Why do I keep getting "spinning wheel"?

Question

Level 1

40 points

Why do I keep getting "spinning wheel"?

When I use work processing in Pages 7.1, I will get the spinning wheel. Pages doesn't crash and I don't lose work. It just really annoying. The wheel just spins for 15-30 seconds, then I can go back to work. If I work for two hours, it will happen 4-5 times.

This happens on my laptop as well. I have a 2017 MacBook v10.13.5 with Pages 7.1.

This started a few months ago and I've just lived with it. I've updated both the desktop and laptop, but the problem persists. I've also run Disk Utility.

Any ideas?

Thank you!

iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015), macOS High Sierra (10.13.6)

Posted on Jul 12, 2018 11:21 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Jul 12, 2018 4:25 PM in response to michael1040

If you have a long complex document with lots of objects Pages 7.1 will struggle even on Apple's most powerful (not by everyone elses standards) computer the iMac Pro.

You may also have too little free space on your boot up hard drive. macOS wants a minumum of 10% free, 20% is better.

Reply

Answer 2

michael1040 Author

Level 1

40 points

Jul 21, 2018 10:38 AM in response to Barry

Did not fix the problem. I wonder if this has to do where I keep the document -- Dropbox. I heard that there have been issues with Pages when the document is in iCloud. I didn't use to have this problem with Pages and never had it with Word for Mac. Thanks for your reply!

Reply

Answer 3

Barry

Level 9

59,951 points

Jul 21, 2018 11:10 AM in response to michael1040

Hi Michael,

Keeping the document in Dropbox could contribute to the issue. Pages does frequent saves as you edit the document, and saving to a remote location does take longer than saving locally, and could be interrupted by minor delays in internet 'shipping and handling' along the way.

Regards,

Barry

Reply

Answer 4

Jul 21, 2018 4:02 PM in response to michael1040

Of course it has to do with where you are saving. It would have helped if you mentioned it in the first place.

Reading and writing to your internal Hard Drive is extremely fast. By comparison any Internet file reading and writing is extremely slow and will be exacerbated by a long or complicated document with multiple objects which can require reading/writing many times as Pages works out the layout.

Just because something is possible does not mean it is a good idea. Technology may appear magic but it is still limited by the laws of physics.

Reply

Answer 5

Barry

Level 9

59,951 points

Jul 12, 2018 12:28 PM in response to michael1040

Hi Michael,

Try a 'safe mode' startup of the computer. Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac - Apple Support

Regards,

Barry

Reply

Why do I keep getting "spinning wheel"?

Similar questions