New MacBook: Websites won’t load + App Store stuck on “Loading…”
Device / OS
- Mac model: New MacBook (chip: Apple Silicon)
- macOS version: (macOS 15.7 Sequoia)
- Network: Home Wi-Fi / Office / Mobile Hotspot
- Security software/VPN/Proxy: None/Name if any
Symptoms
- Browsers hang on login pages (Google, Apple ID, banking, etc.). Page shows perpetual loading spinner; never completes.
- App Store shows only “Loading…” when opening, and I cannot install new apps or update existing apps.
- Similar behavior across Safari and Chrome/Edge (if installed).
What I’ve tried
- Restarted Mac and router.
- Tested multiple networks (home Wi-Fi and mobile hotspot).
- Disabled VPN/proxy/firewall (if any).
- Signed out/in of App Store and Apple ID (System Settings).
- Cleared Safari website data (Settings → Safari → Advanced → Website Data → Remove All).
- Ensured Date & Time are set automatically (Settings → General → Date & Time → “Set automatically” ON).
- Free space available: __ GB.
Additional checks I plan to try (need guidance if anything looks risky):
- Safe Mode test (isolates login items/caches)
- Shut down → hold Power until “Loading startup options” → select startup disk → hold Shift → “Continue in Safe Mode”.
- If Safe Mode works, a login item/extension may be the cause.
- New user test
- Settings → Users & Groups → add a new Admin user → log in and test.
- DNS / network stack reset
- Temporarily set DNS to 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8 (Settings → Wi-Fi → Details → DNS).
- Forget Wi-Fi network and re-join.
- Reset App Store/services caches (run in Terminal):
- killall -9 App\ Store storeaccountd storedownloadd
- rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.appstore
- rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/storeaccountd
- rm -rf ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.appstore
- defaults delete com.apple.appstore 2>/dev/null
- open -a "App Store"
- System update via Terminal (if App Store UI won’t load):
- softwareupdate --list
- sudo softwareupdate -ia --verbose
- Safari/Keychain sanity check
- Safari → Settings → Privacy → “Manage Website Data…” → Remove All.
- Keychain Access → lock/unlock “login”; ensure no corrupted duplicate iCloud items.
- Check Screen Time / Content Restrictions
- Settings → Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions → Off (for test).
- Profile/MDM/Proxy
- Settings → Privacy & Security → Profiles (remove unknown profiles).
- Settings → Network → VPN & Proxies (turn off any proxies; remove unknown VPNs).
