Leon Osman made sure Everton did not suffer embarrassment in the FA Cup for the second season running.
The midfielder scored the winner against the League Two side two minutes before half-time to steer David Moyes' side into the fourth round, banishing the memory of last year when they were knocked out by Oldham.
Macclesfield, however, almost secured a replay but goalkeeper Tim Howard reacted superbly in stoppage time to turn away substitute Simon Yeo's effort.
The League Two club also gave Everton a couple of huge scares in the opening stages despite lying 76 places below them in the league standings.
Terry Dunfield latched on to a poor clearance from Phil Neville only to fire his effort over the bar in the second minute.
They had an even better chance nine minutes later when Nat Brown escaped his marker. However he headed over the bar from inside the six-yard box following a cross from James Jennings.
Leighton Baines then breached the home defense five minutes later but Osman just failed to get a vital touch at the back post.
And Tim Cahill should perhaps have done better in the 31st minute following a long throw from Neville.
Cahill, who has scored some vital goals in recent weeks, got clear at the back post only to send a tame shot into the arms of Jon Brain.
Macclesfield were playing with no little confidence following their victory against Chester at the weekend and were defending in numbers.
Arteta swung in a free-kick in the 42nd minute and tried to release Osman but the ball was anticipated and cleared.
A minute later Everton made the breakthrough thanks to a moment of magic from Osman.
The industrious midfielder took advantage of a poor clearance to crack a splendid half-volley from the edge of the area past Brain.
Macclesfield goalkeeper Brain then had to look alert in the 50th minute following an in-swinging cross from Tony Hibbert with Everton looking to extend their lead.
The visitors kept up the pressure and Joleon Lescott released Baines but he lost his footing as he was about to deliver the cross and the move broke down.
Steven Pienaar then picked out Osman with a superb crossfield pass, only for his delivery into the area to be scrambled away.
Pienaar and Baines linked up again in the 61st minute but Baines' cross was easily cut out.
Everton were knocking the ball around well and the home side were finding it a struggle to get back into the game.
Neville tried his luck on goal three minutes later but his effort was blocked.
Then Phil Jagielka sent an instinctive overhead kick onto the roof of the net in the 67th minute.
The defender's speculative effort came after Lescott had got on the end of a free-kick from Arteta.
It looked just a matter of time before Everton would extend thier lead such was their dominance at this stage of the game.
Jagielka almost added to Everton's tally with a fierce volley over the top in the 73rd minute.
Two minutes later Baines was cursing his luck as his superb chip drifted wide of Brain's post.
Macclesfield had a penalty appeal turned down when substitute Danny Thomas went to ground following a challenge from Hibbert. Then in stoppage time Yeo almost equalized only for Howard to block his effort.
