Videos may begin to slow down, and apps won’t respond, and booting up takes a long time, whether you own an iMac, a MacBook Air, or an old Mac. Learn ways to improve performance and speed up your Mac, then you should continue reading if you’re constantly thinking, ” Why is my MacBook so slow?”
A less-than-modern operating system or an insufficient hard drive may be the reason behind the slowness of your Mac, especially when it’s an older version. If your Mac is new, it could be the result of an infection with malware or a large number of background applications and programs. Here are some common reasons why is my MacBook so slow.
Why is my MacBook so slow? Common Causes
1. Too many background processes
Every Mac, even the most robust MacBook Pros and iMacs, often doesn’t inform you that a procedure is consuming excessive CPU or memory. This is the case especially if the application you’re using crashed or the program you’re running isn’t working properly.
2. Demanding Visuals
The graphic and visual rigors that used to attract customers who appreciated high-quality design and graphics are now being reduced by Apple over time. The old Mac hardware is severely stretched by the numerous visual effects that macOS offers. Additionally, in addition to consuming extra resources, these actions affect the performance of your battery.
3. Outdated Apps or MacOS
Check that all apps are installed and your operating system is updated regularly. The latest version of the operating system and software generally has fewer issues that cause slowdowns and operates more efficiently, and comes with crucial security patches.
4. A Malware Infection
While it’s not common to find viruses, they can be a problem for Macs. Use a free virus scanner program, like several Antivirus Software for Mac, often to ensure that malware isn’t the cause of why your Mac is slow.
Why is my MacBook so slow after the Update
It’s extremely rare for your Mac to appear slower after major updates like Sequoia 15. In most cases, it’s normal and easy to fix if you find your Mac is running slower after an update. Maybe some Sequoia applications require more power from the CPU.
The most recent upgrade has taken a significant amount of your storage. Its macOS Sequoia installer is 12.1 GB, but it’ll require nearly twice the storage to finish the installation, barring there’s an issue that Apple will soon fix. For the majority of your daily tasks, you’ll find your Mac will not experience a significant slowdown. If not, you’ll need to take action to right it.
Also read: Why Is My Computer Screen Flickering? 8 Easy Ways to Fix It
How to Speed up a MacBook
You can speed up your Mac, MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, or any other iMac you own with a range of effective methods for performance optimization. Ensure you restart your PC and begin over before trying to boost the speed of your Mac. These are the most effective ways to speed up a MacBook:
1. Clean up System Files
Your Mac could be noticeably slower because of file clutter, which could result in apps being unusable and a reduction in storage space. You can fix these issues and speed up your Mac by purging your system, for example, by eliminating temporary junk data or garbage files.
It could take some effort to manually search through unneeded files, especially on an older computer. Certain Cleanup software applications for Mac can quickly and easily finish the job. It will find outdated files that you’re not using, delete duplicate files, and make sure you update your program to avoid your Mac running a slow spinning wheel, and help your Mac run more efficiently and keep your system clean.
2. Find and Remove Demanding Processes
A demanding task could be the reason why is my Macbook so slow or overheating. The steps below will aid you in identifying a challenging task, then turn it off and increase the speed of your Mac:
How to Check:
- Open Activity Monitor from Utilities.
- Sort processes by % CPU to see which apps consume the most power.
- Quit or force quit apps that are unnecessarily using CPU, memory, or energy.
3. Speed up Startup Time
What’s the reason why your Mac starts up so slowly? Applications that run on startup that aren’t required could be the reason. To help your Mac run faster, you can disable Mac startup programs, cut down on boot times, and limit background activity.
Steps:
- Go to System Preferences → Users & Groups → Login Items.
- Remove unnecessary apps.
- Check hidden startup items under Library → LaunchDaemons and LaunchAgents.
4. Remove Unused Apps
To speed up your MacBook, you can remove the data that isn’t needed from your program and then browse your drive to clean the trash. It’s a great method of maintaining a higher speed. Here’s how to uninstall macOS programs or downloaded applications that you don’t want:
Steps:
- Open Applications in Finder.
