A brand-new Macbook will not have any performance troubles. However, after some time passes, you will notice that things are not as great as they were at first. There will be some sluggishness in how the Mac is running.
A lot depends on how much effort you put in to keep everything in check. It might not seem like a necessity to some, but Macbooks are like any other computer and require attention. Maintaining it can be tough at times, but you should still do your best. And in case you do not know what are the necessary steps to take, read below.
Step #1 – Clean Filth Inside the Mac
Cleaning dust and dirt that has accumulated over time is one of the first things you should do. Too much filth inside will lead to overheating and damages to the internal hardware.
Some people believe that a cooling pad fixes the issue of overheating. And while the accessory is a good investment, it is not enough. In case you are afraid of taking the Mac apart yourself, take it to a repair services store and let professionals take care of the problem.
Step #2 – Scan for Malware
It might surprise you by how many different cybersecurity threats are out there at the moment. Even bing redirect virus is something that can get on a lot of users’ nerves.
It is imperative to get a reliable anti-malware tool. Even if you are avoiding shady websites and ignore attachments or other questionable files, it might not be enough. On the other hand, a tool that constantly monitors the system and immediately deletes threats will prevent potential issues.
But do not stick to just having the anti-virus running in the background. You should also look to scan the system frequently, like once a week.
Step #3 – Turn off Visual Effects
Visual effects like Mail “send” and “receive” or even backlit keyboard offer no real value and are only consuming valuable resources. If you want to prolong the lifespan of the Mac, disable the aforementioned effects. You can also turn off some stuff in the Dock, such as “Animate opening applications” and “Automatically hide and show the Dock” by unticking the boxes next to it.
Step #4 – Optimize Internet Browser
Internet browsers can also get out of hand if you are not careful. This is especially the case with extensions and add-ons. Some additions might seem like a useful and neat feature to have, but they tend to slow down the overall performance by quite a bit.
Besides removing unnecessary extensions, you could also occasionally clear the cache and browsing history. Finally, keep the number of open browser tabs to a minimum since every tab consumes resources even when it is idle.
Step #5 – Trim Startup Application List
It is annoying to wait for the computer to load every time you press the restart button. Regular restarts prevent memory leaks and give the Mac a fresh start that makes it run smoother.
But when you have to wait for every random application to launch together with the computer, not everyone is willing to restart the Macbook regularly.
Go to System Preferences, click on Users & Groups, and find your profile. Log in to it and select the startup item tab. Remove applications from it and save the changes. The next time you restart the computer, there will be no need to wait for so long for it to load.
Step #6 – Free up Disk Space
You may find yourself lacking disk space on a Macbook since the drive is not that big. Here are some ideas that will help you out:
- Remove old applications that can be installed later if you need to use them again.
- Transfer data to external storage devices and Dropbox or iCloud.
- Use cleanup utility software to remove temporary storage.
- Empty recycle bin after dragging the file in there.
Step #7 – Update the System
System updates introduce new features and improvements to security. But the overall performance also benefits a lot. Even if an update is relatively small, it can still do a lot in boosting the speed. In other words, every new macOS version should be installed at your earliest convenience.
Step #8 – Declutter Desktop
Do not make a mess out of your desktop by putting every single file there. While it is convenient to have access to everything with a single click, icons on the desktop put the Macbook in jeopardy. They use a lot of resources every time you switch between the desktop and another window because every icon has to be rendered.
It may be challenging to get out of this habit, but you should still organize files in different folders and transfer them to another location of the computer. You will notice the difference in how the computer starts to perform when the desktop has no icons on it.