It keeps freezing! My Mom called me about her MacBook Pro, which was running very slow and she asked me to help.
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My Mom called me about her MacBook Pro, which was running very slow and she asked me to help. I’ve been developing software professionally for more than 20 years. I started when 640K RAM was a big deal. Back then we always complained that our computers were slow, but even today I still hear the similar complains. Tips & tricks to speed up a Mac. Below we will run through the various checks you should make to speed up your Mac if it is running slow. We'll cover why you need to have around 10% of your Mac's. The MacBook Pro has had a long life thanks to frequent operating system updates. While the hardware has become difficult if not impossible to upgrade yourself, Apple has worked on extending the MacBook Pro's life by making sure its operating system, macOS, runs on models going back many years.
I’ve been developing software professionally for more than 20 years. I started when 640K RAM was a big deal. Back then we always complained that our computers were slow, but even today I still hear the similar complains.
If you spend enough time on forums, you will find at least 25 different hacks which people will suggest you should try. You can go over the entire list and keep trying all suggestions hoping that one of them will be a silver bullet.
If you are lucky, after trying ten various things, one will eventually work and get everything fixed. Then whenever someone complains about the slowness of her Macs, you can authoritatively claim that once you wiped the screen, your Mac stopped freezing. So everyone should try the same solution.
The fix won’t work of course, because you will forget to mention that the RAM was upgraded before wiping the screen. I assume you understand that I was joking. I want to teach you the proper way to troubleshoot computer slowness so the next time you know how to tackle similar problems.
While I don’t know what your problem is, I can provide some simple guidelines and explain how and when to use each fix.
So, why do MacBooks freeze? Macs can be slow for two reasons: hardware failure or lack of resources such as CPU, RAM, and storage. When investigating the slowness first eliminate the possibility of hardware issues, and then work on freeing resources. If neither method works, then it is possible that the MacBook either needs to be upgraded or replaced.
Apple Support
Before taking a DIY route, I encourage you to contact the Apple Support first. Apple claims that you get only 90-day phone support after purchasing a new MacBook because they want you to buy an Apple Care Plus plan. But even if you don’t have the Plan or if it already expired, you still can get the help.
To contact Apple go to their web site https://getsupport.apple.com/.
On the main screen, click on Mac. On the next page, click on Mac notebooks. In the search bar type slow and select from available options. From here, you can choose one of two options: Talk to Apple Support or Chat.
I chose to talk. The site asked for the Serial Number of my MacBook. The Serial Number is available in About This Mac menu, but if you don’t know how to get there, Apple provides a link with detailed instructions.
Once I went thru all steps, I immediately received a call from the Apple tech. I described my problem, and he responded that he might help with the issue.
The first thing he did is explained to me how to restart in the Safe Mode (I will describe the process later).
Next, he started the Screen Share program and directed me to install MalwareBytes antivirus software. We scanned my MacBook but didn’t find any issues.
Then I asked him how much it would cost to run the diagnostics at the Genius bar. It turned out that the diagnostics itself does not cost anything, but if they find any issues Apple will quote the price of the repair.
Again, I would encourage you to take your notebook to the Apple store. I heard many stories of how people had their issues fixed for free (assuming the problem was simple enough).
However, if the support option is not available or you want to try to fix the slowness by yourself, then the rest of the article will guide you through the troubleshooting steps.
To analyze the problem, let’s break it down to smaller subproblems.
- One web site is slow
- Browsers are slow
- A particular application is slow
- MacBook is fast on startup and gradually becomes slow
- MacBook is always slow
Depending on the type of the symptom, the remedies vary accordingly. Let’s start with the most simple.
One web site is slow
Let’s assume that you work remotely and need to connect to the same web site regularly. If this site is loading and refreshing very slow, try to open other websites and see if they are slow too. If the slowness happens only with one particular website, then your MacBook is unlikely to be a problem.
There are three possible bottlenecks when browsing the internet: your computer, the network between your computer and the server, and the remote server. If the bottleneck is with the network or the remote server, then there is nothing you can do. Try to call technical support and ask for help.
All web browsers slow
Web browsers need a fast and reliable network to function properly. If the internet is slow when using Safari, download and install another browser, e.g., Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
If the slowness gets fixed by new browser, congrats! It means there is a problem with your favorite browser, so use another app.
Very often, browser problems caused by extensions. So, if you have issues with Chrome, try to disable extensions one by one until you found the bad actor.
On the other hand, if all browsers are slow, then it’s time to check Wi-Fi (assuming the Mac connected to Wi-Fi router).
