{"id":73045,"date":"2024-11-12T21:00:54","date_gmt":"2024-11-12T13:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/?p=73045"},"modified":"2025-04-12T20:49:03","modified_gmt":"2025-04-12T12:49:03","slug":"fix-slow-mac-macos-sequoia-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/fix-slow-mac-macos-sequoia-update\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Fix a Slow Mac After Updating to macOS Sequoia"},"content":{"rendered":"

\\<\/p>\n

So, you recently updated to macOS Sequoia, and now your Mac feels sluggish and unresponsive? Well, you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n

Plenty of users<\/a> have been complaining about screen freezes, delayed window responses, and overall slow performance. In this post, we\u2019re going to explore why this might be happening and go over some steps you can take to get your Mac back up to speed<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Why is macOS Sequoia Slowing Things Down?<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re like me, wondering whether the slowness is because of macOS Sequoia or if it\u2019s just your Mac acting up, here\u2019s what I\u2019ve noticed after updating a few of my Macs to the latest macOS.<\/p>\n

Technically, macOS Sequoia isn\u2019t supposed to slow down your Mac.<\/strong> But after testing it on different machines, I\u2019ve noticed that older models, like the iMac Pro (2017) and MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1, 2020), seem to struggle more with the update.<\/p>\n

On the flip side, newer devices like the MacBook Air 15-inch (2023) run Sequoia without any issues.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s likely happening is that macOS Sequoia is using more of your Mac\u2019s resources<\/strong>, which means there\u2019s less left over for the apps you\u2019re running.<\/p>\n

This resource-heavy behavior can make things feel slower, especially if you\u2019re on older hardware.<\/p>\n

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Simple Ways to Boost Your Mac\u2019s Performance<\/h2>\n

If your Mac is feeling a bit sluggish, don\u2019t worry \u2013 there are a few things you can try to get it running smoothly. These tweaks can help free up resources, ease the load on your CPU and GPU, and generally make your Mac more efficient.<\/p>\n

1. Restart Your Mac<\/h3>\n

Yes, that\u2019s right. It might sound too simple, but a quick restart can solve a lot of problems \u2013 especially after a big update like macOS Sequoia.<\/p>\n

Restarting clears out temporary files, resets system processes, and can fix those little glitches that pop up when things don\u2019t load quite right after an update.<\/p>\n

Let your Mac restart and see if that helps speed things up.<\/p>\n

To restart, do the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen.<\/li>\n
  2. Select Restart<\/strong> from the drop-down menu.<\/li>\n
    \"Restart<\/figure>\n
  3. Click Restart<\/strong> again to confirm.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    2. Check Your Mac\u2019s Storage Space<\/h3>\n

    Like any other operating system, for it to run efficiently, it needs enough free storage space. If your drive is nearly full, it can lead to performance issues or cause apps to hang.<\/p>\n

    So, it\u2019s a good idea to check how much free space you have and what\u2019s taking up the most room.<\/p>\n

    To check your Mac\u2019s storage space:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Open System Settings<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    2. Click on General<\/strong>, then select Storage<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      \"Access<\/figure>\n
    3. See how much space is available and take note of what\u2019s using up the most space.<\/li>\n
      \"View<\/figure>\n<\/ol>\n

      If you\u2019re running low on storage, here are some options to consider:<\/p>\n