If you own an old Mac, you may feel like it starting to work slowly with each passing year. If upgrading to the new expensive model is not an option, you can do a few tricks to increase your laptop’s performance without spending a lot of money and efforts. So here are a few optimization tips to make your Mac experience great again.
Update macOS
Even though all OS updates are free, some Mac users don’t update their system. This is a big mistake because Apple works hard to eliminate all known issues as well as security updates in each new macOS version. Updating it can be your first step to speed up your Mac significantly.
Check updates section and if there’s a new macOS version or a pack of updates, we highly recommend installing them.
Reboot Your Mac More Often
Many MacBook owners never reboot their computers. That is because a of perfect work made by Apple in terms of software and hardware optimization. You simply have no obvious reasons to reboot your Mac each day or two like it is with PCs running on Windows. However, rebooting your laptop at least once a week helps to clean its cache and delete most of the useless temporary files created since the last reboot. Why should you do that? Simply to clean some space on your hard disk. The more space you have, the best Mac performance you will get.
Clean Up Your Mac From Dust
Over time, dust and dirt can prevent the cooling system from working properly. As a result, the performance drops and standard tasks require more time to be finished. If you do not have special tools and skills, then we strictly advise you not to do it by yourself. It is always better to use professional computer cleaning services from an authorized service center. Such manipulations will make your Mac run quieter and faster.
Don’t Forget About the Software
In the App Store, there are tens if not thousands of useful applications that will help you to quickly remove unnecessary programs, clean the cache and free some gigabytes on your hard disk. Cleaning your Mac from unnecessary stuff deserves a dedicated guide. To tune up your Mac in terms of software and files optimization check out this awesome mac speedup guide. Identifying files that you haven’t used for a long time and reducing the size of iPhoto library can literally save you tens of gigabytes. Be sure to check your apps too. Sometimes you no longer need a special software you installed to work for a previous company.
Limit the Number of Tabs in Your Browser
The more tabs you opened in your browser, the more resources it takes to run. In particular, if you open 100 tabs, in addition to the negative effect on performance, this will cost you 1 hour of battery life. The xTab extension for Google Chrome allows you to limit the maximum number of simultaneously opened tabs.
Install SSD And Add More RAM
Consider replacing the old hardware. After all, the modern high-speed memory will make your laptop run 2-3 times faster. You will feel the difference from the very first boot: faster boot as well as a noticeable increase in app speed. Just throw away your old hard drive and install an SSD of good quality instead. Your computer will become quieter, lighter, faster and more reliable.
Please note that not all Mac models can be upgraded this way. The fact is that Apple limits the ability of upgrading components in some models. For example, you cannot add more RAM to MacBook Air, a budget modification of iMac and Mac mini released in 2014.
Using the Mac optimization tips above you may save some money because you don’t have to upgrade to a newer model. If done right, each section here may add you some extra percent of performance and hassle-free Mac experience will be with you again. Some tips are super easy and require installing an app or plugin to dramatically increase performance or free some space, other require the help of professionals. But the main point is that almost any Mac can be optimized to show its best good-old-days performance.
