There are lots of ways to clean it off - maybe a different article will cover that - but sometimes a little more free space is all you need to be a peak performance again. Run EaseUS CleanGenius. Whenever things get slow on my Mac, one of the easy 'go to' solutions is to run a. One of the best ways to keep your Mac in speedy shape is to clean up your app clutter, disable resource-hogging startup apps, and uninstall unwanted apps (especially menubar utilities that run in.
Working on a slow Mac is infuriating.
All Macs slow down with age — no matter how much you spend on them or which model you choose, MacBook Pro, Air, iMac — they start to slow down and, often, overheat. A slow Mac can cause anxiety-bringing productivity issues, especially if you’ve got a deadline to meet.
Thankfully, there are a few things you can do. You don't need to rush out and buy a new Mac straight away. Macs slow down for multiple reasons, from heavy startup menus to applications running in the background, to disk drives filled with files, apps, images, and documents you don’t really need anymore. Aging hardware can also slow Macs down.
How to speed up a slow Mac#1: Declutter a messy desktop
Desktop can seem like such a convenient place to store files you are working on. Great for things you need to remember and access quickly. With Stickies, Calendar, and numerous other apps in the Dock, it soon becomes a go-to place for everything you need most days.
Unfortunately, when you’ve got too much going on, it can slow your Mac down. Even a few weeks of allowing documents, files, downloads and app shortcuts to pile up can leave anyone wondering where they last saw something they needed. It can seriously get in the way of productivity when you have to search all over your desktop or deeper in your Mac only to find a single file. Even a few weeks of allowing documents, files, downloads and app shortcuts to pile up can leave anyone wondering where they last saw something they needed. It can seriously get in the way of productivity when you have to search all over your desktop or deeper in your Mac only to find a single file. A solution is either sorting through every desktop file and document manually or using Declutter.
Declutter is a smart desktop organizer that your Mac will love. Declutter creates rules and colorful folders that make your desktop tidy and your life easy. You can try Declutter for free along with tons of other useful Mac apps in Setapp.
#2: Find and close resource-hungry applicationsBest Software To Keep Mac Running At Peak Time
Some apps take up more processing power than others. We expect more and more from our apps, but when Macs get older they have to work much harder. So you end up with a Mac taking on more tasks with less memory and processing power.
To avoid working on a Mac that feels as though it’s running uphill with a heavy backpack, you need to find and close or remove resource-hungry applications, especially if they’re running in the background and aren't needed. One way to do so is with Activity Monitor, available in Applications.
Look out for CPU usage: pay attention to apps that are using a lot of processing power (normally shown as a percentage), then consider closing or uninstalling the ones you don’t need.
A quicker and better way to solve this problem is with iStat Menus, a handy monitoring app that will quickly identify what is absorbing so much CPU power. Besides regular CPU percentage, iStat Menus will also show you GPU, memory, network data, and disk usage.
Unlike Activity Menu, iStat Menus provides users with even more useful data, and is available through Setapp, along with hundreds of other apps for Mac customers.
Find which process is eating RAM and free up memory
When trying to figure out why a Mac is running slow, you need Activity Menu - within settings - or iStat Menus, a handy app that will quickly identify what is absorbing so much CPU processing power and advise those applications are closed.
You can use Terminal app to free up the inactive RAM.
Also you can use a memory script to clear RAM. You don’t have to run it yourself, you can use a memory freeing tool in CleanMyMac X. Perfect RAM cleaning will boost your Mac's performance.
#3: Simplify your startup menu
Startup menus can take up more processing power than we imagine, since they stay running in the background, quietly slowing down programs you are actually using.
CleanMyMac X easily identifies and lets you manage all the items that start at login. Try to keep the list to a minimum, removing the ones you don’t need and considering that every app requires additional resources.
#4: Switch off visual effects
Visual effects look pretty, but they won't help you get your work done if your Mac is running slowly. Under Systems Preferences, there is a short list of boxes you can untick: animate opening applications, automatically hide and show the Dock. Also, switch minimize effect from Genie to Scale. It may not make a huge difference, but every speed enhancement helps.
#5: Reindex Spotlight
Spotlight is the built-in Mac search feature. It can be handy, especially when looking for documents and files you need right at the moment. However, keeping it from reindexing can slow a Mac down. It takes a while for Spotlight to go through the process, but doing so should speed up your Mac.
Here is how to reindex Spotlight:
Or, use a one-button reindexing solution, already built in within CleanMyMac. It may take a few hours, but once complete the selected drives will be indexed within Spotlight. And your Mac will be flying.
