Speed Up Your Mac With These Top 10 Mac Troubleshooting Tips (2026 Guide)

Your Mac is running slow, apps take forever to open, the fan spins like a jet engine, and you are ready to throw it out the window. Before you do that, read this. Most Mac slowdowns have a specific, fixable cause, and you do not need to buy a new machine to solve them. This guide walks you through the top 10 Mac troubleshooting tips that actually work in 2026, covering everything from quick fixes you can do right now to deeper maintenance steps that keep things running fast long-term.

Why Your Mac Slows Down in the First Place

Understanding the root cause saves you from wasting time on fixes that do not apply. Macs slow down for a few predictable reasons:

• RAM pressure: Too many apps competing for limited memory forces macOS to use swap space on your SSD, which is significantly slower.
• Storage nearly full: macOS needs free space to operate, manage virtual memory, and write temp files. When your drive is over 85% full, performance tanks.
• Startup items and background agents: Software you installed years ago may still be running silently in the background, eating CPU and RAM.
• Thermal throttling: When your Mac overheats, it deliberately slows the processor to protect the hardware.
• Outdated software: Older versions of apps and macOS can have memory leaks or compatibility issues that drain resources.
• Fragmented or corrupted system caches: macOS relies heavily on caches, and stale or bloated ones cause sluggishness.

Now that you know why, here is how to fix it.

Top 10 Mac Troubleshooting Tips to Speed Up Your Mac

Tip 1: Check What Is Actually Using Your Resources Right Now

Before changing anything, open Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor). This is your Mac’s task manager and it shows exactly what is consuming your CPU, RAM, energy, disk, and network at this moment.

Steps:

1. Open Activity Monitor.
2. Click the CPU tab. Sort by “% CPU” descending.
3. Look for any process using consistently high CPU (over 50%) that you do not recognize or did not intentionally open.
4. Click the Memory tab. Sort by “Memory” descending.
5. Check the Memory Pressure graph at the bottom. If it is consistently red or yellow, you are running low on RAM.

What to do with the information:

• If a browser is near the top, close unused tabs (more on this later).
• If a process like kernel_task, mds_stores, or backupd is high, there is a specific fix for each (covered below).
• Force quit any app that is listed as “Not Responding” by selecting it and clicking the X button.

kernel_task spiking usually means your Mac is overheating and throttling the CPU. That points to Tip 9.

Tip 2: Free Up Disk Space the Right Way

macOS uses free disk space as virtual memory, for Time Machine snapshots, and for app caches. When you drop below 10-15 GB of free space, your Mac will feel sluggish across the board.

Check your storage first:

Go to Apple Menu > About This Mac > Storage (on macOS Ventura and later: System Settings > General > Storage).

The most effective ways to reclaim space:

1. Use the built-in Storage Management tool. In the Storage view, click Manage. Apple’s tool recommends specific actions:

• “Store in iCloud” moves files to iCloud and removes local copies.
• “Optimize Storage” removes watched iTunes/Apple TV content.
• “Empty Trash Automatically” deletes trash items after 30 days.
• “Reduce Clutter” shows large files sorted by size.

2. Manually delete large unused files. Sort by size in Finder: Open Finder, press Command + F, set the search to “This Mac,” then add a filter for “File Size” is greater than 1 GB. You will find forgotten disk images, old videos, and large downloads.

3. Clear application caches manually. Open Finder, press Command + Shift + G, and type ~/Library/Caches. You can safely delete the contents of most folders inside here (not the folders themselves). Restart afterward.

4. Remove duplicate files. Apps like Gemini (from MacPaw) handle this well, but you can also do it manually by sorting files by name in Finder and looking for copies.

Target: keep at least 15-20 GB free at all times.

Tip 3: Manage Login Items and Background Agents

Every app you install wants to run at startup. After a year of installing software, your Mac can be launching 20+ background processes before you even open anything intentionally. This directly slows boot time and keeps RAM usage elevated all day.

How to clean up login items on macOS Ventura and later (2024-2026):

1. Go to System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions.
2. Under “Open at Login,” remove anything you do not need running constantly. Common culprits: Spotify, Teams, Zoom, Dropbox, creative cloud apps, updater daemons.
3. Scroll down to “Allow in Background.” This section shows background agents that run even when the main app is closed. Toggle off anything nonessential.

For older macOS versions (Monterey and earlier):

Go to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items. Select items and click the minus button to remove them.

Hidden launch agents:

Some apps install launch agents that do not appear in the Login Items list. To find them:

1. Open Finder and press Command + Shift + G.
2. Go to ~/Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchAgents.
3. Look for .plist files from apps you no longer use. Drag them to trash (you may need to restart for changes to take effect).

Be conservative here. Do not delete anything you do not recognize, as some agents are required by macOS itself.

