Why is your Mac running slow and how you can fix it

Even before the iPhone became the default smartphone for many people around the world, Apple had made itself the default brand for many with its Mac. This is particularly true for professionals who came to rely on Mac for their creative pursuits. One of the reasons for Mac’s success remains the seamless integration between its hardware and software, but that doesn’t mean your Mac won’t slow down.

As applications become resource-intensive and Mac devices age, they can take forever to load apps or complete tasks. This performance issue could be caused by insufficient storage, outdated system files, or software that does not work properly. If you have wondered why your Mac is running slow, there are several ways to fix it and restore performance.

Common causes for Mac running slow

Before we look at some of the common fixes to your Mac running slow, let’s first look at the common causes affecting the performance of your Mac.

Too many background processes

If your Mac is running slow then the first place to look for the common cause is the Activity Monitor. Activity Monitor shows which processes consume too much processing power and you can track all such processes running in the background to see how your Mac’s CPU and RAM usage are slowing down the performance.

Low storage space

A common cause that slows down computers in general is low storage space. It applies to a Mac as well, and when your Mac’s storage is almost full, macOS will struggle to operate efficiently.

ALSO READ: Apple MacBook Air M2 vs MacBook Air M1: What’s different?

Hardware limitations

As your Mac ages, its hardware limitations such as limited RAM, slower storage, or older processors can limit the performance. If your Mac uses HDDs instead of SSDs and runs an older Intel processor then you may feel the limited performance with certain newer software

Older version of macOS

An older version of macOS or outdated software can also cause your Mac to run slow. This is mainly because older software often leads to compatibility issues, which results in slower performance.

How to fix a Mac running slow

Now that we know the primary causes for your Mac to run slower than before, here are some fixes you may want to try to see if your Mac’s performance improves.

1. Restart your Mac

The common advice of “Restart karke dekha kya” not only works magic on Windows but is also useful in the case of a Mac. If your Mac is suddenly slower, a simple restart might fix the issue. When you restart your Mac, it clears temporary files and refreshes system memory, fixing slugging performance. To restart your Mac, go to the Apple menu and click Restart.

3. Update macOS and apps

For reliable performance, it is important that you keep your system and apps updated at all times. To update macOS, go to System Settings >> Software Update to install the latest macOS version. You can go to the App Store to update all the installed apps.

ALSO READ: 7 benefits of keeping your macOS updated

3. Close unnecessary apps and background processes

When you run multiple apps at once or have multiple background processes running, your Mac may show signs of slowing down. You can fix this by closing unnecessary apps and background processes. To close such applications, press Command + Option + Escape to open Force Quit Applications. This will close unnecessary apps while you can also go to Activity Monitor to check for CPU-intensive processes and close them.

4. Free up storage space

If your Mac is running slow then storage space could be a cause. A general thumb rule to follow is that your Mac should have at least 10 to 20 per cent free disk space at all times for smooth performance. You can free up storage by going to the Apple menu >> About This Mac >> Storage >> Manage and delete large unused files, cache, and old downloads. You can use iCloud to offload unnecessary files or move them to an external drive.

5. Upgrade hardware

If you are using an older Mac, one of the ways you can make it faster is by upgrading RAM or switching from HDD to SSD. This switch will significantly boost the performance of your Mac.

If your Mac takes longer to boot then you can try to disable unnecessary startup apps and clear the system cache, browser cache, and old logs. It will free up space and improve speed. When your Mac is slow, it is always recommended to follow the above fixes, but if the issue persists, you should consider a factory reset or a hardware upgrade as the last resort.