# Slow Mac: what to do to make it fast again

> The checks to make, in order, when your Mac has become slow: free space, memory, apps that open on their own, updates and safe mode. All with the tools your Mac already has.

Source: https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/mac-lento-cosa-fare
Author: SimpleBuild, Build simple. Deliver value.
Category: Mac
Procedure verified on: 2026-09-29

If your Mac has become slow, Apple says the most common causes are three: **too little free disk space**, **an app using too much memory**, and **apps that aren't suited to your Mac**. Before you think about a new Mac, run these checks in order: they only need the tools your Mac already has.

## Before you start

- **Restart your Mac.** From the Apple menu (the apple at the top left), choose **Restart**. It sounds obvious, but it closes all the apps and processes that have been left open for days.
- **Save your open work.** Some steps quit apps: if a document isn't saved, you risk losing your changes.
- **Make a backup** if you don't have a recent one, especially before updating macOS. You'll find the steps in [how to back up your Mac with Time Machine](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/backup-mac-time-machine).

## 1. Check your free space

A nearly full disk is one of the most frequent causes of slowness.

1. Open the Apple menu and choose **System Settings**.
2. In the sidebar, click **General** (you may need to scroll down).
3. On the right, click **Storage**.
4. Look at the chart at the top: it shows how much space is used and how much is left.
5. Read the **recommendations** below the chart and turn on the ones you need.

In versions of macOS earlier than Ventura 13, the same chart is in Apple menu > **About This Mac** > **Storage**.

If free space is low, follow the full guide on [how to free up space on your Mac](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/liberare-spazio-mac): Downloads folder, old iPhone backups, apps you don't use, Trash.

## 2. See what's using memory

Memory (RAM) is your Mac's workspace: if an app asks for more than there is, everything slows down. To see it, you use **Activity Monitor**.

1. Open a Finder window and go to **Applications** > **Utilities** > **Activity Monitor**.
2. At the top, click **Memory**.
3. At the bottom of the window, look at the **Memory Pressure** graph: it shows how well your memory is keeping up with the computer's work.
4. In the list at the top, apps are sorted by the memory they use: see which ones are at the top.

To see instead what's working the processor hardest, click **CPU** at the top.

### Quit an app that isn't responding

If an app is frozen or using too much memory, you can quit it from here.

1. In Activity Monitor, in the **Process Name** list, select the app. A frozen app appears in red, marked "(Not Responding)".
2. Click the button to stop the process, in the top-left corner of the window.

   ![Diagram of Activity Monitor: an app in red marked Not Responding, and at the top left the octagonal button with an X.](https://simplebuild.it/assets/img/tutorial/mac-lento-cosa-fare-esci-en.svg)

3. Choose **Quit**: the app closes when it can do so without losing data.
4. Use **Force Quit** only if **Quit** doesn't work: the app closes immediately and unsaved documents are lost.

Careful: don't quit processes whose names you don't know. Many are needed by macOS, and quitting them can cause problems for other apps. If your Mac asks for an administrator password, stop and double-check what you're quitting.

## 3. Remove apps that open on their own

Many apps add themselves to startup without asking. The more there are, the slower your Mac is right after you turn it on.

1. Open Apple menu > **System Settings**.
2. Click **General** in the sidebar.
3. Click **Login Items & Extensions** (you may need to scroll down).
4. In the list of apps that open at login, select the one you don't need at startup.
5. Click the minus button below the list.

The app isn't deleted: it simply no longer opens on its own. On the same page there's also the list of apps allowed to work **in the background**, meaning when they aren't open: you can turn off the ones you don't recognize as useful.

## 4. Update macOS and your apps

Apple recommends using the latest version of macOS compatible with your Mac: updates also fix stability problems.

1. Open Apple menu > **System Settings**.
2. Click **General**, then **Software Update** on the right.
3. If there's an update, click **Update Now**, **Upgrade Now** or **Restart Now**.

   ![System Settings, Software Update: a macOS update available with the Update Tonight and Update Now buttons.](https://simplebuild.it/assets/img/tutorial/mac-lento-cosa-fare-aggiorna-en-1440.webp) (Image: [Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108382))

4. Enter the password you use to log in to your Mac.
5. Wait for it to finish without closing the lid or putting the Mac to sleep: it may restart several times.