#6: Update macOS
Apple releases a new operating system every year. The most recent release is macOS 10.15 Catalina. Providing you’ve backed up your files and are aware of any immediate issues (some Mac users prefer to wait until updates and patches have been published), it might be time to update.
Before upgrading, check compatibility. Apple says that the newest OS is available for Macs introduced in mid-2012 or later. Note that Apple gave up support for 2010 and 2012 Mac Pro models with recommended Metal-capable graphics cards with Catalina .
Hardware requirements have changed a bit, compared to the older versions:
#7: Uninstall apps
One of the best ways to speed up a Mac is to uninstall apps you aren't using. But no one wants to go through all the apps manually. Plus, when you delete an app from Applications, its remnants still clog your space all over the system.
A sure way to delete apps completely is using CleanMyMac Uninstaller module, which we think is the easiest, most efficient way to identify apps that cause your Mac to slow down.
#8: Clear cache files
CleanMyMac X also allows you to clear cache files quickly and easily. Essentially everything you touch within your computer leaves cache files: system, browsers, apps, user preferences, etc. Over time, the accumulation of those files slows your Mac down. They are very difficult to identify manually and delete, so using CleanMyMac here is by far the easiest choice.
Need a faster Mac? - clean up your disk drive.
Here're quick tips to free up more disk space. But if you want to get a fast way - try CleanMyMac. It comes highly recommended, as the easiest, most efficient way to identify problems, applications and settings that slow Macs down, then clean them. Around the world, over 3 million people are using CleanMyMac to scan, dig up junk cluttering up Macs, delete unused apps the right way, tidy up email folders and attachments and remove plugins you don't need with one click.
Did you know? A full cleaning done with CleanMyMac reduces Mac boot time by 4.5 times*.
What happens, when you are cleaning your Mac for an update - either OS Mojave or Catalina - and you delete something you later realize you need? Thankfully, an app already exists for that nightmare scenario. Disk Drill is the world’s premier data recovery software for macOS. Powerful enough to retrieve long-lost, mistakenly deleted files from Macs, external hard drives and USB drives and camera cards.
It’s always handy to have Disk Drill ready to retrieve something you may need. Nothing is gone forever, but of course, you don't want old files taking up too much space.
Additional tip: try to use Optimize storage
Another way to ensure your Mac operates at peak efficiency using Sierra is by deleting files you don't need and putting as much as you can into iCloud. Optimized storage - clearing out old, unused and idle items - comes part of the package with Sierra, but at the same time, storing files offline on a spare hard drive is equally useful since it avoids automatic syncs with iCloud, thereby potentially slowing your Mac down again. But.. you'll see a purgeable storage.
Purgeable storage space contains data that the system hasn't accessed in a long time. If you're running low on disk space, macOS can safely remove them, and then downloaded from iCloud or generated again when data are required again by you or your Mac.
You can’t manually delete the files that are designated purgeable with CleanMyMac app, or macOS removes them as space is needed. #9: Manage device syncing
Everyone knows photos take up a lot of storage. When iCloud syncing is automatically setup (by default it is), deleting photos on one device would delete them on another, which can be inconvenient if you only want to remove photos from your Mac. To fix this, switch off iCloud syncing and use a third-party storage, sharing, and syncing apps, such as AnyTrans to keep your devices updated. The app works with all types of content and transfers your data across Android, iOS, and cloud drives.
#10: Reset your SMC & PRAM
Two applications to update before or after you’ve downloaded and installed High Sierra is your System Management Controller (SMC) and your Parameter RAM (PRAM) device. Both are small cogs in a larger wheel and can be done by resetting your device for 5 - 10 seconds, but it can make a big difference when it comes to speed.
There are times when a Mac will perform poorly for no apparent reason. Systems crash, a battery doesn't charge or takes longer than normal, Mac goes to sleep or even shuts down unexpectedly. If you’ve tried other fixes and these issues persist, you might need to reset your SMC (system management controller) and PRAM (parameter RAM).
Although most Mac batteries are no longer removable, you need to check first before proceeding down this road.
When a battery is removable, switch the Mac off, remove the battery, press the power button for 5 seconds, then put the battery back in and turn the Mac on.
For newer MacBooks, including Air and Pro, resetting the SMC and PRAM involves shutting the Mac down, then pressing Shift+Control+Option on your keyboard along with the power button for 10 seconds. Then, release all keys and press the power button to switch it on.
