Has a computer that once worked as fast as a flash drive, begun to slowly grind to a halt? If youโve been wondering how to speed up your Mac, youโre not alone. Even the best iMac and MacBook models that were powered by the fastest processors can feel slow with time fading away. But donโt worryโyou donโt need to spend a lot of money on a new device. Rather, by simply implementing some steps, you can bring the Mac back to perfection and upgrade its performance by far.
In this manual, you will find out how to speed up your Mac computer, which is possible by the methods that are free, including Activity Monitor Mac, system tweaks, and Terminal commands to speed up Mac, which everyone can apply.
Close Power-Hungry Programs
The simplest and fastest way to speed up your Mac for free without wasting a penny would be to close the apps and programs that are fiercely lapping your system’s CPU and memory.
- The Activity Monitor Mac can be launched from Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor, or else you may use the Command + Spacebar and search for it.
- In the Activity Monitor, choose the CPU tab to know which programs are the most energy-consuming.
- Turn off apps that are idle, particularly if they are the ones that are using the highest CPU percentage.
It is a simple measure but one that is often the answer to the following question: why is my Mac so slow when I have plenty of storage?
Clean Up Your Start-Up Items
How to Make Mac Run Like New?ย Removing the Mac from startup and making it the last of the end changes can save a few seconds of boot time.
- Navigate to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items.
- For software that you donโt want to load at startup, simply click the โ (minus) button to removeย them.
Lack of boot-up programs can cause less lag and speed up, particularly on the older models, such as how to speed up the MacBook Air.
Tame iCloud Syncing
iCloud is not without its faults and may cause your Mac to slow down if you are always transferring large files through it.
- If syncing thousands of images, consider turning off iCloud Photos.
- Donโt let your desktop be clogged with heavy files that are constantly uploading to iCloud.
iCloud usage can be very tidy; it is an easy, no-cost way to speed up your Mac and avoid constant syncing headaches.
Free Up Storage Space
A disk that is full or nearly full can cause your Mac to bog down heavily. Critical to freeing up space, if you want to speed up your Mac free.
- Move large files, like photos and videos, to an external hard drive.
- Use cloud storage facilities such as Dropbox or Google Drive to offload nonessential files.
- Unused apps, cached files, and old downloads can add upโso itโs time for a digital declutter.
Curious how to clear the cache on Mac? Navigate to Finder and hit Shift + Command + G, and type~/Library/Caches. So, you can clear cache folders and be careful not to accidentally erase important system files.
Delete Old and Unused Files & Empty Trash
If youโre still wondering how to speed up your Mac, this simple step often gets overlooked.
- Audit your Downloads folder and Documents folder for old files.
- Back up anything you need to an external drive, then delete the rest.
- Donโt forget to empty your Trash, or else those deleted files will still consume space.
In case you have no time to empty your trash, simply opt for an automated solution. A macOS allows you to schedule emptying your Trash at regular intervals, i.e., every 30 days:
- Go to About This Mac > Storage > Manage, then enable Empty the Trash Automatically.
Reduce or Turn Off Graphics Effects
Visual style is good, but reducing clever animations is a tried-and-true method for how to speed up MacBook Air or older Macs that people have already tested and approved.
- Firstly, go to System Preferences > Dock.
- Disable the following:
- Magnification
- Animate opening applications
- Automatically hide and show the Dock
- Change Minimize windows using Genie Effect to Scale Effect for faster window minimization.
This simple graphics tweak can work best for you when you experience a MacBook Pro slow and laggy issue.
Bonus Tip: Terminal Commands to Speed Up Mac
All those advanced users who are after more control would probably be inquiring, “Are there any Terminal commands to speed up Mac?” The answer to that is that there are!
To accomplish this, you may use the following command that will clear the DNS cache:
bash
CopyEdit
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Or you can speed up your Mac by entering:
bash
CopyEdit
sudo purge
Always be careful with Terminal and make sure you have properly consulted the Apple database before applying unfamiliar commands.
The Final Straw: Fresh Install
If all of the tried and tested methods we have already advised aren’t helpful and your Mac is still sluggish, a clean install of macOS might be your last remedy.
- First of all, back up files to an external drive or Time Machine to make sure to keep them in case of a data loss.
- You can enter into the macOS recovery mode by holding the Command + R keys at startup.
- Wipe out your disk and reinstall macOS.
Simply, it will be up to you: a fresh installation will wipe out any remaining software bugs, and the Mac will be reinstalled and be as good as new.
FAQs
If a Mac, after a clean-up, is still sluggish, what can you do to make it go faster?
Get rid of services that consume a lot of your processor, mainly those running in the background; get rid of unnecessary applications; and minimize special effects.
What is the best way to speed up a Mac for free?
With the help of Activity Monitor Mac, you can see which programs are using your Mac’s resources and then remove the ones you do not need.
Is my Mac slow due to storage, even if I still have space left?
It may be because of other things, such as background processes, outdated apps, or iCloud sync, that can slow your Mac down.
How to make Mac run like new without reinstalling?
Instead of reinstalling the operating system, try clearing the cache of your device, limiting startup software, and reducing the amount of space taken up with unnecessary files.
Can terminal commands help speed up Mac?
Yeah, performing a command like launching a sudo purge can free up the RAM, but you must be very cautious when using Terminal.
Why is my MacBook Pro slow and laggy even with good specs?
Background processes are the culprit often; RAM might not be enough for multitasking, or you might be using software that is resource-consuming.
Appleโs official guide on clearing cache
Conclusion
Learning how to speed up your Mac is easy regardless of whether or not you are tech-savvy or you own a fast computer. By implementing these free and efficient methods that include checking Activity Monitor Mac and setting up graphic settings, you will be able to lift your Mac to the highest speed and efficiency today.
Do you want to get rid of the Macbook Pro slow and laggy or just extend the life of the MacBook Air? Those easy-to-follow steps that will come along will not be a problem for you.