Checking Wi-Fi issues
To run Wi-Fi diagnostics press Alt (Option) key and while holding click on the Wi-Fi icon in the top bar.
In the drop-down click on “Open Wireless Diagnostics.”
The tool will run some tests and at the end will offer to choose from two options: Monitor my Wi-Fi connection or Continue to the summary.
If you choose Continue option, it will create detailed information about the state of the Wi-Fi connection and store it in a file. Unfortunately, you nor I know this stuff well enough for it to be helpful. However, if you suspect that the problem is the network, you can send the file to more knowledgeable people.
It also makes sense to review Wi-Fi Best Practices displayed on the last window. For instance, Apple suggests to have a unique name for the router and use a strong password.
To improve the Wi-Fi reception it also recommends to use 5GHz band if the router supports dual bands (2.4GHz and 5GHz). The 5GHz has higher bandwidth and works better in the environment with a lot of interference.
The Monitor option is more valuable, in my opinion. Once selected, you can minimize the window to the Dock. The monitoring tool will run until you restart or close the window. If the diagnostics tool finds any issues, it will notify about it. This way, you can see if the slowness coincides with the poor network conditions.
My Wi-Fi is fast and reliable, but I went outside the house to simulate poor reception (see pic below).
If your results similar to mine, then it is a sign to buy a more powerful router. If you need a recommendation on the best router check here.
A particular application is slow
Any computer program might have bugs. No matter how the developers try to write bug-free code, defects happen. Good news, the Mac software usually has fewer problems than Windows apps. Since Apple hardware is limited, it is easy for developers to test their apps on only three types of MacBooks. Testing unlimited PC variations is impossible.
Still, bugs happen. And if you notice that the Mac crawls when you start a particular application then check potential fixes on forums related to that app. For instance, I found users were complaining about Spotify being slow, and the solution was to disable hardware acceleration.
There is another type of applications that are always slow because they need more resources than the Mac has.
For instance, if the MacBook has only 4GB of RAM, then running Parallels Desktop or Virtual Box is virtually impossible. A 4GB virtual machine on 4GB MacBook guaranteed to be slow as a sloth. In this case, there is no solution other than a hardware upgrade.
MacBook is fast on startup and gradually becomes slower
Every time you call an IT department, the first thing they all recommend is to reboot the computer. And in many cases it makes sense. When the computer restarts, it terminates all applications running in the memory. Those apps may be stuck for whatever reason and may prevent other apps from running efficiently.
Also, how Mac closes applications contributes to the slowness issue. If I click on the X button on any software in Windows, the application completely terminates (in most cases). In macOS, closing app does not unload the process.
For instance, when I close Chrome, all tabs will be closed as well, but Chrome itself still runs in the background. The application that didn’t entirely terminate has a small dot at the bottom of the icon in the Dock.
The reason for such behavior is Apple’s desire to be always ready when the user needs to open the recently closed app again. However, it comes with the price. Any app that still sits in the memory uses precious RAM. More applications run in the memory, less memory left for all of them.
That’s why the MacBook runs fast after reboot when no apps run (except the startup items which we will review below). Over time, when you open more and more apps, they fill up the memory. If you do not restart or shut down for several weeks, the MacBook gradually becomes slower.
So you have two solutions: restart MacBook periodically, or better quit all unnecessary apps. Just click on all apps with little dots and then press Command and Q keys to quit.
Additionally, each open tab in the Internet browser takes resources. When they all add up, the CPU runs high, the files get swapped between memory and disk, and MacBook Pro is running slow and gets hot. So, my recommendation is to close tabs when not needed.
How to know which apps taking all resources
macOS has a built-in app which allows seeing what’s running on the Mac. The app is called Activity Monitor. I wrote a very detailed post about it. Check the post and learn how to use Activity Monitor. I believe you will find a ton of useful tips and learn how to find resource hogs.
MacBook is always slow
Finally, if MacBook is constantly slow even after a reboot, then it may be due to the number of reasons:
- Corrupt directory
- Virus
- Hardware issues
- Clutter
- FileVault
- Outdated software
- Lack of resources
Fixing issues with the directory structure
When I was on the call with the Apple Tech Support, the first thing we tried is restarting the MacBook in Safe Mode.
Restarting in the Safe Mode is easy. Just reboot or shut down and start the MacBook again and immediately press the Shift key (it doesn’t matter if it’s right or left). When the Apple logo appears on the screen, release the key and wait until the Mac starts.
You will see a red “Safe Boot” label at the top right corner of the screen. If you don’t see it try the process again.
