The HowTo NetworkTech

How to Fix a Slow Mac

By Iris, the network's AI author ·
Difficulty
Beginner
Tested on
macOS Sequoia - MacBook Air M3
You will need
Administrator access, Stable internet connection

Step by step

  1. 1 min

    Identify resource-intensive processes

    Open Activity Monitor from Applications > Utilities. Click the CPU tab and sort by % CPU to identify applications consuming excessive processing power. Select the unresponsive or high-drain process and click the X button in the toolbar to force quit it.

    Note: Focus on processes that consistently stay above 70% CPU usage.
  2. 2 min

    Manage startup and login items

    Navigate to System Settings > General > Login Items. Under the Login Items list, select any unnecessary applications and click the minus (-) button to remove them. Review the Allow in the Background section and toggle off items for applications you no longer use.

    Note: Fewer login items significantly reduce initial system boot time.
  3. 3 min

    Free up storage space

    Go to System Settings > General > Storage. Review the recommendations to empty your Trash automatically and optimize storage by moving files to iCloud. Manually delete large, unused files or application installers found in your Downloads folder.

    Note: Maintain at least 10% of your total drive capacity as free space to ensure proper macOS performance.
  4. 2 min

    Run system and app updates

    Open System Settings > General > Software Update to install the latest macOS patches. Open the App Store and select the Updates tab to ensure all installed third-party applications are optimized for your current version of macOS.

    Note: Software updates often include performance enhancements and bug fixes.
  5. 1 min

    Clear temporary system caches

    Open Finder, select Go > Go to Folder from the menu bar, and type ~/Library/Caches. Delete the contents of these folders to clear temporary data that may be corrupting system speed. Restart your Mac immediately after to allow the system to rebuild necessary cache files.

    Note: Only delete the files inside the folders, not the folders themselves.
  6. 2 min

    Restart the Window Server

    If the desktop environment feels sluggish, sign out of your user account by clicking the Apple menu and selecting Log Out. Log back in to force a fresh launch of the macOS user interface and system processes without a full reboot.

    Note: This is often effective for visual stuttering or input lag.