Why is my Mac so slow?

We all start to slow down a little as we age, and your Mac is no exception. But there are things that can be done to help give your Mac more oomph! Read on to find out more.

1. You’re running low on memory (RAM)

We are all busy people, and multi-tasking is now par for the course. As a result, it is common to have lots of different apps open on our Macs at the same time (often without even realising it).

Whilst you are working on a Word document, for instance, your Mac may also be checking for emails, streaming music, refreshing the multitude of browser tabs that you have open, and remaining connected to any number of social media apps… This all uses memory (RAM) and can slow your Mac down if you are doing too much at once.

Another culprit can be using professional apps on a Mac that isn’t powerful enough (e.g. Photoshop, Adobe CC, Final Cut Pro, CAD or Logic Pro). In these instances, it is worth checking whether the Mac you are using meets the recommended system requirements.

Options: the quickest win is to get into the habit of closing apps once you have finished using them; an alternative may be to upgrade your RAM (but this is no longer possible on all Macs, particularly newer ones), or to use a more powerful Mac if you are running professional apps.

How many apps?!

2. You’re running out of storage

Your Mac stores the apps and information it uses on an internal storage device called a hard drive (HD). If this HD starts to get too full (e.g. if you have less than 10GB space available), there may not be enough free space for your Mac to run properly.

If you click on the Apple icon in the top left-hand corner of your screen, then click on ‘About This Mac’, and then ‘Storage’, you can see how much space is currently left available.

Options: in the above ‘Storage’ window, if you click on ‘Manage’, recommendations will be presented to you to help you manage your storage (e.g. storing files, photos and messages in iCloud / ‘optimising’ storage by automatically removing downloads after watching them / emptying your bin automatically etc). However, the most effective way to increase the available storage (aside from moving files and photos to iCloud) is to manually sort through your Mac and delete any files or apps that you no longer need.

3. Your HD is getting old

The HD is a part of your Mac that has a lifespan. It has moving parts, which means they are susceptible to wearing down and eventually to failure. They are also heavier and make noise.

Your HD can be replaced, either with another new HD, or one of the newer ‘Solid State Drives’ (SSDs).

SSDs use flash memory to store data and are quiet, compact and very fast! They are also lighter, use less power, have no moving parts and run cooler than HDs, (making them particularly ideal for laptops).

Swapping out your old hard drive for a new SSD drive for your Mac will make an immediate impact. Apps will launch faster, files will save quicker, and multitasking will be a much smoother experience. It results in 5X better performance and is considerably cheaper than buying a new Mac!

Options: if your HD is getting old, you can either replace it with another standard HD, or a new faster, lighter and quieter SSD. Alternatively, if the rest of your Mac is also getting old and you have the available budget, you may decide to buy a new Mac.

If you would like to discuss why your Mac may be running slow in more detail, please contact Richard on 01403 753666 or [email protected], and we would be happy to help.