In my case, I rebooted several times without success until I figured that my Mac had a firmware password set. I always enable a firmware password because this is the best way to protect a MacBook in case if it gets stolen. So, I had to disable the password, and then I was able to boot in Safe Mode.
Among other things, a MacBook in the Safe Mode searches and fixes cache and directory issues. Those issues may cause problems with apps, which in turn cause periodic freezing.
Reset SMC and NVRAM
Another advice when it comes to dealing with unexplainable things on Mac is resetting SMC and PRAM/NVRAM. It’s like giving an electric jolt to the car battery which doesn’t start after a winter storm. It helps with issues like a battery, sound, or black screen.
Resetting NVRAM helps with so-called kernel panics. The latter cause system instability, which may impact computer performance.
Apple suggests resetting SMC when “Your Mac performs unusually slowly, even though its CPU isn’t under an abnormally heavy load.”
Apple has excellent instructions on resetting SMC and PRAM/NVRAM.
One thing to know is that reset may not take effect on the first try. So, if you don’t see results, try to reset 2-3 times. If nothing changes after three attempts, then the root cause is somewhere else.
Virus
One of the most famous myths about Apple products is that they don’t have viruses. Historically, PCs had a high probability of catching a virus because the number of Windows machines was bigger than computers with other operating systems.
However, recently, Apple became the 4th largest computer manufacturer, and hackers target Macs more often.
Viruses do slow down computers. In fact, if I see a perfectly fine computer getting frozen all the time, this is the first thing that comes to my mind.
There are many antivirus applications, but Apple Tech directed me to install MalwareBytes. If it’s good enough for Apple, it should be good for you too.
MalwareBytes has a free version which allows scanning your notebook. You can upgrade to Premium or Home edition to have the constant protection, but I am ok with running a free version on demand.
The installation is easy. Download the package file, double click on, and it will open the installation wizard. Follow the wizard steps and after installation, click on Scan button.
However, I have to warn you that Malwarebytes is not the best antimalware product for Mac. If you want to know which one is the best check my post here.
Hardware issues
Computers do break like any other electronic devices. There are three main parts of any laptop responsible for performance: CPU, RAM, and disk.
If the CPU is faulty, then the computer is unlikely to start. If RAM is defective, then either laptop won’t boot, or it will continuously crash.
For a long time, computers had hard drives. They hard mechanical parts which made it possible some parts (sectors) get corrupted without the entire disk getting unusable. Some manufacturers even routinely produced hard disks with bad sectors which they marked appropriately so the OS would not store any information on them.
I remember checking hard drives from time to time when applications were crashing without apparent reasons.
With the introduction of SSDs, most of those problems are in the past. SSDs do not have mechanical parts, so now they are more reliable than before.
Anyway, it still doesn’t hurt to run the built-in hardware diagnostics program. For newer MacBooks, the program is called Apple Diagnostics, but pre-2013 models will use the Apple Hardware Test (AHT).
To run the test first turn off the MacBook.
- Unplug all external devices except Ethernet and connection to AC power.
- Place the Mac on a stable flat surface, so it does not move during the test.
- Start the Mac and immediately press hold D key on the keyboard.
- Follow directions on the screen and run the test. It will take several minutes to complete and at the end will display any issues it finds.
As with the Safe Mode, the firmware must be disabled before running the test.
Clutter
Last year I was on Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas, and one of the ports we visited was Freeport. The night before visiting the port, our cruise director warned that we should buy excursions because there is literally nothing to do in Freeport.
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We didn’t believe it, but he was right. There was a small market place in the town which took us less than 30 minutes to explore, and that was it. I asked myself why in the world, the cruise line would take us to such a non-touristy place? Aren’t they supposed to take us to exciting places so that we can spend our money on entertainment?
It turned out that Freeport is a place where cruise lines perform ship maintenance. When a ship is in the ocean, a lot of junk gets attached to the bottom. All this extra weight slows down the ships, so they have to perform periodic maintenance and clean up.
Same applies to Macs or any other computers. At the span of months and years using the computer, you inevitably keep installing and removing various apps, changing some settings, etc. Over time your Mac will get slow, and you need to have your own Freeport day to clean up.
Things to clean:
- Startup items
- Disk space
Clearing startup apps
Sometimes apps configured to start when the computer starts or user logs in. The app launches and waits in the background, so the user can quickly activate it when needed.
However, frequently the app simply runs in the background and does nothing but using CPU, network, and memory.
To see a list of apps that automatically start during login open System Preference.
Then click on Users and Groups icon, select the current user and then click on Login Items.
