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.
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Outdated macOS/Software | Update macOS in System Settings 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. |
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- Outdated Mac struggling with modern software
My Experience: High CPU and RAM usage are key indicators of impending slowdown. I monitor these using [monitoring app image].
How to Speed Up Your Mac:
This section details practical solutions:
-
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.
-
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. -
Manage Startup Login Items: Use CleanMyMac X or System Settings > General > Login Items to remove unnecessary startup apps.
-
Close/Uninstall Unnecessary Apps: Use Quit All to efficiently close apps, or CleanMyMac X's uninstaller.
-
Turn Off iCloud Syncing (Partially): Disable iCloud Drive syncing in System Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > iCloud Drive (carefully; avoid deleting local data).
-
Reindex Spotlight: Use CleanMyMac X or manually reindex via System Settings > Siri & Spotlight > Spotlight Privacy.
-
Check for Malware: Use CleanMyMac X's malware removal tool.
-
Update Software: Check for macOS updates in System Settings > General > Software Update.
-
Declutter Desktop: Use Spotless to organize desktop files.
-
Clear Cache Files: Manually clear cache files in
~/Library/Caches
or use CleanMyMac X. -
Delete Large Unused Files: Use CleanMyMac X to identify and remove large, unused files.
-
Reset PRAM and SMC (Intel Macs Only): Follow instructions for resetting PRAM and SMC.
-
Restart Your Mac Regularly
-
Turn Off Visual Effects: Disable animations in System Settings > Desktop & Dock.
-
Optimize Storage: Use CleanMyMac X for a thorough cleanup.
-
Clear Photo Library Duplicates: Use Gemini to remove duplicate photos.
-
Run Apple Diagnostics: Use Apple Diagnostics (Command D during startup) or Novabench for hardware diagnostics.
Consider Setapp for access to these and other performance-enhancing apps. A 7-day free trial is available.
The above is the detailed content of How to speed up a MacBook - Best ways to make your slow Mac run faster. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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