No matter how powerful your Mac is, its most significant performance indicator lies in the system speed. While configuring it with the latest software and hardware is appropriate, failing to clean, upgrade or replace your hard drive may result in slow performance over time.
We all understand how frustrating this can be, mainly if you rely on the computer for running complex tasks and configurations. And it may only take a few months before your powerful Mac fails to perform. That’s why you have to take action and prevent any long-term issues for your Mac. Here is what to do.
Uninstall Programs You Don’t Use
Your Mac needs at least some extra space to run faster and efficiently. If your hard disk is filled up, you need to look at the programs you don’t use often. While the programs may not be responsible for Mac’s slow performance, deleting them will allow your computer plenty of room.
Similarly, you may not need the pre-installed programs that you’ll never use. These only take up your Mac’s hard disk space without adding any value to its performance. To be safe, proceed to the control panel and uninstall such programs. However, be careful not to remove programs you shouldn’t need to replace.
Prevent Programs that Run Automatically
Most computers are designed to run programs in the background automatically. Some programs, such as antivirus, should be allowed to run automatically, though. However, they use your computer’s memory and slow it down.
If you can’t justify some of these programs launching every time you turn on your computer, consider preventing them from automatically running. You can do this until you’re sure you need them. The reason is—programs that automatically launch eat up a lot of your hard disk space and make your Mac even slower.
Clean Up The Hard Disk
The hard disk is the primary storage for your Mac. If it has less than 15-20% free space, your computer could slow down and fail to perform up to its standards. That’s why you should always clean up the hard disk as often as possible.
But note that sometimes your computer may run slow even when the storage isn’t full. If this happens, it could be a problem with the operating system. So, consider checking where the problem lies before taking any action. If you want to get more information on cleaning your mac, You can click here to know more and increase your mac’s performance.
Run a System Update
The latest apple releases focus on optimizing resource usage, which often speeds up your Mac operations. However, this should not keep you in your comfort zone. If you’re keen on maintaining faster speeds, always keep your MacOS up-to-date and make sure to enable automatic updates.
These software updates fix all the bugs and glitches associated with slow speeds. Ensure you’re updated on the latest software updates that may be available for the version of OS. For starters, click the Apple icon and select App Store from the drop-down menu. If you’ve activated automatic updates, your Mac will keep you notified when an update is available.
Delete Browser Extensions and Plugins
We all need Browser extensions and plugins on our PCs. They make internet exploration easy and much more convenient. But beware of having too many on your Mac, especially if you’re not using all of them. These plugins and extensions are one of the causes of slow internet speeds on your web browser.
If possible, uninstall all the extensions or plugins that you don’t need. Only remain with the essential plugins or extensions and ensure you get rid of them as soon as you stop using them. This will protect your computer and maintain its top performance.
Upgrade your RAM
Sometimes software updates may not be the only reason for your Mac’s slow speed. A hardware issue might be the limiting factor causing all those problems. That’s why you need to explore hardware upgrades before touching on software issues.
One of the best ways to go by is increasing the speed of your hard disk. This is usually achieved by adding more RAM to your existing storage speed. It’s a cheaper option compared to getting a new Mac. RAM upgrade is also the easiest hardware solution that can make your Mac run faster. If your Mac has one piece of RAM, add one more and watch the speeds increase.
Move to SSD Storage
A solid-state drive (SSD) is the latest storage device that uses flash memory in place of mechanical hard drives. Unlike hard drives, an SSD drive uses RAM chips to store information in your Mac. The storage lacks moving parts and can perform multiple operations up to twice the speed of mechanical drives.
The good thing is that you can do all these without interfering with your hard disk. Just add an SSD drive to run macOS and your applications, and maintain the hard disk as the default storage for your user files. As such, your Mac speed will be increased since all the System files and Applications are on the new SSD drive.
Other data, including photos and music, can remain on the old Hard Disk. This is even better as it’ll free up more space and improve Mac’s boot time and App launching. The only challenge with an SSD drive is that it’s more expensive than a mechanical hard drive with a similar capacity.
Reduce or Turn Off Graphics
Mac computers are often designed to run without any issues. However, they can get caught up in too much work, making it quite a challenge to maintain optimum performance. For instance, graphics and other heavy files alike can take a toll on your macOS, affecting its performance. Reducing or turning them off can help speed your Mac up.
To reduce graphics and other visual effects on your Mac, click on System Preferences, Dock, and untick the boxes from the drop-down: You can also click on ‘Minimise windows using’ and change to Scale Effect.
Final Thoughts
The above-shared tips are all geared towards boosting your PC’s performance and extending its lifespan. As long as you follow them, you can uplift your Mac’s speed and performance for years to come.