As you can see from the pic below, I had two items: Zoom opener and Dropbox. I use Dropbox regularly, and I want it to run on the background. But I don’t need Zoom. I actually deleted Zoom app, but the login item remained.
Check your MacBook and see if there are any apps that you don’t need to run on start. To delete an unnecessary item, select it and then click minus icon.
Advanced technique
Besides the apps available in the Login items, some apps start on System-level. They located under /Library/LaunchDaemons and /Library/LaunchAgents folders. User-specific items located under ~/Library/LaunchAgents folder.
There are also /System/Library/LaunchAgents and /System/Library/LaunchDaemons, but I wouldn’t touch them.
Warning: if you decided to deleted items in LaunchDaemons and LaunchAgents folders, I strongly suggest to take a backup first. So, if the computer starts acting up, it will always be possible to go back in time.
Also, it is safer to use 3rd party tools to delete startup apps. One of those apps is CleanMyMac (see below).
Cleaning disk space
It is important to have some space empty on the startup disk. When MacBook does not have enough RAM to hold the apps and their data, it uses the startup disk to offload some apps temporarily. When there is not enough space on the drive, the offloading becomes even more expensive. And if there is zero space on disk, some apps may not even start.
As a rule of thumb, I suggest having free disk space equal to 150% or more of the RAM capacity. For instance, if the MacBook has 4GB, then there should be at least 6GB free space on the startup disk. But more space is better.
Cleaning disk is not hard, and I even wrote a post about it. In less than 30 minutes, I was able to free up 8.3GB on my MacBook.
Alternatively, non-technical people can purchase 3rd party apps. I tested two apps to find out how effective they are: CleanMyMac and CCleaner.
For each test, I restored a backup I took before I cleaned my MacBook manually, so I can compare how effective each method is.
CleanMyMac Review
CleanMyMac is a popular application from MacPaw. They allow downloading a free version to try before purchasing it. At the time of writing a one-year subscription for a single Mac is $39.95.
Is it safe?
I downloaded the install package to my Mac and then uploaded it to Virus Total. I always check DMG files (https://macmyths.com/are-dmg-files-safe-to-install/) on Virus Total before installing them. The CleanMyMac file came out clean, no malware detected. So yes, it is safe.
What does it do?
The installation process is easy. The installation wizard even has a short video which describes how to grant full disk access in System Parameters.
The application has a lot of functionality: it does the cleanup, protects from malware, optimizes Mac for speed, and allows to uninstall apps. By the way, CleanMyMac has the option to remove login items and launch agents as part of Speed Optimization.
Effectiveness
I ran all available scans, and I was able to free up to 460MB. Additionally, CleanMyMac found 1.18 GB more junk, but it demanded to upgrade to the paid version if I wanted to clear it. So, if I upgraded, I would be able to clean 1.64GB. It’s an impressive number if we don’t take into account that I was able to clear five times more manually without software.
CCleaner Review
CCleaner is a less refined app. You need to be a little more technical to install it.
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CCleaner has two versions: free and Professional ($19.95). The difference between the two is that the Professional version runs in the background and automatically monitors and cleans the stuff.
Of course, I ran the install file in Virus Total, and it reported that one antivirus classified it as Trojan. But as I mentioned above, I was not afraid to install it because I used my backups to restore to the point before the installation.
Similar to CleanMyMac CCleaner allows to uninstall apps and delete junk from the disk. CCleaner was able to free 2.92GB, which is better than CleanMyMac, but way below than my manual method.
How often should I do maintenance?
Obviously, do it when the Mac gets considerably slow. As for preventive maintenance, twice a year is a good rule of thumb. For instance, you can tie it to the check-up and cleaning dentist visits. So, every time you schedule a dentist appointment, remember that Al@MacMyths recommended running the MacBook maintenance as well.
FileVault
FileVault is a built-in disk encryption software developer by Apple. Encrypting the disk is a good practice if there is any sensitive information stored.
When FileVault is turned on, every time, any file gets read from the disk it gets decrypted. And every time the file gets updated, it needs to be encrypted. This additional step comes at the cost.
With FileVault reading and writing from the disk will be slow. How slow depends on the hardware, but I in some cases it may reach as much as 40%.
So, if you have FileVault turned on, and the MacBook is slow, then consider turning it off. Check my post on how to know if FileVault is enabled, how to disable, and how long it may take to disable.
Outdated software
I have a rule. I always have a Software Update setting on. If you want to do the same open System Preferences and open Software Update. Make sure the “Automatically keep my Mac up to date” checkbox is on.