Other Macs, particularly the iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro, involve a slightly different process to reset the PRAM. Shut the Mac down, press the power button, then the Command+Option+P+R keys until it restarts, and release the keys. Although all of these processes aren't straightforward, they can work wonders when trying to speed up a slow Mac.
#11: Upgrade Mac hardware
As you can see, there are a lot of things you can do to speeding up your Mac. But what happens when you run out of space? There is only so much that can be done, even when you store files in the cloud and tidy up desktops and disk drives.
Once you’ve cleaned up and deleted everything you don't need, it’s time to take a look at upgrading your standard HDD with an SSD (solid-state drive). We would recommend backing up all your files and consulting a professional before doing this, or having a certified Apple expert do the work to ensure everything transitions smoothly. Besides SSD, increasing the amount of RAM is also an effective way to speed up a slow Mac.
#12: Shutdown or restart your Mac more often
We hardly take care of our Macs — closing them for the night, then opening the next day to push them even further and handle ever-increasing workloads. We forget that computers also need a break. Instead of simply closing and letting them sleep, we should shut down or restart more often, thereby reducing the strain on processors, software, apps, and hard drives.
Speedtest and tweak your Mac often
Following advice above will help you get your slow Mac to speed up again. All the apps mentioned in this article, such as iStat Menus, CleanMyMac, Declutter, Dropshare, and nearly 150 more are available with a single subscription to Setapp. Now you can go on and make your Mac life a bit more easier and a lot more productive.
These might also interest you:
When working on a Logic Pro project with a lot of audio tracks, software instruments, or plug-ins, a system overload alert might appear that interrupts playback or recording. System overloads can occur when your Mac doesn't have enough processing power to play back or record audio. Use the techniques in this article to avoid system overloads.
Configure your system
Follow these guidelines when configuring your system for use with Logic Pro:
Monitor system performance
Use the meters in the Logic Pro CPU/HD window to monitor system performance while working on a project. To view the CPU/HD window:
The CPU/HD window has two sets of meters:
Audio: Shows the amount of CPU and RAM processing power used by Logic Pro. Each CPU core in your Mac has its own meter. On Mac computers with processors that support Hyper-Threading, two meters are shown for each core.
Disk I/O: Shows the amount of disk bandwidth used by Logic Pro.
Watch the meters as the project plays back, noting when the meters are full. When a meter is full, the CPU or the disk has reached the limit of its processing capability. System overload alerts can appear when any of these meters peak. You can use this information to make adjustments to your project or your system configuration.
Set audio device preferences
Choose Logic Pro X > Preferences > Audio, click Devices, then adjust the following preferences:
To avoid latency and system overload alerts, decrease the I/O buffer size when recording, then increase it when mixing. If you're recording audio and not software instruments, you can monitor your audio directly from the source. Choose Logic Pro X > Preferences > Audio > General, and deselect Software Monitoring. You can then set the I/O buffer size to 256 samples and leave it there for both recording and mixing.
Set automation preferences
If your project doesn't include automation, or the automation doesn't need to be sample accurate, you can reduce the CPU load by turning off Sample Accurate Automation.
If your project does include automation, choose the option that includes only the parameters you're automating.
Choose the best sample rate for your project
Projects with higher sample rates create larger audio files, which can increase the load on the CPU and disk. Plug-ins also require more CPU power to process audio files at higher sample rates. When choosing the sample rate for your project, balance the considerations of audio quality, the anticipated format of the final product, and the performance of your Mac. If disk activity is causing system overload alerts, try choosing lower sample rates for your projects.
Use send effects
When using CPU-intensive effect plug-ins such as reverbs and delays, you can reduce the load on the CPU by usingsend effects. Send effects let you use a single plug-in to process signals from multiple channels.
Avoid inserting effect plug-ins on individual tracks in a project. If you need to insert reverb plug-ins on individual tracks, try less CPU-intensive reverbs like the SilverVerb and PlatinumVerb.
Optimize software instruments
Use these guidelines when working with software instruments:
Optimize EXS24 Virtual Memory settings
You can adjust EXS24 Virtual Memory settings to optimize its performance. In the EXS24 Parameter window, click the Options button, then select Virtual Memory from the pop-up menu.
Adjust the following preferences:
Best Software To Keep Mac Running At Peak View
Settings in the EXS24 Virtual Memory window are global—they affect all instances of EXS24 in all projects.
Optimize Alchemy
You can also optimize Alchemy for improved performance.
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