Tip 4: Reset NVRAM and SMC (Older Intel Macs)

NVRAM (non-volatile RAM) stores settings like display resolution, startup disk selection, time zone, and some kernel flags. SMC (System Management Controller) handles fans, power, battery, and thermal management. When these get corrupted or misconfigured, your Mac can exhibit slow performance, fan issues, and display problems.

This tip applies to Intel-based Macs only. Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3/M4) reset these automatically and do not have a manual process.

Reset NVRAM:

1. Shut down your Mac completely.
2. Press the power button, then immediately hold Option + Command + P + R.
3. Keep holding for about 20 seconds. On older Macs, you will hear the startup chime twice.
4. Release and let the Mac boot normally.

Reset SMC (Intel MacBook with T2 chip):

1. Shut down completely.
2. Hold Control + Option + Shift (right side) for 7 seconds.
3. While still holding those, press and hold the power button for another 7 seconds.
4. Release all keys, wait 10 seconds, then start normally.

For Intel iMac or Mac mini, simply unplug the power cord for 15 seconds.

After resetting both, you may need to reconfigure some system preferences (time zone, display settings), but performance issues related to thermal throttling and power management often resolve immediately.

Tip 5: Keep macOS and Apps Updated

This sounds like generic advice but the reason it matters is specific: outdated apps frequently have memory leaks, compatibility bugs with newer macOS versions, and unpatched security vulnerabilities that can cause background processes to run inefficiently.

Update macOS:

Go to System Settings > General > Software Update. Enable automatic updates so you get security patches promptly.

Update apps:

• For App Store apps: Open the App Store and click Updates.
• For apps downloaded directly: Most have a “Check for Updates” option in their menu. Apps like Firefox, Chrome, Zoom, and Office update independently.

One important nuance: Sometimes a macOS update itself causes slowdowns, especially in the first few days after release when Spotlight re-indexes and iCloud syncs. If your Mac slowed down right after an update, give it 24-48 hours before troubleshooting further. The indexing will finish on its own.

Tip 6: Fix Spotlight If It Is Hammering Your CPU

The mds_stores process in Activity Monitor is Spotlight’s indexing service. It normally runs after updates or when you add new files. But sometimes it gets stuck in a loop and pegs your CPU for hours or days.

How to fix a stuck Spotlight index:

1. Go to System Settings > Siri & Spotlight (or System Preferences > Spotlight on older macOS).
2. Click Search Privacy.
3. Drag your main drive (usually named “Macintosh HD”) into the exclusion list. Wait a moment.
4. Then remove it from the list. This forces Spotlight to rebuild its index from scratch.

This process takes 1-4 hours depending on your drive size, but mds_stores CPU usage will normalize as it rebuilds.

Alternatively, you can also pause Spotlight entirely from Terminal:

sudo mdutil -a -i off

And re-enable it later:

sudo mdutil -a -i on

Only do this temporarily if you need immediate CPU relief.

Tip 7: Manage Browser Tabs and Extensions

Your browser is almost certainly the biggest RAM and CPU consumer on your Mac if you leave many tabs open. Each tab in Chrome or Firefox is essentially a separate process with its own memory allocation. 40 open tabs can consume 4-8 GB of RAM on their own.

Practical browser cleanup:

• Use Tab Suspender extensions (like The Marvellous Suspender for Chrome) to automatically suspend inactive tabs, freeing their memory while keeping them accessible.
• Audit your extensions: In Chrome, go to chrome://extensions. In Safari, go to Safari > Settings > Extensions. Disable or remove anything you installed and forgot about. Extensions run constantly in the background.
• Switch to Safari if you are on a Mac. Safari is genuinely more memory-efficient and uses significantly less battery than Chrome. Apple optimizes it specifically for macOS. According to Apple’s own developer documentation on Safari performance, Safari is built to minimize resource usage through intelligent content blocking and rendering engine optimizations.

One tab rule worth adopting: Close any tab you have not looked at in 3 days. Bookmark it first if needed. The reality is you rarely return to those tabs anyway.

Tip 8: Run First Aid on Your Drive

A corrupted file system can cause all sorts of weird slowdowns: apps taking forever to save files, Finder hanging, slow boot times. macOS includes a built-in tool called Disk Utility that can detect and repair many file system issues.

How to run First Aid:

1. Open Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility).
2. In the left sidebar, select your startup disk (usually “Macintosh HD”).
3. Click First Aid at the top.
4. Click Run. Let it complete without interruption.

For a deeper scan (recommended for serious issues):

Boot into Recovery Mode by holding Command + R during startup (Intel Macs) or holding the power button until you see startup options (Apple Silicon Macs). Open Disk Utility from there and run First Aid. This allows it to check the system volume while it is not actively in use, giving more thorough results.

Disk Utility cannot fix all problems, but it catches the most common file system inconsistencies. If it reports errors it cannot repair, that is a sign you may need professional help or should back up immediately.