Unlike Windows, macOS does not require more resources with every new release. Sometimes, it even uses fewer resources than before. For instance, in OS Mavericks, Apple introduced memory compression and the same hardware upgraded to Mavericks or higher so more memory available for apps, not less.
Lack of resources
Nothing runs forever. If you have a 10-year-old Mac, it’s likely time for an upgrade. Fortunately, old MacBooks are still upgradeable, unlike new ones. The most significant boost you get from upgrading memory (more RAM is better) and switching from HDD to SSD. If the budget is limited, then go with SSD first.
For years I’ve been using Crucial by Micron for hardware upgrades because it has a scanner tool. The tool scans computer hardware and reports possible upgrade options.
For instance, it suggested to upgrade the RAM on my old Mac Mini from 4GB to 16GB and replace old HHD with 500GB SSD drive for $66.99. Usually, I use Crucial to find out compatible hardware and then search for deals on other sites.
Solutions that won’t work
Finally, I decided to mention some suggestions that “experts” recommend and which either never worked or do not work anymore.
Duplicate files
Some experts and disk cleaning apps recommend deleting duplicate files as a saving space measure. However, it may or may not help.
Apple made a lot of changes in the way it handles files with the introduction of APFS file system. One of the coolest things they did is that duplicate files do not take additional space. In other systems, e.g., Windows, if you copy (not move) 10GB file to another folder the disk will need extra 10GB.
In macOS High Sierra and higher, a copy does not take any space at all. There is a downside, though. Deleting the file will not release the disk space until all versions get deleted.
So, if you are running an old macOS see if you can upgrade to the latest, or at least to High Sierra.
Remove items from Desktop
This is the most nonsense advice I’ve ever heard. Do you think that the OS draws each item on the screen one by one? People who claim that apparently believe that if it takes 0.1 seconds to draw one icon, then it will take 20 seconds to draw 200 items.
I always want to ask them what happens when one maximizes a browser. Do they believe that icons on the Desktop get drawn first, and after that, the computer draws the browser window on top of those icons?
This is what happens when non-technical writers read various suggestions on the internet and make a list of 25 tricks to fix the slowness.
As a software developer, I laugh when I hear such recommendations, but since I am a responsible person, I decided to test it. I copied over 200 files and folders on my Desktop and measured CPU and RAM before and after copying files. The result was as expected – no difference before and after.
Two hundred items on the Desktop do slow down, but they do not slow down the Mac. They slow down a Mac user because now he or she spends a lot of time searching for anything on the Desktop.
Repair disk permissions with Disk Utility
In macOS Yosemite or earlier repairing disk permissions was a common suggested thing to do. Beginning with OS X El Capitan, system file permissions are automatically protected. It’s no longer necessary to verify or repair permissions with Disk Utility.
Moreover, I don’t believe repairing permissions can speed up a slow Mac, even with Yosemite.
Long Uptime
At some point, macOS had a problem with log files, not clearing and taking a lot of space if Mac was not rebooted for a long time. This problem is not happening in the latest OS releases.
Again, upgrade to High Sierra or higher, and you wouldn’t need to worry about such things.
Sources
Does this sound familiar to you? You were sitting in front of your Macbook Pro surfing the Internet or working on a project. All of a sudden, you saw the spinning beach ball.
One second, two seconds…finally you started to cry out: “Why is my Mac laptop so slow?”
Though Mac machines are generally considered to be faster than Windows PCs, it’s not uncommon for a Mac to start acting up with symptoms like taking forever to boot, freezing while opening an app, or mouse cursor becoming unresponsive, etc.
You are not alone!
As Apple advocates for more than a decade, we’ve probably encountered more performance issues than you. Fortunately, we were able to fix most of them, and today we still use our old MacBooks from time to time.
Here we are going to share the fixes we’ve discovered along the way, and you are going to learn:
- The four main reasons why a Mac can run slow.
- Solutions to fix your slow Macbook and make it fast again.
- Bonus tips to mitigate the risk of future slow-downs.
The tips below should also apply to other types of Macs such as iMac, MacBook Air, Mac Pro/Mini, etc. Use the Table of Contents below for better navigation.
Why is My Macbook Pro so Slow?
Whether you own an old 2012 MacBook Pro, or a shiny new 15-inch 2017 MacBook Pro with 512GB flash storage, over time it can run slowly. There could be so many causes, but in general, they all fall into the following four categories.
1. Personal Habits. If you keep your Mac running all the time, let too many apps join the fun on startup, or multitask with loads of heavy applications open — more often than not, your Mac will hang.