Also update the apps you use most: an old app may require a different processor or graphics card from the ones in your Mac. To find out which processor you have, go to **System Settings** > **General** > **About**.

## 5. Quit what you're not using

Every open app takes up memory. Apple simply suggests quitting all the apps you're not using: if you don't know how to quit one, use Activity Monitor and the **Quit** command, as shown above.

## 6. Try safe mode

Safe mode starts your Mac without unnecessary login items and extensions, checks the disk, and deletes some caches. It helps you find out whether the slowness comes from a program that opens at startup.

### Mac with Apple silicon

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Press and hold the power button until **Loading startup options** appears, then release it.
3. Select your startup disk (usually **Macintosh HD**).
4. Press and hold the **Shift** key and click **Continue in Safe Mode**.

   ![Startup options screen: the Macintosh HD disk selected and, below it, the Continue in Safe Mode button.](https://simplebuild.it/assets/img/tutorial/mac-lento-cosa-fare-modalita-sicura-en-790.webp) (Image: [Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/116946))

5. Log in: you might see **Safe Boot** in red at the top right.

### Mac with an Intel processor

1. Turn on or restart your Mac and immediately press and hold the **Shift** key.
2. Release it when the login window appears.

Use your Mac for a while. Then choose **Restart** from the Apple menu to go back to normal mode. If your Mac works well in safe mode and becomes slow again after the restart, the cause is almost certainly a login item or another program that opens at startup: go back to step 3.

## If it still doesn't work

- **Check the disk with Disk Utility.** Apple points to it when there are disk problems: open the **Disk Utility** app and use **First Aid** on your Mac's disk.
- **Disconnect non-essential accessories** (external drives, hubs, adapters) and try again: sometimes the problem comes from there.
- **Try a new user account.** Apple suggests creating another user in **Users & Groups** settings and trying from there: the new account doesn't have the old one's programs and settings. If your Mac is fast there, the problem is in your account.
- **Look at the processor in Activity Monitor** (**CPU** tab): if a process always stays at the top even when you're doing nothing, write down its name before asking for help.
- **Reinstall macOS.** If the problem persists even in safe mode, Apple points to reinstalling macOS as the most likely solution, and explains that it doesn't remove your personal files. Make a backup first anyway.
- **When to ask a technician:** if your Mac stays slow after all these steps, if Disk Utility reports errors it can't repair, or if you don't feel confident reinstalling macOS. A technician can quickly tell whether the limit is the disk, the memory or the age of the Mac, and whether it's worth fixing.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need a cleaning program to speed up my Mac?

Usually not. Apple points to tools already on your Mac: Storage settings for space, Activity Monitor for memory, and Disk Utility for disk problems.

### What's the difference between Quit and Force Quit?

With Quit, the app closes only when it can do so without losing data. With Force Quit, it closes immediately and unsaved documents are lost: use it only for a frozen app.

### How often should I restart my Mac?

There's no fixed rule. If your Mac slows down after days of continuous use, a restart closes all the apps and processes left open, and it's the first thing to try.

### Does safe mode delete my files?

No. It only stops some programs from opening at startup, checks the disk, and deletes some caches, which your Mac recreates on its own. To leave it, just restart normally.

## Sources

- [If your Mac runs slowly (Mac User Guide)](https://support.apple.com/en-us/guide/mac-help/mchlp1731/mac)
- [View memory usage in Activity Monitor on Mac](https://support.apple.com/en-us/guide/activity-monitor/actmntr1004/mac)
- [Quit an app or process in Activity Monitor on Mac](https://support.apple.com/en-us/guide/activity-monitor/actmntr1002/mac)
- [Open items automatically when you log in on Mac](https://support.apple.com/en-us/guide/mac-help/mh15189/mac)
- [Update macOS on Mac](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108382)
- [Start up your Mac in safe mode](https://support.apple.com/en-us/116946)
- [Free up storage space on Mac](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102624)
- [If your Mac sleeps or wakes unexpectedly](https://support.apple.com/en-us/guide/mac-help/mchlp2995/mac)