Think Macs always run at lightning speed? Think different! Like all computers, Macs run slowly over time. Fortunately, you are not doomed to a slow machine.
Whether you want to fix issues manually or speed up your Mac with software, Everything you need is right here. With our step-by-step instructions, you’ll learn how to speed up your Mac.
Why is my Mac running slow?
Whether it’s an old Mac or a brand new one, there will come a time when apps will stop responding, it will take longer to boot than enough to ripen, and videos will stutter.
Something is clear, and every morning, you’re thinking, “Oh, why is my Mac running so slow?”
In the era of technology, there is no one right answer to this problem. Welcome. It could be due to one or more of the following factors:
Background processes that reduce your performance:
macOS does a bad job of notifying you when a process constantly uses valuable CPU cycles or memory.
It can happen, for example, if a process is small or crashed, or even (in the worst case) when your Mac is infected with a virus.
To avoid any more seriousness, check your Mac for viruses using our free Avast Mac Security (contrary to popular misconceptions, Macs get viruses too!)
Fancy Visuals:
Although Apple has dialed back iCandy over the years, MacOS is still full of visual effects that impose heavy taxes on older Mac hardware. It also affects battery performance.
Older apps or macOS:
The chances are that newer versions of your OS or apps you have installed run faster or have fewer bugs that cause them to slow down. So it may be time to update.
Is it just the internet slowing down?
Before moving on to the solution, you need to see if any external influences are slowing you down. Slow internet or browsing speeds can be caused by problems with your router or internet connection – Everything is fine with your Mac! Because of this, before attempting to fix a Mac you don’t need, we first recommend checking and diagnosing your internet connection.
If your results are less than normal or inconsistent, it has something to do with your connection. To fix this, try resetting your router or moving closer to it.
If that doesn’t work, check the speed of your internet connection and then find ways to improve it.
How to speed up your Mac
It’s time to fasten your seat belts because we’re all about improving performance directly to speed up your iMac, MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro or whatever Mac you may have. Moving towards effective techniques.
Clear system files and documents.
Clean Mac is a fast Mac. File clutter can lead to irresponsible applications and disk space, slowing things down considerably.
You can alleviate these problems by deleting old files, such as temporary garbage data or junk files.
You can clean your Mac yourself, but Avast Cleanup for Mac will get the job done soon if you want to go easy. We’ll also find old documents and files you are no longer using, then get rid of them soon!
Detect the demand process and kill.
If things are slower than usual or your Mac gets hot for no reason, the process out of control can slow things down. It is how you can view the status of your computer:
- Click Go in your Mac OS system bar and select Utilities.
- Click Activity Monitor. It is where you will find all kinds of information about your performance, but there is much to do. Let’s start with the CPU:
The CPU (Central Processing Unit, or simply “Processor”) is the heart of your system because it counts Everything you do.
If it is occupied by something else, all your activities will slow down and start crawling. To see what’s bothering you, ensure you’re in the CPU tab and click% CPU to sort all actions by usage.
You can safely ignore anything related to macOS, such as WindowServer, kernel_task, second or anything launched under root, _hidd, location, or _windowserver usernames.
If the entry under the user reads your username, it means that it is an application you have installed or are actively using – these are the things you pay attention to.
Should give something that consumes 5% to 10% of CPU time should be found. Time to find out what’s going on! Here’s a simple illustration:
YouTube CPU consumes 4.4% of the time. If this bothers you, it’s time to end your viewing session. If a given entry does not ring a bell, you may want to Google it.
Once you are convinced that you do not need this action, you can end it by clicking on the X button and leaving or even choosing to leave by force (really stubborn for them).
Remove unused apps
One of my habits I’d like to share with you is: Once a month, I run a full system scan on my Mac to ensure no “zombies” lurking in the shadows.
I’m referring to programs I haven’t touched in weeks and don’t require any longer. How to get rid of downloaded programs or Mac OS software that you no longer use:
Run a macOS system update
In the past, new Mac OS releases have been used to slow down older Macs. Those days are over. With the latest release, Apple focuses on trimming features and improving resource usage, which often speeds up your MacBook, Mac Mini, or even Mac Pro.
MacOS Sierra and Yosemite have achieved a lot in this area, and the new Catalina is improving things. Enable automatic updates and keep your operating system up to date.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, these steps will help speed up the Mac. If you’re still unsure why your system is lagging, follow our guide to check your Mac’s performance.
Related Article:
Is MacBook or a Windows Laptop Better For an Engineering Student? (Explained)