Tip #1 – Give your Mac a restart
Tip #2 – Find and close power-hungry applications
Activity Monitor
To close any application from the Activity Monitoapplication quit.
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Tip #3 – Update your operating system and applications
Apple logo (top left corner of the screenSystem Settings > General tab (
Updates,
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Tip #4 – Free up storage space
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Tip #5 – Use a quality performance optimization program
You’ll also want to have a quality performance optimization program. These programs are designed to do a deep cleanup of all that redundant junk from your device so that it can perform the way it’s supposed to and serve your needs. Here are my top picks for the best performance optimization programs in the industry. Before you clean out your computer with these programs, it’s always a good idea to back up your devices.
Tip #6 – Empty the trash
Downloads
- Finder > Click Downloads
‘Move to Trash’
- Trashcan Icon in your dock bar on your desktop
- Empty button
Tip #7 – Turn off visual effects
Reduce Motion. By disabling motion effects, you can make your Mac feel more responsive. Animations, while visually appealing, can consume system resources and slow down older Macs. Here’s how to enable Reduce Motion.
- Choose System Settings
- Select Accessibility
- Next, choose Display
- Locate and toggle on Reduce Motion, so it turns blue, to disable most animations in Mac OS
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Tip #8 Perform a clean install of MacOS
This should only be done as a last resort.
Kurt’s key takeaways
I hope these tips help you to get the most out of an aging Mac desktop or MacBook laptop. I always used to leave my MacBook in sleep mode, but once I started restarting it daily, I noticed an immediate increase in my Mac’s performance. This is a great habit to get into even if you just bought a new Mac or MacBook, as it doesn’t apply to just older Macs. Remember, while a clean install of MacOS might be the most fool-proof way to increase the performance of an older Mac, you need to back everything up beforehand. I recommend backing up anything important to an external drive every few months, just in case.
What are some of the things you have found that have slowed down your computer? Let us know in the comments below.
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