Macbook Pro Running Slow – Reasons and Solutions

You must at some time have hung your head in frustration, due to that constant lag on your Macbook. You might even have asked in that struggle yourself "why mac runs slow?"

No doubt, a sluggish Macbook pro can be troublesome! This is because the Apple Macbook is a computer designed initially to be faster in terms of processing and productivity. However, there are many reasons why it takes a long time to boot, why it keeps freezing when you open an application or why the mouse is unresponsive. Often it can be due to outdated software, an application that keeps crashing, an old hardware, and insufficient free space, amongst others. Troubleshooting can be very painstaking and time consuming. 

You can spend hours trying to diagnose, looking for where the challenge might stem from, fixing it and getting your Apple Macbook in good order. In this piece, we will explain how you can diagnose as well as identify and tackle those problems that have left this constant agonizing question on your lips ”why my mac runs slow”. But first, let’s identify these problems.

Why is my Macbook running slow?

At some point, you might have found yourself gazing intently at that frozen screen, frustrated as the mouse wouldn't move for minutes. Often, you may find yourself stuck in the middle of a project meant to be submitted soon, yet you have not gone far because the software keeps crashing. Many reasons may account for a mac slow running. 

If your Macbook runs ever so sluggishly, consider the following reasons why it may do so.

1. Background running applications: 

Over time, Macbook can slow down all thanks to background applications. Even when you do not use them, they keep working, consuming space, expending battery life as well as interfering with the performance of your Macbook. Some of these background applications have been put there by developers making it a tad more difficult to remove. In these instances, as time goes on, they take on more and more memory causing jams, crashes and other disappointing outputs as you try to use your Macbook.

How to reduce issues associated with background applications?

• Optimize system performance with SpeedMyMac

Background applications can be very challenging. Lurking unseen, it takes up useful space and resources while working without your permission. If you want to speed up the work process on your Macbook, Clean My Mac 3 is the ideal tool for you. As an incredibly efficient application, it runs a superior scan through your Macbook, searching and locating these well-hidden files operating in the background and afterwards getting rid of them thoroughly. You just need to install the Clean My Mac 3 application, click on clean and the application gets rid your system from unnecessary background data, in a very short period.

• Close down unnecessary applications 

Close unnecessary application windows if you are not using them. This will reduce unnecessary functioning while saving space.

• Use activity monitor:

The activity monitor helps you to view the process of all applications. It gives you a knowledge of applications that are currently operating and inactive ones. With the activity monitor, you can determine which application consumes unnecessary resources, or which application runs without your permission. With the activity monitor, you can force stop this application easily.

1. Junk files on your Macbook

Junk files are inevitable in the course of using your Macbook. Unlike background applications, junk files are more of useless files that do nothing but take up space. Junk files range from broken items to useless cache folders, temporary files or even duplicated photos. If you take it lightly, junk files can keep accumulating, taking up valuable space and in the process impeding the Macbook speed.

How to get rid of unnecessary junk files?

• SpeedMyMac is the best option for removing junk files:

Junk files are of a wide variety, they range from photo junks, email junks to large and old files. However, they all serve one purpose- to slow down your Macbook to frustrating performances. To solve this situation, the SpeedMyMac powerful tool ensures a thorough scan that goes deep into files rooting out junk files no matter how well hidden they are. The Clean My Mac 3 also offers a review option so you can view these junk files.

• Delete useless applications:

You should also delete unnecessary programs or apps on your Macbook pro as often as possible.

1. Too many unused Applications: 

Applications play a major role in why your Macbook may be lagging. Whether the application comes pre-installed or it is a third-party application, they consume a large part of space. We might install some applications for our work or study needs and later forget to uninstall them when we don’t need them. The computer resources may become used up causing the Macbook to slow down at every given opportunity. The only way to ensure a smooth functioning computer is to locate and get rid of unused applications.

How to get rid of unnecessary applications using SpeedMyMac?

SpeedMyMac is a dedicated tool that runs a deep system search, to locate and immediately remove unused applications. Even after you have manually deleted some applications, there are often remnants in the form of cache files, which may evade your notice. However with Clean My Mac intense scrutiny, these hidden files are easy to locate and remove.

1. When the operating system is outdated: 

Many times, the user might overlook it. However, an outdated operating system affects your MacBook performance continuously. Keeping your OS up to date is very important, because certain issues may arise in the form of optimization, a bug that needs to be fixed, or security issues which may keep users from getting the best from their MacBook. 

Always keep your software updated: 

It is imperative, that for a more fluid function on your MacBook, you keep your software updated at all times. Install files from trusted sources preferably, the application store or the service provider. 

How to upgrade Mac OS?

To ensure that your slow Mac can run on the latest OS, your MacBook needs to meet certain requirements such as sufficient space of at least 2GB RAM and 15GB free memory, properly backed up files. You also need to make sure if your Macbook is compatible with the new OS. 

1. Insufficient hard drive space: 

Are you accustomed to seeing "insufficient storage" pop up on your screen? Apparently, insufficient storage is a very common challenge encountered by every MacBook pro user. No doubt, going out of space can seriously disturb your MacBook’s optimum performance. It can be very annoying when applications shutdown constantly or when tabs keep closing every time. 

How to increase space?

1. SpeedMyMac comes in handy for cleaning the hard drive: you can use the clean my Mac 3 tool for cleaning your hard drive the moment you notice that space is being taken up. With its deep scan feature, you can always engage in a deep search to detect useless files that may take up space. 

