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How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer AnistonOriginal
2025-03-16 10:52:13266browse

This article explores how to revitalize a sluggish Mac. Over time, Macs can slow down due to various factors, including a cluttered startup, resource-intensive background apps, a full hard drive, and aging hardware. Fortunately, several strategies can boost your Mac's speed without breaking the bank.

How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

Let's examine common culprits and their solutions:

Problem Solution
High CPU Usage Close demanding apps using Activity Monitor. Automate this with iStat Menus or App Tamer.
Excessive Startup Items Manage startup items in System Settings > General > Login Items.
Many Open/Unused Apps Use Quit All to close all apps, including background processes.
iCloud Syncing Disable in System Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > iCloud Drive (carefully; avoid deleting local data).
Outdated macOS/Software Update macOS in System Settings > General > Software Update.
Cache Files & Unused Files Regularly clear cache files using CleanMyMac X.
PRAM/SMC Issues Reset PRAM and SMC (Intel-based Macs only).
Unnecessary Visual Effects Disable in System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
Overloaded Hard Drive Optimize storage with CleanMyMac X.
Potential Hardware Issues Run Apple Diagnostics; for comprehensive testing, use Novabench.

How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

Why is Your Mac Slow?

Before diving into solutions, let's identify common causes:

  • Insufficient RAM
  • Full hard drive
  • Cluttered desktop
  • Accumulated log files and caches
  • Too many browser extensions
  • Numerous open browser tabs
  • Malware
  • Many startup items
  • Hardware malfunctions
  • Corrupted hard drive/SSD
  • Overheating
  • Outdated Mac struggling with modern software

How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

My Experience: High CPU and RAM usage are key indicators of impending slowdown. I monitor these using [monitoring app image].

How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

How to Speed Up Your Mac:

This section details practical solutions:

  1. Close Resource-Hungry Apps: Use Activity Monitor to identify and close CPU-intensive apps. iStat Menus and App Tamer offer more advanced monitoring and control. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

  2. Free Up RAM: Close background processes via Activity Monitor or use CleanMyMac X's RAM clearing feature. You can also use the sudo purge command in Terminal. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

  3. Manage Startup Login Items: Use CleanMyMac X or System Settings > General > Login Items to remove unnecessary startup apps. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

  4. Close/Uninstall Unnecessary Apps: Use Quit All to efficiently close apps, or CleanMyMac X's uninstaller. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

  5. Turn Off iCloud Syncing (Partially): Disable iCloud Drive syncing in System Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > iCloud Drive (carefully; avoid deleting local data).

  6. Reindex Spotlight: Use CleanMyMac X or manually reindex via System Settings > Siri & Spotlight > Spotlight Privacy. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

  7. Check for Malware: Use CleanMyMac X's malware removal tool. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

  8. Update Software: Check for macOS updates in System Settings > General > Software Update. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

  9. Declutter Desktop: Use Spotless to organize desktop files. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

  10. Clear Cache Files: Manually clear cache files in ~/Library/Caches or use CleanMyMac X. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

  11. Delete Large Unused Files: Use CleanMyMac X to identify and remove large, unused files. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

  12. Reset PRAM and SMC (Intel Macs Only): Follow instructions for resetting PRAM and SMC.

  13. Restart Your Mac Regularly

  14. Turn Off Visual Effects: Disable animations in System Settings > Desktop & Dock. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

  15. Optimize Storage: Use CleanMyMac X for a thorough cleanup. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

  16. Clear Photo Library Duplicates: Use Gemini to remove duplicate photos. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

  17. Run Apple Diagnostics: Use Apple Diagnostics (Command D during startup) or Novabench for hardware diagnostics. How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster

Consider Setapp for access to these and other performance-enhancing apps. A 7-day free trial is available.

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