Tip 9: Clean Your Mac’s Vents and Manage Thermals

A Mac that overheats throttles its own processor to prevent damage. This is intentional and is called thermal throttling. The result: your i7 or M-series chip artificially runs slower, everything lags, and fans run at maximum speed. The fix is often physical, not software.

Signs of thermal throttling:

• Fans running constantly and loudly.
• kernel_task appearing near the top of Activity Monitor’s CPU list.
• Apps feeling sluggish after the Mac has been running for a while (heat builds up).
• The bottom of the MacBook feeling very hot.

What you can do:

1. Clean the vents. Use a can of compressed air to blow out dust from the vents. On MacBooks, the vents are typically along the hinge. On Mac mini or iMac, they are at the bottom or rear. Dust buildup is the number one cause of overheating in Macs over 2-3 years old.

2. Use your Mac on hard surfaces. Soft surfaces like beds or couches block the vents and trap heat. Always use on a desk or with a laptop stand.

3. Check for hot processes. Go back to Activity Monitor and look at the Energy tab. Close apps with high energy impact when doing CPU-intensive work.

4. For Intel Macs with severe thermal issues: Tools like Macs Fan Control (available from crystalidea.com) let you manually set fan speeds. Use this cautiously.

5. Consider a laptop stand or cooling pad. Elevating a MacBook even a centimeter improves airflow substantially.

If you have an Apple Silicon Mac (M1-M4), thermal management is generally much better, but it still throttles under sustained heavy load. Keeping the area around vents clear still matters.

Tip 10: Reinstall macOS as a Last Resort (Without Losing Data)

If you have tried everything above and your Mac is still sluggish, a clean reinstall of macOS is the nuclear option. It sounds scary but it is actually straightforward and you do not have to erase your data to do it.

Option A: Reinstall macOS over itself (keeps all your files and apps).

This is the safest option. It reinstalls the core OS files without touching your personal data.

1. Boot into Recovery Mode (hold Command + R on Intel, or hold the power button on Apple Silicon until you see startup options).
2. Select Reinstall macOS from the menu.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions. Your files and apps are preserved.

This fixes issues caused by corrupted system files, which can cause persistent slowdowns that no other fix resolves.

Option B: Erase and reinstall (factory reset).

Use this only if Option A does not work or you want a truly fresh start.

1. Back up everything to Time Machine or an external drive first. This is non-negotiable.
2. Boot into Recovery Mode.
3. Use Disk Utility to erase the main drive.
4. Reinstall macOS.
5. Restore from backup or set up fresh.

Per Apple’s official support documentation on reinstalling macOS, the reinstall process via Recovery Mode connects directly to Apple’s servers and installs a clean, verified version of the OS specific to your hardware.

Quick Reference: Mac Slowdown Symptoms and Fixes

Symptom	Most Likely Cause	Best Fix
Slow startup	Too many login items	Tip 3: Manage Login Items
High CPU (mds_stores)	Spotlight indexing stuck	Tip 6: Rebuild Spotlight Index
High CPU (kernel_task)	Thermal throttling	Tip 9: Clean vents, check thermals
Low RAM / memory pressure	Too many apps open	Tip 1: Activity Monitor; close apps
Slow file access	Full or corrupt drive	Tips 2 + 8: Free space + First Aid
High browser RAM	Too many tabs/extensions	Tip 7: Browser cleanup
Slow boot after macOS update	iCloud + Spotlight syncing	Wait 24-48 hours, then Tip 6
General sluggishness (all fixed)	Corrupted system files	Tip 10: Reinstall macOS
Fans running loud constantly	Overheating	Tip 9: Clean vents + NVRAM/SMC reset
Persistent weirdness	Corrupted NVRAM/SMC	Tip 4: Reset NVRAM and SMC

How to Keep Your Mac Running Fast Long-Term

One-time fixes help, but a few habits prevent the problem from returning:

• Restart your Mac at least once a week. macOS accumulates background processes and memory pressure over time. A restart clears it all.
• Keep at least 15 GB of free disk space as a baseline. Set a calendar reminder to check once a month.
• Uninstall apps you do not use rather than just moving them to a folder. Use AppCleaner (free) to remove all associated files.
• Do not install every “free” utility you come across. Many of them install background agents that never go away.
• Back up with Time Machine before every macOS update. This takes 10 minutes and prevents disaster.

Conclusion

Speeding up your Mac is not about magic software or buying new hardware in most cases. It is about diagnosing the specific bottleneck and addressing it directly. Start with Activity Monitor to understand what your Mac is actually doing. Free up disk space. Cut down on startup items. Clean your vents. These steps alone resolve the vast majority of Mac slowdowns reported in 2026.

Work through this list from top to bottom. Most people find their fix by Tip 4 or 5. If you reach Tip 10, a clean macOS reinstall will almost certainly get you back to a fast, responsive machine.