There can be many reasons for the slow speed of your Mac. It might be due to the newest Sierra update, or maybe you have too many apps running at once. Maybe your startup disk is almost full, or there could be a problem with your RAM. Whatever the reason may be, here are 18 ways to speed up your Mac.
1. Lack of storage space
One common reason for Mac’s reduced speed is simply a lack of available storage space. When your machine doesn’t have enough room to save new files or run new applications, it will naturally start to slow down. To free up some space on your Mac, try deleting old and unused files, uninstalling unnecessary applications, and moving large files to an external storage device.
2. Outdated software
If you’re using outdated software, your Mac will have to work harder to run it, which can lead to a decrease in speed. To keep your machine running at its best, be sure to regularly check for and install any available updates for your software.
3. Too many applications running at once
If you have too many applications open at the same time, your Mac will start to slow down. To speed things up again, try quitting any unnecessary programs.
4. Not enough RAM
RAM is the memory that your computer uses to store information for running programs. If your Mac doesn’t have enough RAM, it will start to slow down as it tries to run multiple programs at once. To give your machine a speed boost, you can try installing additional or external RAM.
5. Fragmented files
Over time, the files on your hard drive can become fragmented, or split into multiple pieces. This can cause your Mac to take longer to access and use these files, leading to a decrease in speed. To fix this problem, you can use a tool like Disk Utility to defragment your hard drive.
6. Cluttered desktop
A desktop that’s cluttered with files and shortcuts can start to slow down your Mac. To tidy things up, try moving any unnecessary files to the Trash and organizing your shortcuts into folders.
7. Background processes
Certain applications and processes can continue running in the background even after you’ve quit them. These background processes can use up valuable resources, leading to a slowdown on your Mac. To see what’s currently running in the background, open Activity Monitor from your Applications folder. From here, you can quit any unnecessary processes.
8. Overloaded login items
Login Items are the applications and processes that start automatically when you log in to your Mac. If you have too many Login Items, it can take your machine longer to start up, and may lead to a decrease in speed. To manage your Login Items, open System Preferences and click on Users & Groups. Select your user account and click on the Login Items tab. From here, you can add or remove items from your list of Login Items.
9. Old Finder preferences
Over time, the Finder preferences file can become corrupt, leading to slowdowns and other issues. To fix this problem, you can try resetting your Finder preferences.
10. Corrupted system files
If any of the system files on your Mac are corrupt, it can lead to performance issues. To fix this problem, you can try running a disk repair utility like Disk Utility or Onyx.
11. Malware
If your Mac is infected with malware, it can cause all sorts of problems, including a decrease in speed. To protect your machine from malware, be sure to install and run an antivirus program.
12. Incorrect network settings
If your network settings are incorrect, it can lead to slowdowns when using applications that require an internet connection. To check your network settings, open System Preferences and click on Network. From here, you can check your settings and make any necessary changes.
13. Third-party extensions
Kernel extensions are pieces of software that add functionality to the macOS kernel. While most kernel extensions are safe, some can cause problems, including slowdowns. To see if any third-party kernel extensions are causing issues on your Mac, you can try disabling them temporarily.
14. Misconfigured energy settings
macOS includes several energy-saving features that can help improve battery life. However, these features can also lead to a slow down of your machine. To adjust your energy settings, open System Preferences and click on Energy Saver. From here, you can disable any unnecessary features.
15. Old Time Machine backups
Time Machine is a great way to back up your Mac, but over time, the backups can start to take up a lot of space. If you’re not regularly deleting old backups, it can lead to a slow down on your machine. To delete old Time Machine backups, open the Time Machine preferences and click on the Options button. From here, you can select which backups to delete.
16. Disk permissions issues
Disk permissions are sets of rules that dictate which users and applications can access specific files on your Mac. If these permissions are not set correctly, it can lead to all sorts of problems, including a slowdown. To fix this problem, you can try running a disk repair utility like Disk Utility or Onyx.
17. Full hard drive
If your hard drive is full, it can lead to all sorts of problems, including a slowdown. To free up some space on your hard drive, try moving any unnecessary files to the Trash and deleting any old backups.
Conclusion:
There are several potential causes of slowdown on your Mac. To fix this problem, you can try resetting your Finder preferences, running a disk repair utility, or deleting old Time Machine backups. If none of these solutions work, you may need to reinstall macOS. For fast and seamless streaming, make sure you are subscribed to the fastest service. Check out DIRECTV Packages or enjoy on-demand streaming with DIRECTV Stream packages.