Having an old MacBook model should still leave you with a decently performing laptop. However, some people neglect their Macs too much and end up facing numerous performance issues. A flickering screen, poor battery lifespan, random crashes, freezes, and restarts are just a few examples of problems you can expect to encounter.
There is an argument to be made about getting rid of the old MacBook and investing money in a new laptop, but not everyone can afford that.
If you are looking to get more out of your current Mac, do not hesitate to spend some time improving its performance. The difference can be quite significant after you are done. Here are some ideas that should come in handy.
Clean Dust Inside
Let’s start with the filth inside the MacBook. If you have had the laptop for a long time and did not bother cleaning the dust that accumulated over time, it is natural that there are performance issues.
Many people are reluctant to take their laptop apart because they might damage the internal hardware. If you feel the same, have someone with experience to do the work for you. You will likely need to pay money for the job, but at least the odds of something happening to the MacBook will be lower.
Investing in a cooling pad is also worth a shout. An accessory is quite cheap, but it does a lot of good by providing a source of cool air to the MacBook. Having a cooling pad means not dealing with as much overheating.
Check for Cybersecurity Threats
Cybersecurity threats on macOS are not as common as they are on Windows. Hackers are less likely to develop malware that targets MacBooks because of fewer users. Besides, Apple is known to push operating system updates whenever a new threat appears on the horizon to protect its users.
On the other hand, Mac owners should not be complacent just because their computers are not as prone to malware and viruses as other devices.
Scan your laptop using reliable antivirus to determine whether there are any corrupted files. If the antivirus locates potential threats, make sure to remove these threats from the MacBook.
Even if the scan confirms that the system is clean, it is still recommended to have antivirus software running in the background so that it can detect and eliminate potential viruses before they infect and damage your MacBook.
Optimize Your Internet Browser
A slow internet browser is another item on the list. If you struggle to surf the net, the problem might lie in the browser rather than your internet connection.
First, check how many browser extensions and add-ons you have installed. Some extensions might be redundant. If they serve no purpose and are only consuming a computer’s resources, do not hesitate and uninstall them.
Cleaning the browser’s cache is a good piece of advice. You should aim to clean the cache at least once every couple of months.
Lastly, do not go overboard with browser tabs. The more tabs you open, the more memory and other resources the browser will require. If you have no use for multiple tabs, close them and stick to one that you actually need.
Get Rid of Junk Files
Removing drive clutter on your Mac is not that difficult. You do not have to bother with the work yourself. Instead of deleting individual files or groups of files manually, get a cleanup utility tool and use it instead.
App caches, plugins, extensions, and system backups are just a few examples of junk data that you need to remove from the computer regularly.
If you notice that there is not enough free space on the MacBook’s drive, you could also take advantage of iCloud and transfer some files there. An external hard drive would work as well.
Consider Downgrading macOS Version
As a rule of thumb, you should always be running the latest macOS version. However, there are instances when this approach is more of a disadvantage rather than an advantage.
Some older Mac models are not that compatible with certain operating system versions. For instance, if you have installed the latest Big Sur update on your MacBook and noticed that the computer is underperforming, you will likely need to switch big sur to catalina to salvage the MacBook’s performance. It may not seem like an ideal option, but you will need to do it if it helps with the overall Mac performance.
Declutter Mac’s Desktop
The last suggestion in this article is about your MacBook’s desktop. If you prefer to keep app shortcuts and documents on the desktop, try to forget this habit and focus on having a clutter-free Mac desktop instead.
Each desktop consumes the laptop’s resources when you switch between the desktop and other tabs. And the more desktop shortcuts there are, the worse the computer performs.