2. macOS System. A newer macOS usually performs better than an old one, but no system is perfect. You may experience firmware or permission issues that impede performance as well.
3. Software Issues. Apps, whether pre-installed or third-party ones downloaded elsewhere, can consume lots of system resources when used improperly, which eventually will slow down a Mac.
4. Outdated Hardware. Every piece of hardware has a lifespan; your Macbook is no exception. An outdated hard drive or lack of RAM can be the bottleneck of your machine.
These are just the high-level reasons. Check out this infographic that outlines 26 specific reasons why a Mac might run slowly. You may find what’s hanging up your machine.
Note: If your MacBook Pro is slow only after updating to the latest macOS version (i.e. macOS 11.o Big Sur), the best fix would be restarting your machine several times since the new macOS needs time to re-index or update data saved in the disk drive. For example, Photos can take a while to update the entire picture library; Spotlight re-indexing tends to be time-consuming as well. Learn more from this post: Quick Fixes for a Slow Mac after macOS Big Sur Update
Moving on… The Solutions!
Now that I’ve learned the reasons behind a slow mac, what should I do to fix it? We break down the solutions into two categories:
- The Manual Methods: best for those who are tech-savvy and don’t mind taking the time to do so. We list a number of things you can do manually to fix your slow Mac.
- The Quick Technique: best for beginners or those of you don’t have time to implement manual fixes. We recommend using CleanMyMac X to scan your Mac and fix all issues the app finds.
Note though, the solutions we suggest below only work when your Mac can boot up normally. If it cannot, or you hear strange sounds coming from the machine (particularly from the internal Mac hard drive), contact Apple support or schedule an appointment with a Genius Bar in your area.
How to Fix a Slow Macbook Pro: The Manual Methods (4-6 hours)
The methods introduced below are the best manual fixes we have explored. The order is based on a combination of estimated time required and expected effectiveness after implementation. They are, however, by no means the only solutions, and you don’t have to complete all the methods as it’s very unlikely you’ll be able to. Meanwhile, read this checklist on how to speed up Macbook Pro.
Method 1: Manage login items to tune startup times
- Time: 5-10 minutes
- Effectiveness: Low-Moderate
When to use: your Macbook Pro runs extremely slow on startup.
Why it helps: disabling login items (auto-run applications or services) you rarely use helps your Mac better allocate system resources to load the processes you do use, you’ll reach the login or desktop screen more quickly.
How to do: follow the steps in this YouTube video.
Method 2: Clear off cluttered Desktop items & Dashboard widgets
- Time: 20-30 minutes
- Effectiveness: Moderate
When to use: your Macbook Pro takes a bit longer to load the first screen after startup.
Why it helps: because macOS treats each desktop item (be it a file, a Dock application, or a Dashboard widget) as a small task, it uses resources to load it when starting up. Reducing the number of such items can make the first screen show up quicker.
How to do:
- Keep fewer files on Mac desktop. Try to group those files you saved directly on desktop, put them into few folders, and if possible move them folders like Documents or Pictures.
- Remove unnecessary apps from the Dock. Move your mouse cursor to an app, right-click, select Options and click Remove from Dock.
- Clear unused Dashboard widgets. Go to Dashboard, press option button and move your cursor the widget you don’t want to show, click “x” on the upper left corner.
Method 3: Clean up hard drive to free up more disk space
- Time: 1-2 hours
- Effectiveness: High
When to use: your Macbook Pro is running out of space, and it slows down or freezes more frequently.
Why it helps: macOS utilizes free hard disk space as “virtual memory” in addition to RAM (Random Access Memory). If your MacBook Pro is running out of storage, that means little virtual memory can be used by the system if needed. This may cause your Mac to freeze more frequently — even when you just launch a few apps. In general, having at least 10% of free disk space can often prevent the problem from happening.
How to do: try the tricks below.
Note: if you want to save time, CleanMyMac is a nice tool for this purpose. It automatically detects and cleans extra junks that can take up gigabytes of disk space.
- Empty Mac Trash bin.
- Clear web browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc.) files such as caches, history, plugins, etc.
- Uninstall unused applications.
- Remove unused language packs on your Mac.
- Go to the “Movies” and “Pictures” folders, delete large or duplicate items you’ve already backed up. You can use Gemini 2 to find them more quickly.
- Go to the “Download” folder and get rid of items you don’t need.
- Transfer big files or folders to your external hard drive or another computer.
- And other ways you can think of to lighten your Mac hard drive.
