Mac computers are known for their efficiency, durability, and quality. Some of the new models are considered to be the fastest on the market. However, even these sophisticated devices may start to work slower after you use them for a while. This problem is caused by unnecessary files, useless settings that require too much memory, and many other issues. If you want to make your computer run faster, follow the tips presented below. These easy steps will enhance your user experience and preserve the high functionality of your premium device.
Causes of Low Speed
Before we discuss the solutions to low-performing Mac computers, let’s identify their causes. This information is essential for understanding how to modify your computer use. Here are the most common causes of slow Mac performance:
- Elaborate visuals. Visual effects on macOS are impressive, but they may drain too many resources on the hardware, especially in the older models.
- Redundant background processes. There are many processes you don’t even know about, which constantly consume precious memory. For instance, this often happens when your computer gets infected with a virus.
- Outdated apps. Old versions of the apps run faster because they have fewer bugs and are enhanced to consume less memory.
- Unnecessary files take too much space. If you don’t perform a regular cleanup, your memory gets cluttered with thousands of cache files, cookies, downloads, unused apps, etc.
Quite often, the suboptimal performance of your Mac is a result of a combination of factors, so you need to use critical thinking to determine the causes and address them effectively.
Things You Can Do to Make Your Mac Faster
If you are strongly determined to make your Mac faster, you can follow these recommendations:
- Make sure that your Internet connection is stable. Slow Internet is the most apparent cause of the slowdown, so check your router and Internet connection first.
- If your Internet connection is fine, you need to conduct performance optimization. Start by deleting unnecessary system files and documents. Remove those you don’t need, as they reduce disk space and may work in the background, slowing down your device. You can perform this task manually or use one of the multiple programs designed to perform an effective cleanup.
- Check your startup settings. Some of the programs and apps may launch automatically when you turn on the computer. Check “system preferences” to determine which apps are programmed to launch on start and change the settings to leave only those you really need.
- Update your software. macOS updates are launched regularly, and they contain bug fixes and performance improvements that protect the system and help it work faster. Check your App Store from time to time to keep up with updates.
- Detect and eliminate memory-demanding processes. Locate a “go” tab in your macOS system and go to “utilities.” You’ll get access to the activity monitor that calculates the memory and energy consumed by each of your apps and programs. Analyze the data and delete or close the unnecessary ones.
- Increase your random access memory (RAM). It is generally recommended to increase RAM if the computer has less than 4 GB. In such cases, you’ll likely see a massive difference in performance after the upgrade. Always check official recommendations provided by Apple to make sure you do everything right or ask for professional help.
- Sort out the files on your desktop. The cluttered desktop may be one of the reasons why your Mac is not working correctly. Create separate folders and combine the files so that you can locate them easily.
- Disable some visual effects. One of the things that make users’ experiences unforgettable is the visual attractiveness of Mac computers. However, if you value speed over visual effects, you may turn off some of them to boost the performance.
Summing Up
As you can see, most of the listed actions are easy and can be performed manually. If you perform at least several of the listed actions, you will notice a huge difference in your Mac’s speed. The key to maintaining the high performance of your device is to repeat these actions regularly.
