A MacBook that is slow not only works awkwardly, it also requires a lot of patience. So time to fix this as soon as possible. And you’re in luck: on this page, the specialists from ThePhoneLab will give you all their tips and tricks.

MacBook slow

Wondering why your MacBook is so slow? The first thing to do is to find a cause. We name them, and give you a solution right away!

• The MacBook’s storage is full. Especially less than 10-15% free disk space can slow down a MacBook considerably. This is because when the disk is full, the macOS operating system starts using virtual memory. You can free up disk space by moving files to a cloud or an external drive, or of course by deleting files you no longer really need or don’t use. In this blog we explain how to clean up your hard drive, and therefore your laptop.

• In the background, without you realizing it, all kinds of processes may be active. The MacBook gets hot, forcing the fans to work hard and slowing down your MacBook. The overview of all active processes can be found through the Activity View window. The processes that require the most power from the processor (CPU) can be stopped by force.

• Your MacBook doesn’t have enough memory. Don’t confuse memory with storage. If a laptop has insufficient memory, your laptop’s processor cannot process the required data, resulting in an overheated and slow laptop. You will have to use lighter applications in this case, such as Safari instead of Chrome, or use a MacBook that has more memory available. Unfortunately, upgrading with modern MacBooks is no longer possible.

• There are more reasons that cause a laptop to overheat, and therefore work slowly. We wrote a separate blog about it, which you can find in our Knowledge base.
  

• You have an old MacBook. Even the life of a MacBook is not eternal. It may seem familiar to you: as it ages, it has more trouble processing everything quickly. You can try to breathe new life into your laptop by making it reinstall. A new installation is a piece of cake and can give a MacBook a huge boost!

• There are macOS updates ready to be installed. Updates often bring with them the latest developments, often automatically making the laptop run faster again. However, it can also work the other way around, especially with older models of Mac. Learn more about updates for your MacBook at our website.

• You may be using an app that is not compatible with your MacBook. This means that a particular app cannot work (properly) with your laptop’s soft-/hardware. Especially with new macOS versions, older apps can cause problems. Whether this is the case can be found in the app information.

• The fan is full of dust. Logically, then the laptop works slower. In the article ‘ MacBook fan cleaning’ we explain how the fan will soon be like new again.

• The Apple operating system macOS is almost impervious to viruses because of built-in security measures. Therefore, a virus is not a common cause of a slow MacBook, but malware (such as adware) can affect performance. Learn how to prevent viruses and what a virus actually is in the article ‘ ‘MacBook virus scan’ on our website.

• MacBooks with an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) are often older MacBooks, and thus slower than newer MacBooks, which almost always have an SSD (Solid State Drive). An SSD additionally more reliable because it stores data in flash memory, rather than spinning disks with an HDD. Some MacBooks allow you to upgrade the HDD to an SSD, which gives a huge speed boost. At “About this Mac” > “System Report” > “Storage” you can find which drive your laptop has.

MacBook remains slow

Finding it difficult to find a clear cause for a slow-working MacBook? Feel free to stop by one of our ThePhoneLab stores. We are happy to take a look and, if necessary, can repair your MacBook. We can also thorough cleaning, giving your laptop a fresh start again!