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Mac users report trackpad and system freezes: Here's a workaround that may fix the issue

macOS 26.5 users are reporting widespread trackpad freezing issues, with a Spotlight reset emerging as a temporary workaround.

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FP Tech Desk|Jul 20, 2026, 20:27:48 IST

A growing number of Mac users running macOS 26.5 are reporting that their trackpads become completely unresponsive for several seconds at a time. Some users say the cursor is replaced by the spinning beach ball, temporarily freezing the system and interrupting their workflow. As complaints continue to mount, a report from 9to5Mac suggests that no reliable fix for the issue appears to be in sight.

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Macworld's Michael Simon also reported experiencing a similar problem. In a post, he said that after installing macOS Tahoe on his M4 MacBook, his Mac would frequently freeze and the trackpad would become unresponsive, with the cursor replaced by the spinning beach ball. Although the freezes typically lasted only a few seconds, Simon said they occurred dozens of times in some instances, repeatedly disrupting his productivity.

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According to Simon, restarting the Mac offered only temporary relief, as the issue would soon return. He said he waited for updates including macOS 26.1, 26.2 and subsequent releases, but none resolved the problem. Simon believes macOS 26.5 is responsible for the bug and suggested it could be linked to Apple's Creator Studio version of Pages.

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The Fix

Frustrated by the recurring issue, Simon said the only workaround he found was deleting the ~/Library/Metadata/CoreSpotlight folder, allowing Spotlight to rebuild its index. Here's how you can try it if you're facing the same problem:


  • Open a Finder window.

  • From the Go menu, select Go to Folder…

  • Enter ~/Library/Metadata/CoreSpotlight.

  • Press Command + A to select all files, then right-click and choose Move to Trash.

  • Empty the Trash and confirm when prompted.

Once the files are removed, Spotlight will automatically rebuild its index, which may resolve the issue. The rebuilding process can take some time, depending on how much data is stored on your Mac.

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First Published:Jul 20, 2026, 20:27:48 IST
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