Tips to Boost Your Mac’s Performance

Mac is one of the best inventions by Apple that has set new standards for laptops. It is light-weight, has a powerful operating system, retina display, great storage, security features, and more. However, with time, Mac loses its speed and ability to provide exceptional performance to its users. At times, Mac struggles to keep up with your requirements. In recent years, MacBook has its RAM and SSDs attached to the motherboard that leaves no room to upgrade.

Before you try to make any changes to your MacBook, make sure that you have taken the backup of all your important data, with the help of an in-built backup feature called Time Machine. You can restore your files from the backup anytime without any fuss. The procedure to take backup using the Time Machine is mentioned on Apple’s support page. Once you’ve secured your data, begin using the following tips to enhance your Mac’s performance:

Disk Utility

One of the reasons why your Mac is giving poor performance could be the change in permissions. From time to time, permissions for the installed apps get changed that can sometimes lead your MacBook to crash or freeze. So you might have to keep checking the permissions and changes it makes to prevent your laptop from any damage. To deal with this issue, use the built-in tools of macOS as it will let you repair all the issues regarding the disk partition and start-up process. You will need to start your Mac in recovery mode and then fix the storage device. Follow these steps to begin:

macOS Recovery Mode

1. After switching on your device, press and hold the Command and R key.
2. When the Apple logo or any other startup screen pops up on the screen, release the keys.
3. Enter the password of the administrator of the device, then click on Continue.
4. When you see the macOS Utilities window, the startup will be completed.
5. Select the Disk Utility option and click on the Continue button.

To repair the storage in Disk Utility:

1. Choose View and click on Show All Devices.
2. From the sidebar, select any disk or volume, and tap on First Aid Button.
3. Click on Run and Continue.

The additional details to these steps are available on Apple’s support page.

Reclaim Drive Space

Like mobiles, your MacBook also needs data clean-up to work smoothly. It will run slower if you consume all the space in SSD. To avoid this situation, keep a tab on the remaining free space on your MacBook’s drive. Follow these steps, the next time you want to check storage:

1. From the top left corner of the screen, click on the Apple logo.
2. Click on About This Mac and go to the Storage tab.
3. It will show you the amount of space you are left with, and to save some space, click on the Manage button.

A new window with four different options, (Store in iCloud, Optimize Storage, Empty Trash Automatically, Reduce Clutter), will pop up on the screen. The description for each of the four options will be given on the window. The best method would be to store full-resolution photos, videos, and other files on your iCloud, and then save the optimized version on your Mac to save space. If you are running out of iCloud space, then you can purchase an additional 50GB for $0.99/month, or switch to 200 GB ($2.99/mo) and 2TB ($9.99/mo) plans.

Update your software

If you do not upgrade your macOS software, then it can interrupt the performance enhancements and security of your device. Apple releases new versions of the macOS regularly for free, which improves your Mac’s overall performance. To stay updated with the latest versions,

1. Go to System Preferences and select Software Update.
2. Check the box given for Automatically Keep My Mac Up To Date. This will keep you updated about the latest versions.
3. Use the Advanced button to choose if you want auto downloads or to install them manually. You can also choose to get updates from the App Store.

Check CPU and Memory Tabs

If you cannot multi-task on your Mac, then you can tweak the settings for the applications and the resources that they consume. You can use this method to save some space.

1. Start by pressing and holding the Command and Spacebar key together.
2. You will find the CPU and memory resources for each app on the Activity Monitor tab.
3. Observe both CPU and Memory tabs to point out the apps that use most of the resources.

After checking all the important points, try to use the alternatives to those apps to save CPU time and memory resources.

Reduce Login Info

Using too many applications at startup can also interrupt the performance. If you find the startup to launch by default, then you can tweak the settings by following these steps:

1. Go to System Preferences and click on Users & Groups.
2. Switch to Login Items tab to see the list of apps that open by default.
3. Select or highlight the apps you don’t want to open at startup.
4. From the below-left corner of the screen, click on the minus sign.

Using these methods collectively can help you save a lot of space on SSDs and RAM, which can eventually help you boost or regain your MacBook’s performance.

Jackson Henry. I’m a writer living in USA. I am a fan of technology, arts, and reading. I’m also interested in writing and education. You can read my blog with a click on the button above.

Source- BoostYour Mac’s Performance