Geek's Advice

Looking for ways to speed up a slow-running Mac? Find out the possible causes first

Nobody wants a slow-running Mac. No matter if you’re using an older Mac or a brand new one, it can get slow due to a variety of reasons. Most of the time, such problem builds up with time and fixing a slow OS X computer hardly ever depends on a single method. Therefore, we have prepared a set of fixes for you that will improve your computer’s performance altogether and surely speed up Mac.

So if you’re wondering, why is my Mac running slow, firstly think of these common factors that have major impact on your OS X computer’s speed.

Common reasons that slow down your Mac

• Usage of modern browsers. The thing is, browsers are getting more and more memory-demanding, due to hundreds of innovative technologies included and the loads of data processed.
• High number of applications used. Another reason that can severely diminish your computer’s performance is usage of resource-demanding applications. Besides, your Mac might have less memory available than the app you’re trying to use needs.
• Low disk space available. One of the most common culprits for bad computer performance is lack of storage space. Normally, CPU uses RAM to store data. However, Macs can use hard disk space as virtual memory as well. It is often recommended to have at least 10% free disk space to prevent your computer from freezing and lagging.
• Too many startup items. When computer boots up, many things happen in the background. For example, if you have many applications set to launch on startup, they can slowdown the whole process as well as worsen overall computer’s performance.
• Outdated hardware. Every device has its lifespan and computers are no exception. Therefore, if you’re using a very old Mac, or one that has full RAM that’s been used for many years, it is natural to expect that it won’t operate as smoothly as newer ones.
• Incompatible software. If you’re trying to run a program that isn’t specifically designed to be used on your Mac, or isn’t downloaded from the official App store, you may run into a problem.
• Rich visuals. Macs are known for their quality graphics. However, if your settings for OS X or individual applications are set on maximum quality, it can seriously impact overall performance of your computer. Lowering them a bit might not be that obvious for naked eye, but can actually improve the speed of your Mac.
• Malware presence. The number of Mac malware rapidly increases. Most of the time, it isn’t as aggressive as the ones designed for Windows operating systems. However, they clutter your computer with needless components and initiate various tracking activities, cause redirects or deliver excessive advertising, so there is no need to keep up with such unwanted activities.

Considering the listed reasons, we have prepared an in-depth guide on how to speed up your Mac. We strongly recommend that you try all of the methods listed because each of them will add its part to recovering your computer’s peak performance.

Ways to Speed Up a Slow Mac

1. Free Up Mac Storage Space

If your Mac is cluttered with files, cached data, temporary files, trash, there’s no wonder why it doesn’t function as expected. The explanation is simple: MacOS X utilizes virtual memory, which means that when RAM is out of space, the system might swap RAM data to the hard disk. When both of them are full, applications might start crashing due to memory errors. In other words, the system uses fail-safe mode and when directories aren’t considered to be safe for new files to be written, the process falls back. Therefore, we recommend these steps to clean up your Mac:

1. Type Storage Management in Mac’s search and open the matching result. Here, you can see sections along with storage space they take on your computer. In Applications folder, look through the list of apps and choose which ones you would like to delete (for example, those that you no longer need or use).
   

2. In Documents, you can divide the selection by choosing Large Files section. Select the ones you want to get rid of and and click Delete. You can repeat the same in Downloads, Unsupported Apps, Containers and navigate through File Browser sections to delete files you do not need.
   

3. If you accidentally removed files you need, you can restore them by opening Trash Bin. Once you’re set with files that are good to go, select Empty Bin.
   

Tip: Using Storage Management, you can choose to store files in iCloud and only keep the most recent files and optimized photos on Mac itself when the storage space is needed. Additionally, you can also choose to automatically remove watched Apple TV movies and TV shows and only keep the most recent email attachments on the computer when you’re running out of storage space on Mac. Next, you can choose to Empty Trash automatically(files that were in the Trash Bin for more than 30 days will be deleted automatically).

2. Declutter automatically

It can take a lot of time to declutter your Mac manually, therefore we recommend using an automatic system cleanse option. For this matter, we strongly recommend a powerful Mac security suite INTEGO which includes special feature called Washing Machine X9. In our opinion, it is the best app to speed up Mac in minutes.

It can show you duplicate files and programs you never use, reclaim space by deleting files you do not need such as caches, language file packs and also helps to organize your Desktop so it doesn’t look cluttered. Additionally, this software allows you to choose deletion criteria that is in your comfort zone.

3. Reduce the number of startup items

One of the ways to speed up a slow Mac is to reduce the number of items that automatically launch during computer’s startup. To manage your startup items, take a look at this guide:

1. Go to System Preferences > Users & Groups.
2. Select your username and go to Login Items tab.
3. Here, select the application you want to remove from login items and click the minus sign (–).
   