- Sort by “Date Last Opened” and delete apps you no longer use.
- Empty the Trash.
5. MacOS System Update
The older Macs were slowing down because of the latest macOS updates. Apple is presently focusing on reducing features while increasing Mac performance using the latest versions, which often accelerate your iMac, MacBook, Mac Mini, and Mac Pro. Keep your operating system updated regularly and enable automatic updates.
6. Upgrade your RAM
Outdated hardware is another issue that can cause my Mac is run slowly. The process of speeding up your Mac’s drive is easy to accomplish and is possible to do by increasing RAM and memory that is available in the short term.
Upgrades to greater than 8GB or 16GB of RAM are not required unless you are working as a highly skilled programmer and/or video editor. The biggest performance and speed boost is when you upgrade from 1GB to 2 GB and 4GB. Also, if you face any issue like Why is my MacBook so slow, then you can upgrade the RAM in your MacBook
7. Replace your HDD with an SSD
If you’re thinking of buying a powerful and faster SSD to improve MacBook speeds and efficiency, make your choice carefully. From 100 MB/second to up to 3500 MB per second, speed can be increased based on the load of your application.
8. Reduce Visual Effects
Mac performance is often affected by macOS’s built-in amazing visual effects, especially for older MacBooks and iMacs. The best method to improve the performance on your Mac is to disable visual effects and other animations.
Also read: How to Change Wallpaper on Mac: A Simple Guide for a Fresh Look
9. Reset PRAM and SMC
Many performance issues can be fixed, and Mac performance can also be improved by setting your SMC and RAM. It could even help in solving any Bluetooth connection problems and prevent your Mac from overheating. It is necessary to restore your SMC and PRAM in case your Mac is running slowly.
Steps:
- Go to System Preferences → Accessibility → Display.
- Enable Reduce Motion to limit animations and improve speed.
10. Clear Cache
Cache files can improve the speed of a Mac by making information simpler to find. If you let your browser or system caches build up over time, your Mac is stuffed with unnecessary items that slow your computer down and consume valuable storage space. Your Mac will run better and faster, and will be free of trash collection when you clean out the cache.
11. Restart your Device
For the majority of these solutions to function, it is necessary to start your Mac. Restarting your Mac will allow you to update your OS, drivers, and applications to be up-to-date and permanently delete temporary information.
Performance that is slower and less stable is the result of your Mac not having the chance to perform these resets if it is on all day. Due to this, you must close down the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air devices each day for a few days. If you don’t have the time to use your computer, you likely keep it in standby mode or sleep mode.
Final Verdict — Why is my MacBook so slow
Everyone would like to know why is my MacBook so slow, and we’ll try to solve this problem. Although MacBooks are renowned for their speedy performance, they do sometimes slow down too. You can ensure that your MacBook is performing better by implementing the tips previously mentioned. Many data files are wasted, and a lack of data processing could cause it to slow down.
So, you need to be very vigilant to maintain your MacBook clean, update it regularly and secure it from unauthorised access. Also, you should try to resolve the most common MacBook issues yourself.
FAQs: Why Is My MacBook So Slow
How can I speed up my MacBook?
You can speed up your MacBook by cleaning system files, removing unused apps, reducing startup items, updating macOS, upgrading RAM or SSD, and clearing cache.
Does restarting my MacBook make it faster?
Yes! Restarting clears temporary files and refreshes system processes, which can temporarily improve performance.
Will upgrading RAM or SSD really help?
Absolutely. More RAM allows your Mac to handle multiple tasks smoothly, and an SSD significantly improves boot times and app loading speeds compared to a traditional hard drive.
Can too many browser tabs slow my MacBook?
Yes. Each open tab consumes memory and CPU resources. Close unused tabs and bookmark important pages to improve performance.
Can malware make my Mac slow?
Yes, although Macs are less prone to viruses, malware or adware can impact speed. Use trusted antivirus software and remove suspicious apps or extensions.
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