Athel Anderson 5 Ways to Speed Up Your Slow MacBook
Step-by-step fixes that take 10 minutes each — no jargon, no snake oilIf your MacBook feels slower than it used to, don’t worry — you don’t need to be a computer whiz to fix it. Many slowdowns come from small, simple issues you can clean up yourself. Here are five easy steps, each one taking about ten minutes. Try them in order, and your Mac should feel fresher and faster.
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1. Close Unused Programs
When too many programs are open, your MacBook gets tired.How to do it: 1. Look at the bottom of your screen (the Dock). 2. If you see a tiny dot under an app’s icon, that program is open. 3. Right-click (or hold Control and click) the icon. 4. Choose Quit.
💡 Tip: Only keep programs open that you are using right now.
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2. Restart Your MacBook
When was the last time you turned it completely off? Restarting clears out “digital cobwebs.”How to do it: 1. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner. 2. Select Restart…. 3. Wait a minute, then log back in.
💡 Tip: Try restarting once or twice a week for best results.
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3. Clean Out “Login Items”
Some programs sneakily start every time you turn on your Mac, slowing it down.How to do it: 1. Click the Apple logo → System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs). 2. Choose General → Login Items. 3. Look for programs you don’t use daily. 4. Highlight them and press the minus (-) button to remove.
💡 Tip: This doesn’t delete the program — it just stops it from starting automatically.
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4. Free Up Space
A stuffed-full Mac runs sluggishly. Aim to keep at least 10–15% free space.How to check: 1. Click the Apple logo → About This Mac → Storage. 2. If your bar is nearly full, it’s cleanup time.
Quick cleanup ideas:
- Empty the Trash (right-click Trash icon → Empty Trash).
- Delete old downloads in your Downloads folder.
- Move large photos or videos to an external drive or iCloud.
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5. Update macOS and Apps
Updates often fix speed problems and make your Mac run smoother.How to do it: 1. Click the Apple logo → System Settings → General → Software Update. 2. If an update is available, click Update Now. 3. Do the same in the App Store for your apps.
💡 Tip: Updates can take a while, so run them when you don’t need your Mac right away.
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