Is Mac running slow? Here are some possible fixes

The bottom line is that a slow computer system always reduces your productivity or your project timelines. Internet connection also significantly affects how well you perform your duties. It is also essential for online gaming, with many popular titles supporting macOS.

The slowing down of Mac does not come suddenly, but over weeks and months of usage, it can become slow as a snail. You can discover through its page load time and overall responsiveness. So, once you notice the sluggish performance, it’s time to fix it. Here are a few possible fixes and troubleshooting ideas for your Mac.

You have pending software updates

The updates are the prominent frontline soldiers for all Apple users. Once it is released from the Apple developers, there is always a pop-up for updates. Every time an update appears, we tend to close it or plan it later. However, doing this for a long period always slows down the Mac.

Plan a convenient time to pause all your work and update the software on a priority basis. For doing this, visit the App Store and check for updates; once you find one, download and install it ASAP. Alternatively, you can tap the Apple icon at the top left corner, select ‘About this Mac’ and then click on “Check for Updates.” After you update all software necessary, you should notice a significant change in your OS performance.

Disk space running low

Your computer will slow down the speed and overall performance if such underlying issues exist. Mac isn’t an exception. When Mac storage is nearing capacity, it will slow down until you make space on the disk. For Mac users, moving all files and folders to iCloud storage will be convenient.

The cloud storage of Apple gives 5GB free, and then onwards, it costs $0.99 for 50GB, $2.99 for 200GB, and $9.99 for 2TB. Other options can be storing files and folders on an external hard drive. However, in the case of external hard drives, there is always a risk of getting lost or damaged.

Apple Menu > Restart

 Give your Mac a much-needed break! It isn’t meant to operate all day long. Do you remember when you last rebooted it? It might be a few weeks or months. Restart your Mac by just clicking on the Apple menu at the left top corner and clicking on restart.

 It would also be great if you tick on the Browser tabs, Apps, or worksheets that are being open and start the restarting process. It is always recommended to save all files and worksheets before restarting.

Clear cache

Multiple apps and web pages create temporary files on your system while operating. These files remain unwanted and dysfunctional in your system. These log files often jam the storage spaces, slowing down the Mac.

So clear Mac cache in popular browsers to give your browsing a fresh start. It is also recommended to remove cache from the Mac itself. Simply open Go -> Go to Finder. Then, enter /Library/Caches in the window. Pick Go, and you will see the folder containing the cache. Now, you can remove anything you do not need.

Available connections

 Check Mac’s internet connectivity, as speed depends not only on system performance but also on the Internet Service Provider. It might sometimes happen that the internet service provider may be experiencing a service outage or a temporary glitch with the router, or the configuration files might be corrupt.

 Some Internet Service Providers can also slow down users’ connections based on their type. For instance, bandwidth-heavy actions are likely the ones falling under their radar. If an Internet Service Provider detects such activities, it can intentionally throttle your connection. So, ISP throttling affects your internet speed, which happens when these entities notice heavy traffic like streaming. Thus, there is a trick that can work against speed throttling based on activity types. A VPN download means installing an application responsible for encrypting and rerouting traffic. Thus, a Virtual Private Network app scrambles information on your online activities. This change prevents Internet Service Providers from detecting which type of traffic you initiate.

However, data capping in a billing cycle can also reduce your internet speed. The provider will reduce the bandwidth if the downloads exceed the limit. So, choose a plan with unlimited access and no such data capping. If the price is out of your budget, contact other Internet Service Providers. They might offer better deals for new clients.

Final notes

 The above-mentioned fixes always work for your Mac to regain its speed and performance unless there is a major issue in your system. However, internet connectivity on Mac is yet another dimension that needs to be precisely handled with technical knowledge and tricks. If none of these solutions help, you should consider running an antivirus scan. It might be that your Mac got infected with malware or a virus. While many believe, that malware targeting Macs is becoming more and more prominent.