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Some people purchase a Mac expecting that it will not have any performance issues. It is true that macOS is more reliable than other operating systems, but expecting no performance hiccups is a far-fetched idea. If you neglect to take proper care of the computer, it will not take too long before you notice that apps need more time to load or that video games start dropping frames while you are playing. Thankfully, there are multiple methods to use and create a solid maintenance routine for your Mac.
Keep Tabs on Background Apps
Let’s start with background applications and other processes. Your MacBook has a finite amount of available resources and should utilize them optimally.
Launch the Activity Monitor and see which of the processes require the most memory and other resources.
Some active apps could be the result of leaving them in the startup item list and forgetting to close the apps after the MacBook finished loading. Or maybe you have finished a gaming session during which you socialized with others on Discord and forgot to close it.
Regardless, you should keep tabs on background apps and quit applications you no longer need. Not only will this improve the overall Mac speed, but it will also improve the battery’s lifespan.
Confirm the System Is Malware-Free
Do not fall for the myth that MacBooks are not prone to cybersecurity threats. Macs may not be as popular as Windows and are therefore less of an attractive target for malware developers, but neglecting to take care of potential cyberattacks would be a mistake.
Even minor viruses will cause problems, and not just for the laptop’s performance. Some threats may expose personal information or delete important data.
You should invest in reliable antivirus software and make sure that it is running in the background constantly. This way, the antivirus can detect and eliminate most malware, reducing the dangers of cybersecurity threats.
Avoid Too Much Dust Inside
The tricky part with dust that accumulates inside is how to clean it. Not everyone would be willing to take the MacBook apart. The odds of damaging the hardware are quite high when you have no experience with it.
In such cases, you should get in touch with computer service stores and ask whether any of them has someone who specializes in cleaning dust inside Macs. If you find someone who can do the work for you, pay them the money and move on.
Prioritize System Updates
MacBook updates introduce the latest features, security upgrades, and overall performance improvements.
However, despite these clear perks, some people still fail to realize the importance of macOS updates and neglect to download and install them because it takes too long, and they cannot be bothered with it.
But what about the fact that missing updates are potentially the reason why your MacBook is running so slow and needs more time to download and install files than usual?
Even if you need to sacrifice some of your time, you should still download and install the latest macOS updates at your earliest convenience.
Do Not Clutter Hard Drive
Avoid cluttering your hard drive. If there is not enough free storage on it, you are bound to run into performance issues.
Getting a cleanup utility tool is one of the best pieces of advice to free up MacBook storage. Temporary junk files like app caches, extensions, plugins, and old system data take a significant amount of the hard drive storage.
Instead of removing such files manually, you can take advantage of cleanup software. Launch it, use the UI to select which files you want to remove from the computer, and initiate the process.
Besides removing unwanted files from the MacBook permanently, you could also take a different approach and get an external hard drive. For a price of about 50 dollars, you should get more than enough available storage and keep your files on an external device.
Similar to external HDDs, sticking to iCloud and Dropbox is also a solid solution. You can transfer data to clouds and access them later.
Lastly, streaming platforms. If you like to hoard large media files on the computer but never find time to watch those movies or TV shows, why not switch to streaming services? Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and other streaming platforms offer a plethora of movies, TV shows, documentaries, and other media to watch.
Find Out If It Is Possible to Upgrade Hardware
Investing money in new Mac hardware is cheaper than purchasing a new computer. Find out if your MacBook model is compatible with hardware upgrades and figure out if you are willing to spend some money on it.
The most popular hardware upgrades include adding extra RAM, replacing hard drives with solid-state drives, and getting an external graphics processing unit.
