MacBook Pro freezes during Fast User Switching

Question

MacBook Pro freezes during Fast User Switching

My MacBook Pro freezes during Fast User Switching. My Mac has 2 accounts, one of which is an admin account.

When I log into either account first, click the account name in the top right corner to switch to the second account, enter the username and password, it logs in successfully. However, when I click the account name in the top right corner again while in the second account to switch back, enter the username and password, it gets stuck on that screen. The only way to resolve it is a forced reboot.

I tried clicking the Apple logo and selecting "Log Out" instead of using Fast User Switching, which allows me to successfully switch back and forth between the two accounts, but all applications have to be reopened every time, which is very inconvenient. I have also tried resetting the SMC, but the problem still persists. Please help.

Spec:

Apple M4 Pro

mac os Version 27.0.1 (26A434) golden gate

ram 24 gb

harddisk 239gb used/1Tb

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 27.0

Posted on Oct 15, 2026 6:43 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 15, 2026 8:53 AM in response to redwingjustice

Make sure "Reopen windows when logging in" is check when you log out or reboot which should allow anything open at the time to reopen automatically when you log back into your user account.

See the following Apple article for details:

Prevent apps and windows from reopening on Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Oct 15, 2026 6:50 AM in response to redwingjustice

¿Are you quite certain if freezes?

You may just be asking for a LOT at once, and it may be taking an annoying amount of time to get there.

How much RAM memory is in use just BEFORE you ask it to switch?

All that context will have to get put away on disk to make room for another User to start up.

When switching back without logging out, a batch of stuff needs to be put away, then the other User's stuff needs to be put in place and checkpoint-restarted to make the switch.

It's complicated.

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Answer 3

Oct 15, 2026 9:44 AM in response to redwingjustice

First you need to determine (by waiting it out for a longer time) whether this is really a freeze or is just taking a really long time.

Next we can talk about what might be causing such issues.

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Answer 4

Oct 15, 2026 8:57 AM in response to HWTech

thanks for your reply. i have checked the reopen checkbox when reboot, just wonder if there is any solution for this problem for fast switching user as my old macbook 2014 macos 10.15 catalina has no this problem.

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Answer 5

Oct 15, 2026 7:52 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

used memory before first switch is 7GB, used memory when I login in second account is 14GB, then switch again get freeze

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