4. Repeat until you remove all unnecessary programs.

4. Too many processes are running at the same time

Another reason why your Mac is running slow might be too many applications running at the same time. For this reason, we recommend ending unneeded process using Activity Monitor. Using this tool, you can see a breakdown of processes currently active on your computer and end them, thus significantly increase the computer’s performance. Here’s how to use Activity Monitor to speed up Mac:

1. Go to Finder > Applications > Tools. Here, open Activity Monitor.
2. Go to Memory tab and ensure that the memory consumption column is set to show results in descending order. If you have a browser running, you can even see which tabs consume the largest amount of memory. Double-click on items that you do not need yet consume a lot of memory and select Quit. However, refrain from ending processes you do not recognize as these might be essential system components required for the system to operate smoothly.
   

5. Scan for malware

Recently, the number of Mac-targeting malware has increased significantly. It must be said that such malware, unlike the majority of Windows malware, tends to operate silently and use computer’s resources to display excessive advertising, launch DDOS attacks or mine cryptocurrency in the background.

Probably the most prevalent group of unwanted programs nowadays is Adload malware which continuously changes its names and is hard to remove, although there are many others that can severely impact your browser’s performance, including those known under Yahoo Redirect Virus, Nearbyme.io or “* Will Damage Your Computer. You Should Move it to Trash” kinds of viruses.

Although you can try to remove such unwanted programs manually, it can take a lot of time, therefore we strongly recommend using a robust Mac antivirus such as INTEGO which is a security software entirely designed for Mac OS (which means it was designed for OS X from the beginning, not a known Windows AV vendor shifting to a new operating system). Besides, it can scan your iOS devices too (including iPhone, iPad or iPod). And, as mentioned earlier, it includes Washing Machine feature, which can help to reclaim disk space on your Mac.

1. Get INTEGO.
2. Once you activate it, run a full system scan using VirusBarrier X9.
3. Wait for the scan to complete and remove detected spyware/malware.
   

6. Remove extensions from your browsers

Internet browser such as Google Chrome, Safari or others is no doubt the most used application on your computer, and most importantly, a significant actor when it comes to slow-running Mac. Therefore, it is a good idea to declutter it from useless extensions that you hardly use. That said, we have prepared an easy guide on how to remove unwanted extensions from the most popular Mac browsers:

Google Chrome:

1. Open Google Chrome and enter this in your URL address bar: chrome://extensions, then hit Enter.
2. Here, look through the list of extensions and hit Remove next to ones you do not need. Additionally, you can remove Apps that you do not use as well.
   

Safari:

1. Open Safari, then use the upper menu navigation bar to go to Safari > Preferences.
2. Open Extensions tab.
3. Choose an extension from the left pane and choose to Uninstall it.
   

If you feel that your browser is still slow, we strongly recommend you to lower the number of open windows/tabs unless you absolutely need all of them open. The reason behind this is that too many tabs require memory resources, thus slow down overall Mac’s performance.

7. Reduce visual effects

Rich graphics demand a lot of resources, besides, you can adjust these settings slightly. Most likely you won’t even notice the changes, but it will help to speed up Mac significantly. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Go to System Preferences > Dock & Menu Bar.
2. Deselect Animate opening applications and Automatically hide and show the Dock options. Additionally, you can deselect Magnification.
   Next to Minimize windows using option, choose Genie effect.
   Next, deselect Automatically hide and show the menu bar option.
   

8. Move large files to external disk or another device

If you’re having problems trying to free up space on slow-running Mac, you might need to move part of your data to an external disk or another computer/phone. Here’s how to do it:

1. Connect your hard disk or device to your Mac.
2. In Finder, you should notice the connected drive appear in the right pane under Locations section. Open it.
3. Now, right-click Finder icon and choose New Finder Window. In it, navigate to location that contains files you wish to move out from your Mac to the connected drive/device.
4. Drag the file you want to move and drop it into your connected drive’s folder. Repeat with all items you wish to transfer from your computer.
   TIP: Focus on moving the largest files or entire folders to free up space quickly.
   

9. Reset SMC settings to factory defaults

SMC is short for System Management Controller. It is a chip on the Mac’s logic board that is responsible for managing various low-level power settings, including responding to on/off button clicks, managing sudden motion sensor, battery management, temperature control, and similar. Resetting these settings to defaults can definitely help when trying to speed up slow Mac. Here’s how to do it:

Reset SMC on iMac, Mac Pro and Mac Mini:

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Unplug the computer’s power cord.
3. Let it rest for about 15 seconds.
4. Attach the cord back.
5. Wait 5 seconds, then turn on your computer as usual.

Reset SMC on MacBooks from 2009 to 2017 with removable batteries:

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. If connected, disconnect the MagSafe power adapter.
3. Remove the battery from your computer.
4. Hold the power button for 5 seconds, then release it.
5. Reconnect both the battery and MagSafe power adapter.
6. Turn on your MacBook.

