Everyone seems to love Sierra, but if your experience is like dragging your Mac through a swamp then it’s time to do something about it.
Let’s fix slow macOS Sierra
In this guide we’re going to highlight the most common problems that cause a slow Sierra and the solutions to help you speed up macOS. These solutions can be performed by anyone, but we’ve ordered them from easiest to hardest.
See how far up the Sierra speed solution ladder you can get.
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Jan 16, 2019 Your Mac comes with a small panel along the edge of the screen called the Dock: It lets you quickly access your favorite apps, files, and folders, as well as any actively-running apps. When you save an item to the Dock, you can access it at any time by clicking on it.
Step 1 - Eliminate desktop clutter
Difficulty: Easy
Are you someone that puts everything on their desktop? To load all those icons takes up system resources that could be used for better things. Delete what you don’t need and group what you do into folders to improve macOS Sierra performance.
To quickly move files into folders:
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Hold Control and click the items you want to group
Right-click any of the selected files and choose 'New Folder with Selection'
That was easy, wasn’t it? Now let’s use one of Sierra’s space saving features.
Another way to free up space is to use one of Sierra’s features - the ability to automatically remove files that you don’t need. Optimized storage can remove old video files (like that movie you watched months ago) that you can always download from iTunes again. It can also remove old email attachments, which remain stored on the mail server should you need them again.
Clearing out old videos and email attachments can save a lot of space on your Mac and improve overall Sierra performance. Please note that you need to use Apple’s Mail app to make use of the email attachment setting. Also, having watched videos suddenly disappear may not be to everyone’s taste.
However, if you want to turn these settings on, follow these steps:
Go to About This Mac
Click on the Storage tab and click on Manage
Select Optimize
Check 'Automatically remove watched iTunes movies and TV shows'
Check 'Download only recent attachments' or to manually decide what gets downloaded, choose 'Don’t automatically download attachments'
If you tried these options but prefer the old way you’ll need to navigate to iTunes > Preferences > Advanced to uncheck 'Automatically delete watched movies and TV shows.'
If you want Sierra to download all your attachments again go to Mail > Preferences > Accounts > accountName > Account Information. Click on the Download Attachments drop-down menu and select 'All.'
That was a bit more work but still really easy, right? Next up is a way to always speed up a slow Sierra.
Step 3 - Remove background applications
Difficulty: Easy
Does your macOS slow down for no obvious reason? It could be that background apps are hogging your Mac’s memory. Most systems have multiple unneeded apps that use system resources. Next time things are slow open Activity Monitor (found in Utilities) and click on the top of the Memory column to order the apps by those that are using the most memory.
If you see an app that is using a good portion of memory (and you’re sure you’re not using it) select it and click the X at the top left to close the app.
Easy, huh?
The next steps are a little bit more challenging but if you want a Sierra that performs well we recommend you keep going!
Step 4 - Tone down visual effects
Difficulty: Moderate
Apple uses some fancy eye candy to make the Sierra UI (User Interface) a real treat for the eyes. But if Sierra is slow, it feels more like a trick than a treat.
To give Sierra a speed boost you can turn off transparency and motion effects. This is particularly effective if macOS 10.12 is running on older hardware.
To turn off effects in Sierra follow these instructions:
Navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Display
Turn on 'Reduce Motion' and 'Reduce Transparency'
You should now experience a snappier Sierra experience.
In our next step we’re going to show you how to take out the trash. Afterall, a clean Sierra is a fast Sierra!
Step 5 - Clean up full Mac hard drive to speed up Sierra
Difficulty: Moderate
Macs use available storage space on hard drives for the smooth running of the OS. When there isn’t much free space and your drive is almost full, Sierra will start running slow.
If you’ve seen the macOS 'Your disk is almost full' notification then you’vedefinitely got a problem that needs fixing. You can click the 'Manage' buttonon the notification, and it will take you to the Optimize Storage features.
A better solution would be to use CleanMyMac X, which has a bunch of tools to clean up your drive. With just a couple clicks you can clear out the junk and free up a ton of storage space for smoother operations.
Here’s how to easily remove hard drive junk:
Launch CleanMyMac X
Click on the Smart Scan tab
Let the app analyze your system and when it’s finished select Clean
Can you believe how much free space you have now? Your Mac should be running much better after the first 5 steps but if Sierra is still slow it’s time to get serious.
These next steps are a bit more difficult but you’ve made it this far. Don’t stop now!
