How to Speed Up Your Mac Without Spending on Hardware
- Redacción
- Sep 9
- 3 min read
Practical guide with software adjustments and system cleanup to improve performance
If your Mac is running slower than usual, you don’t necessarily need to upgrade your hardware. There are several macOS adjustments that can optimize performance without investing in new components. In this guide, we’ll show you how to speed up your Mac without spending on hardware, using built-in system tools and good maintenance practices.
1. Restart Your Mac Regularly
Although it may seem obvious, restarting your Mac at least once a week helps clear RAM and close background processes that may be affecting performance.
How to do it:
Click the Apple menu.
Select Restart.
Make sure to close all applications before restarting to avoid losing data.
2. Close Resource-Heavy Applications
Some apps can consume a large amount of CPU or RAM, slowing down your system.
How to identify and close heavy apps:
Open Activity Monitor (search via Spotlight with Cmd + Space).
Go to the CPU tab and check which applications are using the most resources.
Select apps you’re not using and click the X button to close them.
3. Reduce the Number of Startup Apps
Many apps start automatically when you turn on your Mac, slowing boot time and overall performance.
How to disable startup apps:
Go to System Preferences > Users & Groups.
Select your user and click Login Items.
Remove unnecessary apps by selecting them and clicking the “–” button.
4. Free Up Disk Space
If your Mac’s disk is nearly full, you’ll notice a significant drop in performance. Ideally, keep at least 20% of storage free.
How to free up space:
Go to Apple Menu > About This Mac > Storage.
Enable Optimize Storage to remove unnecessary files.
Empty the Trash and manually delete large or duplicate files.
5. Clear System and App Caches
Accumulated cache over time can make your Mac feel slower.
How to manually clear cache:
Open Finder and press Cmd + Shift + G.
Type ~/Library/Caches/ and press Enter.
Delete the folders inside Caches (do not delete the Caches folder itself).
⚠️ Caution: Only delete files inside the cache folders, not other system directories.
6. Disable Animations for a Faster Mac
Animations make your Mac look smoother, but on older machines, turning them off can improve performance.
How to disable visual effects:
Go to System Preferences > Accessibility > Display.
Enable Reduce Motion and Reduce Transparency.
7. Keep macOS and Apps Updated
macOS updates include performance optimizations and security patches.
How to update your Mac:
Go to System Preferences > Software Update.
Install any available updates.
💡 Tip: Also update your apps from the App Store to avoid compatibility issues.
8. Disable Widgets and Background Apps
Widgets and background apps can consume resources without you noticing.
How to disable them:
Open Control Center and check which widgets are active.
Remove unused ones via System Preferences > Notification Center.
9. Use Safari Instead of Chrome
Google Chrome is known for consuming many resources on macOS. If your Mac slows down while browsing, try using Safari, which is better optimized for the system.
10. Restablece la PRAM y SMC
If your Mac is still slow after applying these adjustments, reset PRAM and SMC to fix potential system errors.
How to reset PRAM:
Turn off your Mac.
Turn it on and press Option + Command + P + R for 20 seconds.
Release the keys and let your Mac restart.
How to reset SMC:
Turn off your MacBook.
Hold Shift + Control + Option along with the power button for 10 seconds.
Release the keys and turn on your Mac.
Give Your Mac a New Boost
With these simple adjustments, you can speed up your Mac without spending on additional hardware. Small changes in settings, cleaning unnecessary files, and managing background processes can make a big difference in your Mac’s performance.
If your Mac is still slow despite these tips, it may require deeper maintenance. At iProX, we can help optimize your system and make it run like new.
📌 Need assistance? Contact us and give your Mac a fresh start.
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