Why is my Mac so slow?Updated a day ago
If your Mac is running too slowly you might be able to fix it yourself by trying these solutions from our in-house tech wizards.
Check your Activity Monitor to find the root cause
Step 1. Open the Spotlight search by selecting and holding Command (⌘)-Space. The Spotlight search window will appear.
Step 2. Type in "Activity Monitor" and select the app.
Step 3. Check your Mac’s CPU (Central Processing Unit) usage.
This tells you what applications or other processes are the most energy intensive. To do so, make sure you’re in the “CPU” tab.
Step 4. See if there are any resource-intensive applications/processes that might be slowing your Mac down by checking the “% CPU” column.
Step 5. Quit any unnecessary applications/processes. To do so, select the name of the application/process you want to quit.
Step 6. Select the stop button (an “X” icon) in the top-left corner of the Activity Monitor window. Confirm if prompted.
After this, you can monitor the temperature and fan noise of your Mac. Ideally, quitting resource-intensive programs will allow your Mac to run more smoothly.
Update your software
Doing a software update will install updates for your operating system as well as any built-in apps.
How to update the macOS on your Mac
Step 1. Before diving in, back up your Mac to make sure you don’t lose anything along the way. See how to back up your computer via Apple Support
Step 2. Go to the menu bar at the top of your screen and select the Apple icon.
Step 3. Select "System Settings".
Step 4. Select "Software Update" to check for any new software available for your Mac.
Step 5. If there is new software available, select “Update Now” or “Upgrade Now”. You may be prompted to enter your password or restart your computer.
Once the process is done, you can check to see if your issue is fixed.
If "Software Update" doesn’t come up in your System Settings
Step 1. Select the spyglass icon in the menu bar to start a search. Note that the menu bar is located at the top of the screen.
Step 2. Type “Software Update” in the search bar.
Step 3. If the software update option appears, select it. If it doesn’t, go to the App Store and select the “Updates” tab.
Step 4. Start the software update.
Reset your SMC
The System Management Controller (SMC) controls the power on your Mac. Resetting it can solve some uncommon issues related to power or temperature management. Keep in mind that there are different approaches to resetting your SMC depending on what kind of processing chip your Mac is equipped with.
Let’s get started.
Step 1. Check to see if your Mac has a silicon chip. How to check if your Mac has a silicon chip via Apple Support
Step 2. If it doesn’t have a silicon chip, check to see if your Mac has a T2 security chip. How to check if your Mac has a T2 security chip via Apple Support
How to reset the SMC on a Mac with a silicon chip
If your computer has a silicon chip, simply make sure your computer is connected to a reliable power source > restart your Mac. This will reset the SMC and might fix your issue.
How to reset the SMC on a Mac with a T2 security chip
If you have a laptop, here’s what to do.
Step 1. Shut down your computer.
Step 2. Once shut down, press and hold the power button for 10 seconds, then release.
Step 3. Wait a few seconds, then press the power button again to turn your computer back on.
If that doesn’t work, try this next approach.
Step 1. Shut down your computer.
Step 2. Press and hold Control (⌃)-Option (⌥)-Shift (⇧) — your Mac may turn back on in the process.
Step 3. Continue to press and hold all the keys for around 7 seconds, then press and hold your Mac's power button without releasing the other keys. If your laptop is on, it will turn off during this step.
Step 4. Keep pressing the keys for another 7 seconds, then release them.
Step 5. Wait for a little while, then press the power button again to turn your Mac back on.
If you have a desktop computer, here’s what to do.
Step 1. Shut down your computer.
Step 2. Unplug the power cord.
Step 3. Wait for 15 seconds, then plug it back in.
Step 4. Wait for 5 more seconds and then press the power button to turn your Mac back on.
Reinstall your macOS
macOS Recovery is a great way to reinstall your Mac operating system.
Use macOS Recovery, your computer’s built-in recovery system, to reinstall the Mac operating system. Here’s what to do.
Step 1. Before diving in, back up your Mac to be safe. See how to back up your computer via Apple Support
Step 2. Make sure that your computer is connected to the internet.
Step 3. Determine whether your Mac has a silicon processor or an Intel processor. See how to determine if your processor is silicon or Intel via Apple Support
If you have a silicon processor
Step 1. Shut down your Mac.
Step 2. Once shut down, press and hold the power button again. As you continue to hold it, your Mac will turn on and load startup options. When you see “Loading startup options” or the options icon, release the power button.
Step 3. Select "Options”.
Step 4. Select “Continue”.
Step 5. When your Mac has successfully started from Recovery, it will show the startup options window. Select the option to reinstall your macOS.
Step 6. Select “Continue”.
Step 7. Follow any prompts.
Step 8. Let the installation finish without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. Your Mac might restart and show a progress bar several times, and the screen might be empty for minutes at a time.
Note that when installation is complete, your Mac might show you a setup assistant. Follow the prompts, and you’re all set.
If you have any issues or unexpected prompts, check out Apple Support’s full guidelines on reinstalling macOS
If you have an Intel processor
Step 1. Shut down your Mac.
Step 2. Turn it back on and select Option (⌥)-Command (⌘)-R at the same time. Continue to hold the keys until the Apple logo or another screen appears.
Step 3. If prompted, select your user profile, select “Next”, and enter your password.
Step 4. When your Mac has successfully started from Recovery, it will show the startup options window. Select the option to reinstall your macOS.
Step 5. Select “Continue”.
Step 6. Follow any prompts.
Step 7. Let the installation finish without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. Your Mac might restart and show a progress bar several times, and the screen might be empty for minutes at a time.
Note that when installation is complete, your Mac might show you a setup assistant. Follow the prompts, and you’re all set.
If you have any issues or unexpected prompts, check out Apple Support’s full guidelines on reinstalling macOS