Method 4: Verify and repair disk permissions with Disk Utility
- Time: 15 minutes
- Effectiveness: Moderate
Update: beginning with OS X El Capitan (including macOS Sierra), it’s no longer necessary to verify or repair permissions as Apple has made system file permissions to be automatically protected.
When to use: your Macbook has issues launching some applications, and doing so slows down your Mac.
Why it helps: corrupted or damaged file permissions can cause certain applications to run abnormally or unable to run at all, thus affecting the overall Mac performance. Matt from CNET brought his sluggish Mac back to health using this method. Note: it’s harmless to repair file permissions.
How to do: check out this Apple support article or this YouTube video for a step by step guide.
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Method 5: Lighten web browsers to improve Internet surfing
- Time: 20 minutes
- Effectiveness: Low-Moderate
When to use: your web browser (Safari, Chrome, or Firefox, etc.) just seems stubborn to load pages or becomes unresponsive.
Why it helps: web browsers are notorious for dragging down computer performance after extended use. By implementing the things below, you can expect a much smoother net surfing experience.
How to do:
- Have fewer tabs open at once, especially when you read online magazine sites which tend to have heavy pages (ads, flash queries, etc.)
- Remove those browser extensions you rarely use — (Safari here, Chrome here, Firefox here).
- Clear browser cache, cookies, plug-ins, and history. This can also free up much hard disk space. See this guide for how.
- Get rid of Adware (flash ads), this article from the Boyce Blog is worth a glance.
- Safari tends to eat up more RAM as time goes by, but a simple quit and restart will help it get back to “normal.”
- Reinstall your web browser if necessary.
Method 6: Identify and knock out heavy apps/processes with Activity Monitor
- Time: 15 minutes
- Effectiveness: Moderate
When to use: your Macbook starts to run slower after opening several applications, but you have no idea which application is the culprit.
Why it helps: Activity Monitor is a task manager on Mac that shows you both running applications and inactive processes. The list allows you to have a clear understanding of which one is devouring too many system resources (CPU, memory, disk, network, etc). Once you find the culprit, you can also use Activity Monitor to quit or force quit the app/process easily.
How to do: see this video from MacWorld.
If I Download New Os Will My Macbook Pro Be Slow Windows 10
Method 7: Reset SMC and NVRAM to fix odd hardware errors
- Time: 30 minutes
- Effectiveness: Moderate-High
When to use: your Macbook Pro acts oddly (it takes forever to figure out which disk to boot from, it’s slow to shut down, the fan is running non-stop, screenshots are not adjusting correctly, battery indicator lights are behaving incorrectly, etc.), and overall your Mac performs poorly.
Why it helps: NVRAM (or PRAM in older Macs) stores certain settings in a location that macOS can access quickly. SMC has roles in controlling thermal and power management on Mac. Resetting NVRAM and SMC helps resolve the issues mentioned above, and it’s a safe thing to do.
How to do: check out this video for how to properly reset NVRAM and this video for SMC.
Method 8: Update your Macbook Pro to latest macOS version
- Time: 1-2 hours
- Effectiveness: Moderate
When to use: your Mac is still running an older macOS version (e.g. High Sierra or Mojave), and you meet the basic requirements of the new upgrade — latest macOS 11.0 Big Sur, you need at least 2 GB of RAM and 15 GB of free space on the drive.
Why it helps: a newer macOS version typically runs faster than an older one, though it depends on the model of your Mac machine.
How to do: there are a few things you need to check before getting ready to update your MacBook to macOS Big Sur. For example, check whether your model is compatible, whether you have enough storage space, and most importantly backup your data, etc.
Method 9: Disable fancy features in exchange for performance
- Time: 15 minutes
- Effectiveness: Low-Moderate
When to use: best for those who are using an older Mac with limited hardware configuration, and don’t particularly favor fancy interfaces and visual effects.
Why it helps: by disabling or turning off features like Notifications, Transparency, and Animations, Magnification, File Vault, etc., you can boost Mac performance since fewer system resources will be used.
How to do:
- Reduce Transparency and Animations.
- Minimize windows using and change the Genie Effect to Scale Effect.
- Optimize Notification center and turn off real-time notifications you don’t need.
- Disable Launchpad effects.
- Get rid of preference panes. Go to System Preferences, locate a pane you want to remove, right-click (or Control-click), then remove it from the pop-up menu. It may ask you to type the admin password.
- Disable FileVault Disk Encryption option.
Method 10: Upgrade hardware (RAM, SSD) to have a real boost
- Time: it depends (at least 2 hours)
- Effectiveness: High
When to use: you are using an old Macbook Pro, and you’ve tried every method you can to fix your slow Mac but it’s still slow.
