How to Speed Up a Slow Mac: 13 Best Ways

Written by

Ojash

Reviewed by

Hashir Ibrahim

Last updated: August 16, 2024

Expert verified

Over time, any computer can start to slow down, and Macs are no exception. When I noticed my Mac wasn’t as fast as it used to be, I knew I had to find a fix. In this post, I’ll share what worked for me so you can get your Mac running smoothly again, too.

13 Best Ways to Speed Up a Slow Mac

Here are 13 easy ways I found to speed it up and get your Mac running smoothly again:

1. Clean Up Your Hard Drive

Over time, your Mac’s hard drive gets cluttered with unnecessary files and data, which can significantly impact its performance. We’ll show you how to identify and remove these files, freeing up valuable space and speeding up your system.

Here are a few ways you can clean up your hard drive to free up space:

a. Delete Unnecessary Files

1. Determine which files are unnecessary (old documents, unused apps, duplicates, temporary files).
2. Select these files, right-click, and click Move to Bin.

3. However, moving files to the Bin doesn’t mean they are removed from your system. Right-click the Bin icon in the Dock and select Empty Bin to permanently delete the files.

b. Uninstall Unused Apps

Here is how to delete unnecessary applications on your Mac:

1. Open Launchpad from the Dock or use the Launchpad keyboard shortcut on Mac (F4 key).

2. Find the application you want to remove.

3. Click and hold the application icon until it starts shaking.
4. Click the X icon that appears on the top left corner of the application’s icon.

5. Click Delete in the confirmation dialog.

2. Quit Resource-Hungry Processes

To quit resource-hungry processes on a Mac and potentially speed up your computer, you can follow these steps:

1. Open Activity Monitor by navigating to the Applications folder, then opening the Utilities folder, and finally clicking Activity Monitor.

2. In the Activity Monitor window, you’ll see a list of processes sorted by various categories. Look for processes consuming a significant amount of system resources.

3. Select a resource-hungry process from the list, and you’ll see detailed information about it in the lower half of the Activity Monitor window. .

4. Once you have identified a resource-hungry process that you want to quit, select it from the list and click the x button in the toolbar.

5. A confirmation dialog will appear, asking if you want to quit the process. Click “Quit” to terminate the selected process.

If you identify multiple resource-hungry processes, you can repeat the above to quit them one by one.

3. Manage Login Items

While login items allow you to have certain applications or processes readily available and running without manually launching them every time you start your Mac, too many login items can slow down your computer and increase its startup time.

Here’s how to manage your login items on Mac:

1. Click the Apple icon and select System Settings.

2. Click General and select Login Items.

3. Review the list of startup items and select the ones you don’t want to launch at startup. Then, click the small minus (-) button to remove it from the list.

4. Close the window, and the changes will take effect the next time you restart your Mac.

4. Clear the Cache Files

Clearing the cache files regularly ensures your Mac operates smoothly by freeing up storage and allowing applications to function optimally. Here are the steps to manually clear the cache files on your Mac and reclaim valuable disk space:

1. Click the Finder icon in the Dock to open a Finder window.

2. In the menu bar, click Go and then Go to Folder.

3. In the Go to Folder window, type the following path and press Enter:

~/Library/Caches

4. Locate the folder for the application you want to clear the cache for. If you’re not sure which folder belongs to the app, you can look for folders with the same name as the app.
5. Right-click the folder and select Move to Bin from the menu.

6. Click Empty Bin to delete the folder permanently.

7. Restart your Mac to see if its speed improves.

5. Run a Virus Scan on Your Mac With Antivirus

If you suspect your Mac is infected with malware or a virus, scan your Mac and remove malicious software. Here’s how to use MacKeeper to run a virus scan on your Mac:

1. Download and install MacKeeper.
2. Launch MacKeeper and navigate to the Antivirus tab in the left sidebar.

3. Initiate an instant virus scan by clicking the Start Scan button.

4. If viruses are detected during the scan, click the Fix Items button to resolve the issues.
5. If your system is threat-free, you’ll see a No threats found message. You can tap the Restart button to run the scan again.

6. Enable real-time antivirus protection to safeguard your Mac from future threats by clicking the Enable button.

After you have configured your security settings, MacKeeper will continue to operate in the background, diligently scanning for threats a

6. Disable Visual Effects

Fancy animations and visual effects may look impressive, but they can also slow down your Mac. Follow these steps to disable visual effects:

1. Click the Apple menu in the upper left corner of your screen and select System Settings.

2. In the System Settings window, locate and click the Desktop & Dock tab.

3. In the right pane, toggle off the Automatically hide and show the Dock and Animate opening applications options.

4. Choose Scale Effect in the drop-down menu next to Minimise windows using.

5. Next, locate and click the Accessibility icon in the left sidebar of System Settings. Then, select Display in the right pane.

6. In Display settings, toggle off the Reduce motion switch. This option reduces the animations and motion effects in the user interface.

