TL;DR
To fix Mac running slow after an update:
- Restart your Mac to clear memory and fix performance issues.
- Check and free up storage space.
- Clear cache and junk files to boost performance.
- Disable unnecessary startup programs to speed up boot time.
Tried and Tested ✅: The methods and steps mentioned in this article have been tried and tested firsthand by Ojash Yadav on his MacBook Pro M3 and rechecked for errors on Hashir’s MacBook Air M2.
After a recent macOS update, my Mac started crawling. I couldn’t believe how slow it got, but after trying a few fixes, I got it back to normal. Here’s what worked for me.
8 Top Fixes for a Mac Running Slow After An Update
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Here are 8 proven solutions you can try to fix the issue:
1. Restart Your Mac
A simple restart can resolve many performance issues by clearing system memory and resetting unresponsive apps. To restart your Mac, you can follow these simple steps:
- Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen and select Restart.
- Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut by pressing the Control ^+ Command ⌘ + Power buttons together.
- A confirmation dialog will appear asking if you want to restart your Mac. Click the Restart button to proceed.
Once the restart is complete, your Mac will boot up again, and you can log in as usual.
2. Check Storage Space on Your Mac
Low storage space can slow down your Mac, so checking and freeing up space is essential for better performance. To check the storage space on your Mac, you can follow these steps:
- Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen and select System Settings.
- Click General and select the Storage tab.
- Here, you’ll see a visual representation of your storage space, divided into Apps, Bin, macOS, System Data, and Other Users. The colored sections will indicate how much space each category occupies on your Mac’s storage.
- If it’s getting near the limit, consider deleting unnecessary files or moving them to an external drive or cloud storage.
3. Clear Cache and Unwanted Files on Mac
Clearing cached and unnecessary files helps free up storage and improve your Mac’s speed. Here’s how you can manually clear the cache on your Mac:
- Open Finder, click Go in the top menu bar, and select Go to Folder.
- A pop-up box will appear with an empty search bar. Type the following path into the search bar and press Enter:
~/Library/Caches/
- This will open the Caches folder. Here, select the folder for the system data you want to clear.
- Right-click the files and select Move to Bin.
- Permanently delete the cache from your Mac by right-clicking the Bin icon and selecting Empty the Bin.
4. Disable Unnecessary Startup Items on Mac
Disabling unnecessary startup programs can reduce load times and improve system responsiveness. Follow these steps to remove login items in System Settings:
- Click the Apple icon and tap System Settings.
- Select General and click Login Items in the right menu.
- Here, you’ll see the items that launch when you start up your Mac.
- Select the login item you want to remove and click the – button at the bottom of the list to remove the login item.
If you have Mackeeper then you can also use it to remove login item easily. Here’s how to remove login items on your Mac using MacKeeper:
- Download MacKeeper and install it on your Mac.
- Open Login Items under Performance in MacKeeper.
- Click Start Scan.
- Select unnecessary items from the list and click Remove Selected Items.
- Tap the Remove button on the pop-up.
- It will remove your selected items from the system startup list. You can click Rescan to repeat the process.
5. Free Up Your Mac’s RAM
Closing high-memory apps and processes helps free up RAM, boosting performance when running multiple programs. Here’s how to free up RAM on your Mac:
- Open the Activity Monitor by navigating to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.
- Click the Memory tab to see the current usage of memory by all running applications.
- The processes are sorted by their memory usage by default. If not, you can sort the list by clicking the Memory column to see which applications are using the most memory.
- If you see an application using a lot of memory you’re not currently using, you can force quit it by selecting it and clicking the X button in the top-left corner.
6. Check for Incompatible Apps and Delete Them
Incompatible or outdated apps can cause performance issues and should be updated or uninstalled. Here is how, you can use Launchpad to uninstall an app on Mac:
- Click the Launchpad icon in the Dock, or use the Mac keyboard shortcut key: F4.
- Scroll through the list of apps in Launchpad until you find the app you want to uninstall.
- Click and hold the app icon until it starts shaking, and an X icon appears on the top-left corner of the app icon. Click the X icon to delete the app.
- A pop-up window will ask you to confirm if you want to delete the app. Tap the Delete button to confirm, and it will move the app to the Bin in the Dock.
- After deleting the app, right-click the Bin icon in the Dock and select Empty Bin.
- Restart your Mac to ensure that all changes are applied.
7. Reset PRAM/NVRAM
Resetting PRAM or NVRAM can fix unusual behavior by clearing settings like volume and display configurations. Apple Silicon Macs handle this automatically during restarts.
Find a detailed guide on PRAM/NVRAM resets here.
You cannot manually reset NVRAM or PRAM on Macs with an Apple Silicon chip. If a reset is needed, your M1 or M2 Mac will make it happen automatically during a restart.
8. Reset SMC
Resetting the SMC, which controls hardware functions on Intel Macs, can resolve lingering performance issues after other fixes fail. For Macs with removable or non-removable batteries, the process differs. Apple Silicon Macs don’t require an SMC reset.
Learn more about how to reset the SMC here.
How to Downgrade to an Older macOS Version
As a last resort, if the latest macOS update is not working out for you, consider downgrading to an older version. Follow these steps to downgrade macOS to an older version:
Downgrading to an older macOS version is a complex process that should be cautiously undertaken. You might also lose access to some features and security updates available in the newer version.
For Macs with Intel processors:
- Shut down your Mac and initiate the Recovery Mode by pressing Shift + Option + Command + R keys together during the booting.
- Find and choose the bootable disk marked as Macintosh HD.
- Provide your password and proceed by clicking Continue.
- In the Recovery Mode, navigate to Disk Utility, select your desired drive, and click Erase.
- Make sure to pick the GUID Partition Map and format it as APFS.
- Lastly, navigate back to Recovery and click reinstall macOS.
For Macs with Apple Silicon:
- Switch off your Mac and hold the Power key until the Loading startup options notification appears.
- Select Options and press Continue.
- You’ll need to enter your administrator account’s password at this point.
- Navigate to Recovery Mode, find the Macintosh HD drive, and click the Erase option.
- An option to Reinstall macOS should become visible. Choose this, press Continue, and follow the on-screen instructions.
Downgrading macOS takes time, so be patient while the process completes.
Enhance Your Mac’s Speed With Regular Maintenance
Experiencing a slow Mac after an update can be frustrating, but with the right steps, you can boost its performance. Regular maintenance is key to keeping your Mac running smoothly. Here are some easy tips to help:
- Keep your Mac apps and software updated to avoid bugs and glitches.
- Clear cache and junk files to prevent performance issues.
- Monitor your Mac’s CPU, GPU, and RAM to catch issues early.