Why it helps: adding more memory (RAM) or replacing your HDD (hard disk drive) with a new SSD (solid-state drive) will give your Mac a real boost in performance. The only con is the upgrades can be pricey.
How to do:
Note: whether you choose to upgrade RAM or SSD, you’ll need to open the bottom case of your MacBook, a screwdriver may worth adding to your shopping cart as it will help you remove the screws much faster.
Add extra RAM: depending on your MacBook model, the RAM that best fits may be different. Learn more from our review here. It’s best to also check out this page to see memory specifications for your Macbook Pro model. It comes with an illustrated guide on how to replace the memory. This video from CNET is also worth checking out.
Upgrade to an SSD: If you still want to use your old MacBook Pro for professional work (video/graphic editing, 3D modeling, etc.), the best option is to replace the hard drive with a speedy SSD, see our picks here. Once you purchase your desired SSD, watch this video for how to install it step by step.
How to Fix a Slow Macbook Pro: The Quick Technique (5-10 minutes)
The manual methods can be quite time-consuming to implement and may require you to have a certain level of technical skills. Fortunately, we’ve got two awesome Mac optimization apps that can save you time fixing your slow Mac.
Option 1: Using CleanMyMac X to scan & clean up your MacBook Pro
CleanMyMac X – an app developed by MacPaw and rated as the winner in this Mac cleaner software review. As its name indicates, this app aims to help you clean your Mac and free up more storage space. It does this by locating junks and unnecessary files via analyzing your macOS system: Photos, Mail attachments, large and old files, etc. In addition, you can use the app to batch uninstall unwanted programs, and permanently erase files that are private to you. CleanMyMac is super sleek and intuitive, just hit Scan to get started and then Clean to fix issues.
Option 2: Using MacBooster to improve your Mac’s overall performance
MacBooster – an app developed by the IObit team. This app stands out for its all-in-one concept. It includes a handful of useful utilities that can monitor the overall status of your Mac system. The Virus & Malware Scan module, for example, helps identify possible security threats and removes malware. To get started, simply run a quick System Status scan and it will find and suggest fixes. You can also move on to the Tools sections for further optimization.
Tips to Avoid Mac Running Slow
- Shut down your Mac when you are away. Restart regularly.
- Do not save everything to the desktop or the main drive (where your system files are stored). A full boot volume can lead to a slow startup and other performance issues.
- Try not to install third-party apps that you don’t need. They can take a lot of precious disk space as well as system resources while running. Also, outdated apps can have problems running due to macOS incompatibility. Learn how to uninstall Mac apps the right way.
- Use a lightweight browser like Safari or Chrome, Firefox tends to slow down over time (Safari or Chrome acts up too, sometimes). Avoid opening too many tabs at once while you are browsing the web, try not install too many extensions/plugins.
- Clean up the hard drive (especially when the startup disk is almost full) on a regular basis, e.g. once a month. You can do this manually, or use a tool (like the ones we recommend above).
- Always keep your software up-to-date if possible, ideally you should always install apps from App Store or the software provider’s official website, instead of third-party download sites which may bundle Adware or malware.
- If you regularly use your MacBook Pro for work at an office, consider elevating it with a laptop stand or a cooling pad as this helps avoid overheating issues.
- Don’t immediately update your Mac to the latest macOS version (to date, it is macOS 11.0 Big Sur). Let the early birds test out first, then choose to update when you feel it’s the right time.
- Don’t blame your Mac when it’s slow. Figure out the reason first and fix it right away. You never know when a small issue can evolve into a serious one.
Any Questions?
Do you find the information and techniques we’ve shared above helpful? Did you manage to tune up your MacBook even a little bit? We’d like to hear from you, contact us and let us know.
Fair disclosure: we are just normal loyal Mac fans like you. We don’t claim ourselves to be Mac experts, nor have we ever worked for Apple. All the information shared here is merely a walk-through of the knowledge and experience we’ve used to resolve our own Macbook Pro performance issues. Due to the complexities of the subject matter, your results may vary. Also, some of the recommendations contain third-party affiliate links. If you decide to purchase one of them, we will receive a commission for the sale, part (if not all) of the earnings will be used to maintain this site, for example, paying for the domain and hosting services. Nonetheless, we recommend them because we use the tools with our Mac machines and find them truly great. Make sure you only use what works for your issue, and don’t over-spend on things you don’t need.
This page was last updated on Nov. 13, 2020.