different processes singly and in unison, and I need to report that my Macbook is cool, cool, cool with nothing gobling up the CPU. I'm a happy camper.

Oct 30, 2025 5:22 PM in response to fengchu

Insane. I've never installed any new update since tiger. I've always preferred to wait until the version 4, to change, but I thought: common dudo, you never have done that, enjoy one new system since the release, and I try with the .0.1.

Fans are annoying, I never will try another update. The machine itself it's not hot at all to touch but this is a i9 16" and yes, always has done fans sound, but were in certain moments. Now it's all the day. I don't know what to do...

fengchu Author

Level 1

57 points

Dec 3, 2025 11:54 PM in response to fengchu

I tried upgrading to 26.2 RC today from 26.2 B2. I installed it on the external SSD, and the temperature is around 36–37 °C, since I don’t run many apps - about 10 apps. I think I’ll wait for the full release before upgrading the OS on the internal SSD.

Sep 22, 2025 12:12 PM in response to fengchu

Check Activity Monitor, CPU tab, sort by % CPU to see what's running hard.

Activity Monitor User Guide for Mac - Apple Support

Oct 30, 2025 6:23 PM in response to Abel Piñate

I stopped all the things in activity monitor saying spotlight and the machine stopped the sound. Also, a few Zooms meeting were done and well, the thing go loud.

Nov 17, 2025 12:06 AM in response to gandhisFlipFlop

It happened to me when I used Adobe software, to use them it was mandatory to upgrade to Tahoe. I need to use Adobe for work, so it's pretty annoying.

Sep 22, 2025 12:09 PM in response to fengchu

I just installed macOS 26 (clean install), and my MacBook Pro (M2 Pro) started the same overheating issue. The fans are turning on randomly without opening any demanding apps. This has never occurred before. I ran Xcode and 6 other apps without hearing the fans, now a simple browser window can turn it on.

Sep 23, 2025 1:42 PM in response to fengchu

Hi, can you please share how did you downgrade to the previous macOS version. I have the same issue with Tahoe. My MacBook started running insanely hot for no good reason. Never had any issue with the previous version. I have an M1 Air and it was butter smooth and never got even remotely hot. Now nearly doing any work and I can feel how the laptop is getting ever hotter. Installing Tahoe was a huge mistake.

I need to roll back and never look at Tahoe again.

Sep 24, 2025 8:24 PM in response to fengchu

I have excatly same feeling, after upgraded to Tahoe, everytime I folded my laptop and took it with me, I can feel the HOT, which I never have this kind of feeling compared to the previous versions.

Not to mentioned the GPU usage all the time, even I applied the electron-based app workaround hack to lower the GPU usage. I still feel the heat generated by the laptop. Obviously, the battery usage was also increased.

BTW, I am using a M1 Max mbp with 64GB memory, pretty old, but at least it worked fine and cool in the old version.

[Edited by Moderator]

Sep 25, 2025 2:04 AM in response to ostadmj

Same issue here on 14-inch, 2021 Macbook Pro (Apple M1 Pro, 32 GB memory). I have never heard the fan or getting hot before macOS Tahoe update. It's getting warm with only 20% CPU use!

I have got a crackling sound error too (https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/1njk2wn/crackling_or_popping_sound_from_speakers_on_macos/).

Please fix these major issues. Thanks

K_Lio

Level 1

14 points

Sep 26, 2025 8:47 AM in response to fengchu

I have never experienced overheating on my mac, not once, and I have owned a mac since 2020..and I have been using this mac air m1 for over 3 years...Perfect laptop in all regards, never had problems with speed or nothing, made switching from windows feel like a breath of fresh air using it..But now after a few days after updating, I can literally feel the heat burning through my skin..this without a doubt has to do with the update..We need a fix for this ASAP.

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

overheating of MacBook Pro with macOS Tahoe 26