Mac is Running Slow? Fix It in Seconds

Is your Mac suddenly sluggish — apps taking forever to load, fans spinning up, or everything just lagging? It could be background processes, overloaded memory, or outdated system files. Here’s a fast and effective way to speed things up without installing anything extra.

⚡ Step 1: Use Terminal to Free Up System Resources

🖥️ Step 1: Open the Terminal App

Press Command (⌘) + Space to launch Spotlight Search.
Type Terminal, then press Enter to launch it.

2. Enter this command in Terminal

Copy the following command and paste it into Terminal, then press Return:

Click "Show Command" to reveal

This command clears inactive memory and cached system resources. It’s a safe and quick way to regain performance without restarting your Mac.

📊 Step 2: Check Activity Monitor

Go to Applications → Utilities → Activity Monitor. Sort by CPU or Memory to see which apps are using the most resources. Quit anything unnecessary.

🧹 Step 3: Restart Background Processes

Use Terminal or Activity Monitor to close heavy background apps like Chrome helpers, creative suites, or cloud sync tools if you’re not using them actively.

📁 Step 4: Clean Up Desktop and Downloads

A cluttered desktop can slow down rendering. Move files into folders or archive them. Also check Downloads for large or outdated files and remove what’s no longer needed.

🔁 Step 5: Restart Your Mac

After closing apps and clearing memory, a restart helps fully reset temporary data and reload system processes cleanly.

🧭 Step 6: Keep Spotlight from Indexing Constantly

Constant re-indexing can slow things down. Go to System Settings → Siri & Spotlight, and under Spotlight Privacy, exclude folders you don’t need to be searched.

Tip: If slowness continues, consider checking available storage in System Settings → General → Storage. Lack of disk space can severely impact performance.