2. Change your hard disc drive (HDD): one of the ways to improve your otherwise slow mac efficiency is by increasing the memory available on it. You can upgrade your HDD to the nearest compatible one for much improved function.

3. Upgrade your RAM

No doubt, a good RAM is a key to a smooth running MacBook. Whenever your MacBook is sluggish one of the reasons can be as a result of low RAM capacity, thus to fix this you have to increase your hard drive capacity. To increase the RAM capacity on your MacBook pro, follow these respective steps:

• Understand the MacBook exact model: It is imperative you have a proper grasp of the exact model and specification of your MacBook. This is the first step to understanding what upgrade is best suited for your MacBook.

• Know whether you can upgrade your hardware: Understanding your MacBook pro is key to knowing whether the hardware can be easily upgraded. Currently, some MacBooks like the MacBook pro 17(all models) can allow you easily upgrade its RAM by yourself. Others include MacBook pro 13(mid 2009-mid 2012), MacBook unibody, Mac pro (all models). Meanwhile, you cannot upgrade the RAM of certain MacBooks like Macbook air, yourself due to it being soldered to the motherboard. Some of them include MacBook pro 13 with touch bar, MacBook pro 15 with retina, Macbook air display amongst others. 

• Upgrade the RAM in your MacBook pro.

1. You can upgrade to a solid state drive (SSD)

The solid-state drive is a lighter, faster and more durable storage system for your MacBook pro. It comes in handy with larger files and other resource intensive applications that are known to consume space and other resources. Its ample storage capacity ensures that you can engage in more work, save more information without the slightest effect on your phone’s optimal performance. 

1. Always keep at least 10% of disk space free at all times: keeping free disk space at all times has its own benefits. A free disk space will always come in handy as it helps keep the phone at optimal performance. Furthermore, to create more disk space, it is advisable to always clear the web browser, remove languages you don't find useful, uninstall duplicates of images or movies, send large files to external memory to further free space. 

2. A sluggish startup

How often do you start up your MacBook and have to wait for a considerable time before it loads? Often I guess. This is because your MacBook is having a serious start up issue. Whenever you startup your MacBook, there are series of applications that run at the background each slowing down the MacBook and continuing overtime.

How to fix a sluggish start up?

A. You can SpeedMyMac:

As a reliable optimization tool, you can take deep scan into your MacBook, locate these files that reduce your speed at every startup, root them out, create space and keep your MacBook running at a very fast pace. 

B. Clear up cluttered desktop: 

Another reason why your MacBook might showdown is due to too many icons on the desktop. A Mac treats every icon or dashboard widget on the desktop screen as a potential small task, thus expending resources to load them at every startup. A viable way to remedy this is to reduce screen items to ensure a faster pace of work on your MacBook. It is also a good idea to clear unused dashboard widgets, remove unnecessary applications from the dock as well.

Other reasons why your MacBook may slowdown include: 

Personal Habits: Most times as users, you may be responsible for your own predicaments. How is that? You may ask. Many a times, users often forget to close tabs, while this may seem insignificant, more and more tabs accumulate and with time it may impede the MacBook pro as all the opened tabs are all trying to load simultaneously. In addition, if your MacBook runs all the time without sufficient rest, it is possible that at some point it will begin to freeze giving you some unpleasant experience with continuous usage. Also important is the need to always keep sufficient free disk space.

Hardware upgrades: A healthy hardware is imperative if you wish to enjoy your MacBook. As with every device, constant usage with time often tells on the MacBook. Thus, to get the best out of your MacBook, it is a good idea to pay sufficient attention to the hardware. The RAM and the hard drive must be constantly updated to put you in current terms with the MacBook and as well reduce the challenges that will arise with constant usage. 

Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs

How do I clean my MacBook pro and make it run faster?

• Use SpeedMyMac to scan and clean your system often. As a viable optimization tool, it runs a deep scan locating every form of unnecessary applications, cache files and temporary files to give your MacBook pro a new lease of life. A smart application with a user-friendly interface, it is easy to operate. 

• Do not keep your MacBook running for an extended period of time. Always shutdown when it is not in operation.

• Engage light browsers, and avoid opening unnecessary tabs. 

• Always keep your software up to date at all times.

• Always favour performance ahead of flamboyant display. What this implies, is reducing animations, turning off Launchpad effects, removing preference panes from system preferences.

How do I find out what is slowing my MacBook pro? 

• Manually search and look for junk files, application and other useless folders that may consume space on your MacBook pro.

• Use an activity monitor to check secretly running applications, or which one takes too many resources.

• Check for hardware problems: sometimes, challenges may stem from the hardware of your phone. Always check your RAM, upgrade your hard disc drive when it seems insufficient to enjoy a faster operation with your MacBook pro.

Conclusion

If you have read this far, you must have in the course of perusing this article come across that particular problem that keeps slowing your Macbook, and how to solve it. No doubt, the Apple MacBook is an amazing system, however with time, the lags come in and it can be frustrating. Thus, before you abandon your Macbook pro out of frustration due to its slow performance, or constant yearn for free disk space, it is necessary you come to terms with various factors that can slow down your Macbook pro and how to remedy them. 

In this article, we treated a wide variety of challenges such as background running application, hardware difficulties, and personal habits that may cause the Macbook to lag. Possible solutions were proffered, and tools recommended. Thus, it is believed that you can always easily attack the question "Why my mac is running slowly”.