7. Once you have made the desired changes, close the System Settings window.

7. Update macOS and Mac Apps

a. Update Apps on Mac

Here’s how to update apps on Mac to ensure you’re always running the latest versions:

1. Click the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen and select App Store.

2. Click the Updates tab in the App Store window.

3. If updates are available, you will see a list of apps that can be updated.

4. Click the Update button next to each app that has an update available.

5. And just like that, you’ve updated an app on your Mac. Now, follow the same steps for all apps to get them up to speed.

b. Update macOS

If you want to update macOS on your Mac, here are the steps to follow:

1. Click the Apple menu in the upper left corner of your screen and select System Settings.

2. Click General and select Software Update to open the updates menu.

3. Your Mac will check for updates automatically. If your Mac is up-to-date, it will show your current macOS version. But if an update is available, click the Update Now button to download and install it.

Wait for the update to finish downloading and installing. Once the update is installed, you will notice a significant improvement in your Mac’s performance.

Advanced Techniques to Speed Up Your Mac

If none of the above methods didn’t boost your Mac’s speed, don’t worry. Here are some advanced techniques, like hardware upgrades and system checks, that can help you get your Mac running faster and more efficiently.

1. Run Apple Diagnostics

Running Apple Diagnostics helps ensure the optimal performance of your Mac by detecting any underlying hardware issues that might impact its speed and functionality. By identifying and addressing hardware problems, you can prevent further complications and potential slowdowns caused by faulty components.

Read my this detailed guide on how to run Apple Diagnostic on Mac.

2. Reinstall macOS

Reinstalling macOS can potentially speed up your Mac by addressing various software-related issues that might be causing performance slowdowns. It essentially provides a clean slate, removing unnecessary files, system clutter, and problematic configurations.

Check out my detailed guide on how to reinstall macOS on Mac to get step-by-step instructions.

3. Upgrade Your Mac’s Hardware

If your Mac is older, a hardware upgrade can boost its performance:

• Upgrade Storage: Switching from an HDD to an SSD can drastically improve speed and reliability, making a significant difference in your Mac’s performance.
• Upgrade RAM: Adding more RAM can speed up your Mac, especially if it’s running slow. Check your current RAM usage in Activity Monitor under the Memory tab.

What if Your Mac Browser is Slow?

Is your web browsing experience slowing down your Mac? Learn simple ways to clear up browser-related issues and speed things up.

1. Close Unnecessary Browser Tabs

By closing unnecessary tabs, you free up memory, allowing your Mac to allocate resources more efficiently to the tasks at hand. Here’s how to close unused tabs on Mac:

1. Take a look at the tabs you have open in your browser and assess which ones you can close.
2. To close a specific tab, click the small x button on the left side of the tab.

Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Command ⌘ + W to close the active tab.

3. If you have multiple tabs you want to close at once, right-click one of the tabs and choose the Close Other Tabs or Close Tabs to the Right option.

2. Clear Browser Cache and Extensions

If your web browsing experience feels sluggish, it might be due to a bloated cache or resource-intensive browser extensions. Here’s how to clear your browser cache on Mac:

a. On Safari

Here are the steps for clearing your browser cache on Safari:

1. Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar. From the drop-down menu, select Settings.

2. Select the Advanced tab and check the box next to the Show Develop menu in menu bar option if it is unchecked.

3. Return to your menu bar, click Develop, and select Empty Caches from this drop-down list.

4. This will successfully clear your browser cache on Safari.

3. Check Your Internet Connection

If you’re experiencing slow performance on your Mac, checking your internet connection is crucial. Follow these steps:

1. Ensure a Stable Connection: Make sure your Mac is connected to a stable network, either through wired Ethernet or strong Wi-Fi.
2. Perform a Speed Test: Use online tools like Ookla’s Speedtest or Fast.com to measure your internet speed.
3. Troubleshoot Slow Speeds:
   • Restart Modem and Router: Unplug both devices, wait a few seconds, and plug them back in.
   • Reset Network Settings: On your Mac, go to System Settings > Network. Select your connection, click Details, go to the TCP/IP tab, and tap Renew DHCP Lease.
   • Contact Your ISP: If issues persist, reach out to your ISP for help diagnosing and resolving connectivity problems.
4. Consider Peak Usage Times: Slow speeds during peak hours may be due to network congestion. Waiting for off-peak times or upgrading your internet plan may help.

Speed Up Your Mac and Extend Its Lifespan

Slowing Mac performance can be a hindrance, but with the strategies I shared above, you can give your machine a significant speed boost. And if you’re looking for more, here’s a few more tips to help you optimize your Mac’s performance:

• If your Mac slows down after an update, read this guide to resolve this issue.
• Knowing how to prevent overheating can make a big difference in your Mac’s performance.
• Managing disk space effectively is key to avoiding slowdowns from a full hard drive.

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