Recycle your Computers & Technology with us.

ARTICLES

Helpful Computer Repair Articles

Let Data Doctors be your personal IT department today

home » articles » How to Speed Up a Mac: 6 Tips for a Faster Mac

How to Speed Up a Mac: 6 Tips for a Faster Mac

published 7/30/2020

Apple has sold more than 1.6 billion iPhones in the last decade. The rich features of Apple devices have added to their popularity. If you have a Mac product, you can attest that its functionality is top-notch!

However, prolonged use of your Mac device can make it decrease in speed. Don't fret! You won't need to upgrade your Mac, not unless you want to have the latest version.

You might want to figure out why your Mac is slowing down for you to troubleshoot appropriately. Are you wondering how to speed up a Mac? Here's a list of 6 tips to increase the speed of a Mac.

1. Outdated Software

Your Mac should always be up to date for it to perform optimally. The updates often address issues such as bugs, security changes, and battery life. The next time you see a pop-up notification for system updates, don't ignore it!

The Mac App Store allows you to update your macOS and other applications that you have purchased or downloaded from the App store. Ensure that you check your App Store toolbar regularly for the Updates. If there are any recommended updates, click to have all your apps running on the latest software.

It would also help to change your System Preferences to be checking for updates automatically. The setting should download updates and notify you when the installation is about to take place. Updates are one of the leading causes of computers running slow, and ignoring the updates will make you have an undesirable experience with your precious Mac.

2. Close Unnecessary Apps

Are you using all the apps on your Mac device? It's not surprising to have an app that you haven't opened in three months. Unfortunately, your Mac might be dedicating the CPU and memory to programs that you don't deem crucial.

The fastest way to know the apps running on your Mac is to check the bottom of the screen. The programs running usually have a dot. Once you identify the apps that you're not using, shut them down.

If you've been wondering how to speed up a Mac, shutting down some programs might be all you need to do. Right-click on each of the app icons that you want to shut and click Quit. In no time, your Mac speed will improve.

3. Free the Storage Space

A slow running Mac is probably an indication that your storage is getting overwhelmed. A crowded SSD makes Mac slow down.

If you want to know the amount of free space on your drive, click on the Apple logo on the far left and tap the 'About this Mac' button. Click on the Storage tab and select the Manage button if you're about to hit maximum capacity.

You can back up your photos and documents to iCloud. On the iCloud, you'll need to optimize everything to reduce the storage space used. The iCloud Photo Library has a big space that will allow you to relieve your Mac from storing hundreds of photos.

Once you run out of the allocated space, you'll start to pay for Apple's cloud space. The charges depend on the amount of space you need and your location. You can't compare the cost of getting extra space to buying a new Mac!

4. Consider Hardware Upgrades

Recently, Apple paid a total of at least $310 million to users for slowing down older models. The company admitted slowing products that it considered older, with most consumers feeling that the move was meant to compel them to purchase newer versions.

If you were affected by the move, you understand how a slow running Mac can be frustrating. Hardware upgrades are on you. It's possible to learn how to speed up a Mac with necessary hardware upgrades.

Upgrading the RAM and hard drive is arguably one of the most common upgrades to increase the speed of a Mac. You might want to start by resetting the parameter random access memory. The move will make changes in system settings such as the fans, alarm clock, startup disks, mouse speed, lights, disk cache, and virtual memory.

5. Identify the Resource Hog Apps

Apps have different power needs. If you have several power-hungry apps, your Mac is likely to slow down. You can see the apps that are eating the most resources through the Activity Monitor.

Start by clicking the Utility folder, where you can use the Spotlight to find the Activity Monitor. The Activity Monitor checks out resources such as Memory, CPU, Network usage, Disk, and Energy. The CPU section will help you identify the programs and the resources they're using.

You can close the apps using more CPU power. It's possible to have programs that are using more CPU power, yet you don't use them often.

6. Clear Caches

Macs use several caches, which are small files on your computer's hard drive intended for reuse. Some of these caches are controlled by individual apps, while others are under the systems. Unfortunately, some of these apps operate dismally when it comes to caching.

You might find several gigabytes residing on the caches. Most of these are from web browsers. You can delete the caches that you no longer use.

Going through all the cache files manually can be overwhelming. Fortunately, there are tools such as CleanMyMacX that will help clear the cache in seconds. Other tools include the Mojave Cache Cleaner and Onyx, which go beyond clearing the cache.

How to Speed up a Mac Is a Constant Concern for Loyal Mac Users

While Mac is a tech product of choice for many people, a slow running Mac can make one question the need for buying such an expensive gadget. However, you can increase the speed of a Mac in a few steps. If you don't know how to speed up a Mac, solutions such as updating the software are ideal.

Taking the right steps will prompt your slow Mac to enhance its speed. Reinstalling your operating system should be the last action!

Is your Mac performing unusually slow, and you're unsure of how to go about it? You can get free help from Data Doctors Computer Services. For more personalized assistance, contact us or book an appointment.