Why struggle with having a slow Mac computer if there are several ways to speed it up? It’s no secret that having a slow computer can be very limiting (not to mention frustrating) when running your business. It’s because most business transactions and processes are done via the computer that you should make sure that it’s running as fast as it can. These five tips below should help you speed up your Mac.
Uninstall Your Old And Unused Programs
If you’re thinking that those old or unused programs aren’t hurting your computer’s performance since you haven’t been using them, you may be shocked to know that they actually can be one of the leading causes of a slow computer. These old programs despite being inactive, actually take up storage space which can cause your Mac to slow down.
This can really become a big issue if you’re running out of room on your hard drive because the less space you have available on your hard drive, the slower your computer will run. Try opening your Applications folder and looking for apps and programs that you no longer use. Simply drag them to the Trash and then empty it to free up space.
On another note, it would be a good idea to empty your trash on a regular basis, because items in the trash still take up storage space leading to a potentially slower computer.
Clean Your Desktop
Your Mac should run a bit faster if your desktop is clean. We don’t mean go in literally clean the desktop, we mean get rid of the shortcuts, programs and files that you don’t use. The more icons and stuff on your desktop there are, the slower your computer will run.
Instead of adding new icons, folders, files, etc. to your desktop try storing documents in the documents folder (Click any blank area on your desktop, press Go at the top of your screen and select Documents). Or, create a folder on your desktop for different images of files. Basically you want to minimize how much is on your desktop.
Use A Program Like Memory Keeper
What these apps do is help you free up more space on your computer by cleaning your computer’s memory. This is similar to the defrag option in Windows where the OS will essentially put files of a similar nature closer together in the hard drive, making them easier and quicker for the processor to access. To us, this means a faster computer!
You can get Memory Keeper free on the Apple Store, but be sure to contact us before you download it as we may have a solution that comes as part of your IT solutions.
Organize/Clean Your Finder And The Files Within
Just as you should minimize the files and clutter on your desktop, you should also minimize the clutter and number of icons in the main folders of the Finder. This includes the folders under each user, Downloads, Documents, etc.
It would not be a good idea to delve into the Utilities and Network folders as they usually contain important files that if deleted could cause your computer to stop working.
Upgrade Your Hardware
If you’ve tried the suggested tips above and your computer is still running slow, then your last resort should be to have a hardware upgrade.
We take this as the last resort as this may take more time, let alone cost a lot of money.
Consider upgrading your RAM instead of upgrading your processor since doing so is considerably cheaper.
It’s highly suggested to get a minimum of 2 GB of extra RAM but if you’re using some heavy duty programs like Adobe Photoshop, then a minimum of 4 GB RAM would probably suit you better. Before you do upgrade however, check with either Apple or us to ensure that your computer can be upgraded. By asking an IT partner like us, we will be able to better inform you as to what you can upgrade and how you can go about it safely.
Are you looking for more tips on how to speed up your Mac? Then give us a call now and we’ll have our team talk to you about how we can help.
Published on 5th February 2014 by Jeanne DeWitt.
