Is your Mac slow and doesn't do a lot of work as quickly as it did when you bought it? Here you can find out why this could be and how you can get the Apple computer back on its feet.

In our tips, we assume that the reason for a slow Mac is not due to problems with the Internet connection or serious damage to the computer. Here are 6 tips on how to make your Mac faster again:

Reason 1: Updates postponed too long

Problem: It has certainly happened to each of us before: The notification for a macOS update appears and we click it away. However, this becomes a problem if you postpone important software updates for weeks or even months. Regular updates can also improve the performance of a Mac (not to mention the security aspect). Although there is probably never a "good" time for updates, you should still make an effort to update them regularly and in a timely manner.

Solution: Carry out all Mac updates as soon as possible when they are offered to you. You can start updates manually via "Apple icon> About this Mac> Software update".

Reason 2: hard disk full

Problem: It may sound like a truism, but a full hard drive can pose many problems. A slow Mac can mean that the hard drive will soon reach its storage limit.

Solution: First, check how much free hard disk space is still available on your Mac. You can do this via "Apple Icon> About This Mac> Hard Drives". If after a short calculation only little free space is shown here, you should clean up the Mac a bit. To do this, click on the "Manage" button in the same menu. In the following overview, you can now specifically delete particularly large files or remove large email or message attachments. MacOS also gives recommendations on how you can ensure more free memory.

By the way: If you constantly have too little memory, it is worth purchasing an external hard drive.

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Reason 3: Mac hasn't restarted for a long time

Problem: Many Mac users have got used to not shutting down the computer at all after work, but simply closing it. As with Windows, restarting the operating system can sometimes work wonders with macOS.

Solution: Restart your Mac more frequently if it becomes too slow. To do this, click on "Apple Icon> Restart". It is also advisable not to tick the option "Reopen all windows the next time you log in".

Reason 4: Too many apps active at the same time

Problem: In a perfect world we surf the Internet, listen to music on Spotify at the same time, work in parallel on documents, scan for viruses and hold video conferences with colleagues. In reality, however, doing so much at the same time would slow the Mac very quickly.

Solution: Close apps and tabs that you are not using. Make sure that apps are really closed in macOS and not just minimized in the dock. You can recognize open apps by a small point under the app icon. To close an app properly, right click on the app icon and select "Exit".

If you also want to see how much performance and memory individual apps are eating up, you can use the Mac tool "Activity Monitor" (best to find it via the search in macOS). But be careful: In the activity display, you shouldn't just close apps without thinking – they can also be important system processes.

Reason 5: Too many apps with autostart rights

Problem: If too many apps start automatically when the Mac starts up, this can have a significant impact on performance. Applications that you rarely need immediately after starting should therefore be deactivated.

Solution: Make sure that fewer apps start automatically when the Mac starts up. To do this, click on "Apple Icon> System Preferences> Users & Groups> Login Items". Here you can check the box "Hide" for the apps that should not be started automatically. With some apps, however, you have to go to the individual settings to switch off the autostart.

Reason 6: cache overfilled

Problem: Temporary data is collected in the cache of macOS in order to speed up procedures and processes. A full cache with too much background data can also slow down your Mac. Although macOS normally clears the cache automatically at regular intervals, manual clearing is still worthwhile every now and then.

Solution: Clear your Mac's cache. This is how it works:

1. Go to "Finder> Go> Go to Folder" (you can also use the key combination Shift + Cmd + G).
2. Enter "/ Library / Caches" in the text field and confirm by clicking on "Open".
3. In the "Caches" folder you can now put all files in the trash and then empty it.

Summary

• A Mac that is too slow can be caused by a number of reasons.
• These include updates that have been postponed too long, an overfilled hard drive, a restart that has not been performed for a long time, too many apps that are active at the same time, too many apps with autostart rights or an overfilled cache.
• So there are different approaches for a slow Mac as well.
• Your Mac may also be malfunctioning or feeling slow due to a slow internet connection.