However, before jumping to the solution, it is essential to understand the root causes to avoid similar glitches down the line.
Why is Your Mac Running Slow?
There can be a range of reasons behind it. The most common reasons are – negligence from our side or hardware and software issues. With passing years and new upgrades, Macs tend to slow down irrespective of the model you own or the amount you have spent over them. However, a few workarounds may help you save your day.
Best Tips and Tricks To Speed Up Your Mac
1. Close Unnecessary Apps on Mac
We often leave the ‘n’ number of apps open on our Mac. Eventually, this slows down the system. As cliche as it sounds, more often than not, this is the reason that’s holding your Mac back. It is recommended to close the unused apps that may be running in the background. These can be done in the following ways; You can also press option+command+escape to force quit an app. Note: This step should only be used when your app doesn’t respond, or the first step fails to help.
2. Restart Your Mac Regularly
Most of us have the habit of pulling down the screen after using it rather than shutting it down. While initially, this might seem helpful, it may negatively impact your Mac over time. If not daily, it is recommended to restart your Mac at least once in two days. It works like a power nap. This helps it revive and serve you again with its full potential.
3. Use Activity Monitor to Identify Resource Hogs
This is one of the most convenient ways to identify which apps and programs consume most of your Mac’s energy. To access the activity monitor; You can also open the activity monitor using Spotlight. This section will show you all the active processes on your Mac. Under the %CPU tab, you’ll notice the apps and their battery usage. Locate and close (if required) those draining your Mac’s energy.
4. Reduce your Startup Items
Do certain apps open on their own as soon as you start your Mac? If the answer’s yes, these apps fall under the Startup items, and they may be slowing down your Mac. To disable them;
5. Update your macOS
This is one of the most crucial considerations. Whether your Mac is running slow or smooth, it’s vital to keep the macOS updated all the time. To do this;
6. Perform First Aid and Repair Permissions on Mac
Whenever you install an application on Mac, it arrives in the form of various packages. These packages house permissions which change with time, eventually lagging your Mac or even freezing and crashing it. To overcome this issue, you need to access disk utility. To do so;
7. Turn off Mac’s Visual Effects
The visual effects on your Mac undoubtedly add to the design and your experience. However, they do have the potential to hold down your Mac’s speed. Acknowledging this, turning off your Mac’s visual effects can undoubtedly be a wise decision. To do it;
8. Reindex Spotlight on Mac
This is necessary when you have recently updated your Mac. Though it might take around an hour to get back to normal on a typical day, sometimes it slows down the system. To reindex Spotlight on Mac; Once you are here, drag and drop your hard drive from the Finder into the privacy list; once added, select and click on the ‘-‘ icon. The process should end in an hour, and hopefully, you’ll have the solution.
9. Get rid of Mac Desktop Clutter
Keeping the desktop clean is always a wise option as it directly consumes your RAM space. Depending on the Mac version you are using, you must always consider keeping it clean. For the macOS High Sierra and older versions, you’ll have to consider deleting them. For the newer versions, you can choose ‘Desktop Stack‘ to arrange them neatly. This can be accessed by right-clicking on your desktop and selecting ‘Use Stacks.’
10. Clean Up Mac’s Hard Drive
Clear Cache Files
Cache files are temporary data used to speed up your experience. However, with time, they accumulate in large numbers and eventually slow down your Mac. It would help if you preferred cleaning it for both Mac and browser.
To Clear your Mac’s Cache;
To Clear your browser Cache;
Optimize Mac’s Storage
This is one of the most straightforward ways of boosting the speed of your Mac. And it’s no rocket science. Consider shifting your old and rarely used files to iCloud or an external hard drive. If these files are of no use to you anymore, deleting them will be a wiser option. Besides, you can also consider compressing large files. Remember, there’s limited space on your Mac, and I’m sure you wouldn’t like wasting it over files and folders that are of no use.
Delete Large Unused Files
11. Reset your Mac’s SMC and PRAM
Resetting the SMC (System Management Controller)
For non-removable battery : For removable battery : Reade more: Why you need to reset SMC on mac?
Resetting the PRAM (Parameter Random Access Memory)
Note: The process of resetting PRAM in MacBook Air and Pro is similar to resetting SMC in non-removable battery devices.
12. Install more RAM
This largely depends on your usage and the applications you have installed on your Mac. However, if you notice your Mac running slow, consider upgrading your RAM. Simple yet, highly effective.
13. Turn off File Vault Encryption
As the name suggests, file vault allows you to encrypt every single file you save on Mac. In the process, it utilizes numerous processor cycles to encrypt and decrypt the files. Consider turning it off if you are using it. To do so,
14. Replace your HDD with SSD
If you’ve tried everything we listed and it still didn’t speed up your Mac, consider replacing the standard HDD with the Solid-State Drive (SSD). To see which is the best SSD for your Mac. Before you do that, don’t forget to backup all your files and folders. And yes, professional assistance will make the process seamless.
Try These Solutions to Speed up Your Mac
A device’s performance is mostly dependent on the way you use it. Often, small errors can lead to massive malfunctions. These were a few ways that may help you to speed up your slowing Mac. I hope it helps. However, please feel free to connect with me in the comment section or shoot a direct mail on ([email protected]) if you encounter any issues or if you have anything to add to the list. READ MORE:
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