If your Mac runs slowly (2024)

macOS Sonoma 14

macOS Ventura 13

macOS Monterey 12

macOS Big Sur 11.0

macOS Catalina 10.15

macOS High Sierra

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Table of Contents

macOS User Guide

  • Welcome
    • What’s in the menu bar?
    • Work on the desktop
    • Search with Spotlight
    • Quickly change settings
    • Use Siri
    • Get notifications
    • Open apps from the Dock
    • Organize your files in the Finder
    • Connect to the internet
    • Browse the web
    • Preview a file
    • Take a screenshot
    • Change your display’s brightness
    • Adjust the volume
    • Use trackpad and mouse gestures
    • Use Touch ID
    • Print documents
    • Keyboard shortcuts
    • Apps on your Mac
    • Open apps
    • Work with app windows
    • Use apps in full screen
    • Use apps in Split View
    • Use Stage Manager
    • Get apps from the App Store
    • Install and reinstall apps from the App Store
    • Install and uninstall other apps
    • Create and work with documents
    • Open documents
    • Mark up files
    • Combine files into a PDF
    • Organize files on your desktop
    • Organize files with folders
    • Tag files and folders
    • Back up files
    • Restore files
    • Change System Settings
    • Choose your desktop wallpaper
    • Add and customize widgets
    • Use a screen saver
    • Add a user or group
    • Add your email and other accounts
    • Automate tasks with Shortcuts
    • Create Memoji
    • Change your login picture
    • Change the system language
    • Make text and other items on the screen bigger
    • Set up a Focus to stay on task
    • Set up Screen Time for yourself
    • Use Dictation
    • Send emails
    • Send text messages
    • Make a FaceTime video call
    • Edit photos and videos
    • Use Live Text to interact with text in a photo
    • Start a Quick Note
    • Get directions
    • Work across devices using Continuity
    • Use iPhone as a webcam
    • Use iPhone with Desk View
    • Stream audio and video with AirPlay
    • Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad
    • Hand off between devices
    • Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch
    • Make and receive phone calls on your Mac
    • Sync music, books, and more between devices
    • Manage Apple ID settings
    • Set your Apple ID picture
    • What is iCloud?
    • What is iCloud+?
    • Store files in iCloud Drive
    • Share and collaborate on files and folders
    • Manage iCloud storage
    • Use iCloud Photos
    • What is Family Sharing?
    • Set up Family Sharing
    • Set up Screen Time for a child
    • Share purchases with your family
    • Watch and listen together with SharePlay
    • Share a Photo Library
    • Collaborate on projects
    • Find content shared with you
    • Find your family and friends
    • Play games with your friends
    • Play music
    • Listen to podcasts
    • Watch TV shows and movies
    • Read and listen to books
    • Read the news
    • Track stocks and the market
    • Apple Music
    • Apple TV+
    • Apple Arcade
    • Apple News+
    • Podcast shows and channels
    • Manage subscriptions in the App Store
    • View Apple family subscriptions
    • Guard your privacy
    • Use Mail Privacy Protection
    • Control access to your camera
    • Use Sign in with Apple for apps and websites
    • Set up your Mac to be secure
    • Keep your data safe
    • Create a passkey
    • Understand passwords
    • Keep your Apple ID secure
    • Find a missing device
    • Get started with accessibility features
    • Vision
    • Hearing
    • Mobility
    • Speech
    • General
    • Connect an external display
    • Use the built-in camera
    • Connect a Bluetooth device
    • Use AirPods with your Mac
    • Optimize your Mac battery life
    • Optimize storage space
    • Burn CDs and DVDs
    • Control accessories in your home
    • Use Windows on your Mac
  • Resources for your Mac
  • Resources for your Apple devices
  • Copyright
If your Mac runs slowly (1)

If you find your Mac is running slowly, there are a number of potential causes that you can check.

  • Your computer’s startup disk may not have enough free disk space. To make disk space available, you can move files to another disk or an external storage device, then delete files you no longer need on the startup disk. macOS can also help you optimize storage by storing files in the cloud and helping you identify files you no longer need. Choose Apple menu If your Mac runs slowly (2)>System Settings, then click General If your Mac runs slowly (3) in the sidebar (you may need to scroll down). Click Storage on the right, then click the storage recommendations you want to use.

    Open Storage settings for me

  • An app you’re using may require more memory than your Mac has easily available. You can use Activity Monitor to see how much memory your Mac and apps are using. See View memory usage in Activity Monitor. Also see the documentation that came with the app to find out its system requirements.

    Open Activity Monitor for me

  • Quit any app that isn’t compatible with your Mac. For example, an app may require a different processor or graphics card. See the documentation that came with the app for information about its system requirements.

    • To see what processor your computer has, choose Apple menu If your Mac runs slowly (4)>System Settings, click General If your Mac runs slowly (5) in the sidebar, then click About on the right.

      Open About settings for me

    • To see which graphics card your computer has, choose Apple menu If your Mac runs slowly (6)>System Settings, then click General If your Mac runs slowly (7) in the sidebar. Click About on the right, then click System Report. Click Graphics/Displays to see the name of the graphics card installed your computer.

      Open About settings for me

  • Quit any apps you’re not using.

  • If you have problems with your disk, use Disk Utility to verify and try and fix any issues.

    Open Disk Utility for me

See alsoView disk activity in Activity Monitor on Mac

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If your Mac runs slowly (2024)
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