Reset SMC on MacBooks with battery that you should not remove yourself (includes MacBook (Late 2009), MacBook Pro (Early 2009) and later, all models of MacBook Air).

1. Shut down your MacBook.
2. Connect the MagSafe power adapter to a power outlet, and plug it to your Mac.
3. Press the (left side) Shift-Control-Option keys and the power button at the same time.
4. Release all at the same time.
5. Turn on your MacBook.

Reset SMC on MacBook 2018 and later (T2 Chip):

You can check whether your MacBook has a T2 chip by going to:
Apple menu > About This Mac and clicking System Report. Click on Controller in the hardware area. You will see if your computer contains T2 Security Chip if it is written next to Model Name.

1. Turn off Mac.
2. Press and hold three keys at the same time:
   Control on the left side of keyboard,
   Option on the left side of keyboard,
   Shift on the right side of keyboard.
3. Hold these keys for 7 seconds, then press and additionally hold power button.
4. Keep holding all 4 keys for 7 seconds, then release all of them at the same time.
5. Wait 5 seconds then turn on your MacBook.

Reset SMC on MacBook 2018 (non T2 Chip):

1. Turn off your Mac.
2. Press and hold these keys:
   Control on the left side of keyboard,
   Option on the left side of keyboard,
   Shift on the right side of keyboard,
   Power on right side of keyboard.
3. Hold all 4 keys for 10 seconds.
4. Release the keys then turn on your computer.

10. Delete cache files

You can delete cache files using aforementioned INTEGO software, but you can also do it manually. Here’s how to speed up Mac by deleting cache files:

1. Click anywhere on Mac’s desktop, then click Go > Go to Folder.
2. Paste this into the prompt and press Enter: ~/Library/Caches
3. Go into each folder and delete cache-related contents. We recommend deleting the files only, not folders. Repeat with as many folders as you wish.
   
4. Now, use Go > Go to Folder.. to access /Library/Caches
5. Repeat actions described in step 3.

11. Clear inactive RAM memory

If your Mac is running slow, or if you’re constantly getting “Your system has run out of application memory” prompts, you can use this method to clear inactive RAM memory and speed up Mac. This is an easy method that simply requires running a task via Terminal.

1. Use Mac’s search to open Terminal.
2. Type sudo purge and press Enter.
3. The terminal will ask for Administrator’s password. Type it in and press Enter.
   

12. Upgrade your RAM

In some occasions, the best method to speed up Mac is to upgrade its RAM storage, especially if you didn’t purchase one with the largest RAM capacity to begin with.

• To check whether you can upgrade your RAM on Mac, go to Apple > About This Mac.
• Click on Memory tab. Here, you can see the slots available, and check what type of memory module is accepted. You can also click on Memory Upgrade instructions to learn more.
  

13. Mac wakes up slowly?

When you stop using your Mac for a while, it goes into standby mode and sometimes takes a while to wake up. A typical time for Mac to go into this mode is 3 hours of no use. If you find that it tends to ignore your keyboard clicks and mouse movements, try this method which postpones standby mode for 24 hour period and causes Mac to take a nap rather than go into the deep rest mode.

1. In search, type Terminal and open the application.
2. Type the following command: sudo pmset – a standbydelay 86400 and press Enter.
3. Enter your administrator’s password to confirm changes.
   

14. Merge open windows

Finder uses a lot of memory resources and if you have many open windows of it, this can lead to slow-running Mac problem. A known workaround for this is merging open windows trick, which works for both Finder and Preview. Here’s how to find this feature and use it:

1. Click Finder or Preview (whichever you currently use and have a lot of windows open).
2. In the upper menu bar, choose Window > Merge all Windows.
   
3. Now, you will see that a pile of open windows were merged into one, saving unnecessary memory usage and decluttering your working space. You can now view open windows in a form of tabs (similar to ones in web browsers).
   

15. Update your MacOS

Keeping up with Mac OS X software updates can help to keep your computer operating smoothly and also decrease the potential security risks as well. In order to update your OS and speed up Mac, do the following:

1. Click on Apple logo in the upper left corner of your screen and select About this Mac.
2. Here, click on Software Update…
3. Your computer will check for available updates. If there’s a new version displayed, click Upgrade Now.
   
4. Follow the instructions on your screen.

That’s it! We hope that our guide has helped you to successfully speed up Mac or MacBook. If you have your own insights of what other methods you used to make your Mac run faster, do not hesitate and share them with out community in the comments section down below.

Norbert Webb

Norbert Webb is the head of Geek’s Advice team. He is the chief editor of the website who controls the quality of content published. The man also loves reading cybersecurity news, testing new software and sharing his insights on them. Norbert says that following his passion for information technology was one of the best decisions he has ever made. “I don’t feel like working while I’m doing something I love.” However, the geek has other interests, such as snowboarding and traveling.