Step 6 - Reset your SMC
Difficulty: Hard
'Reset my what?' SMC stands for System Management Controller, and a reset can solve extreme levels of slowness as well as battery faults and some other hardware faults like problems with your fan.
You should only take this step if everything else has failed to speed up Sierra.
Start by closing all apps (force-quit with Command-Option-Escape if necessary) and shut down your system.
SMC reset instructions for Mac notebook:
With your Mac shut down, plug in the power cord
Press the power button while holding down Shift-Control-Option at the same time
Let go and start your Mac up like normal
SMC reset instructions for Mac desktop:
Shutdown your Mac and unplug it
Plug it back in after 5 seconds
Wait 5 more seconds and then start your Mac as normal
Be honest, you thought that would be much harder didn’t you? If you reset your SMC you can definitely reset your PRAM/VRAM. That’s the next step!
Step 7 - Reset PRAM/NVRAM
Difficulty: Hard
NVRAM stands for 'non-volatile random-access memory.' 'P' used to stand for Parameter in older Macs where it is called PRAM. Resetting NVRAM is generally recommended when your Mac is behaving strangely. Things like your Mac starting with the wrong disk, screen resolution issues, or wonky battery charge reporting. If you’re not sure if you need it, there’s no harm in giving it a try just in case.
Follow these instructions to perform a PRAM/NVRAM reset:
Turn your Mac on from a shutdown state
When the startup chimes press Command+Option+P+R at the same time
Hold them until your Mac restarts and you hear the startup sound again
Let go of the keys
You’ve done it again. There are only two more steps left. Don’t stop now!
Step 8 - Speed Up Sierra’s Startup
Difficulty: Hard
If starting up macOS Sierra is taking too long it might be because you have too many startup items. Some apps you’ll want starting with Sierra, but others would be better off waiting till you open them.
You could use Step 3 to keep manually closing down these apps but that sounds like a waste of time to us. To stop macOS Sierra startup apps and items, follow these instructions:
Navigate to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items
Tick the apps you don’t want loading at startup
Click the '-' button to remove the selected apps from startup
If you want even more control use CleanMyMac to easily deselect startup items or completely remove them from your macOS:
Launch CleanMyMac
Click the Optimization tab
Click on 'Login Items'
Click enabled/disabled to choose what apps load on startup and what apps don’t
If you never use an app you can also click the check box on the left and then click Remove
Congratulations, you’ve made it to the top of the ladder. You’ve taken every step to speed up Sierra. If macOS is still slow, it’s probably that your hardware is old. In the final step we’ll show you what you can do about it.
Step 9 - Upgrade hardware to SSD
Difficulty: Very Hard
If your Mac doesn’t have a SSD (Solid State Drive) then this single change would give you the greatest Sierra performance boost. SSDs are significantly faster than normal mechanical drives and they’re also less likely to fail.
Things to consider when shopping for a new SSD:
What size do you need? Nothing smaller than your current system drive.
What is your budget? SSDs are more expensive than regular drives.
Is the drive Mac-friendly? If so it will make it easier to keep your drive’s firmware updated and performing smoothly.
With all the different Mac models out there it would be hard to give you a step-by-step instruction. But if you search for your model + 'how to add SSD' you should find the instructions you need.
Or better yet, get a professional to install it for you.
Get macOS Sierra running faster
With the solutions above you should be able to easily transform your macOS Sierra from a slug to a responsive and snappy Mac that is a joy to use.
Just remember that over time, problems that slow down Sierra will build up. Bookmark this page so you can return to these solutions if you have the need.
Alternatively, just regularly run CleanMyMac’s range of optimization and cleaning tools to keep macOS Sierra from getting slow.
These might also interest you:
Your Mac comes with a small panel along the edge of the screen called the Dock: It lets you quickly access your favorite apps, files, and folders, as well as any actively-running apps. When you save an item to the Dock, you can access it at any time by clicking on it.
By default, most of Apple's built-in apps start with shortcuts saved in the Dock, but you can also remove those shortcuts and add your own. You can also customize the Dock to fit your preferences. Here's how.
What is the Dock, and what gets displayed there?
The Dock has been with the Mac for over a decade, now: It offers you a quick way to access the Finder (your Mac's underlying filesystem) as well as your currently running applications, favorite apps, favorite files or folders, and the Trash.
When you first set up your Mac, your Dock lives along the bottom of your screen in a translucent rectangle; if you don't like its positioning, you can move it to the left or right of the screen, or have it automatically hide whenever you're not interacting with it. Items are organized as follows, left to right:
The Finder
Favorite app shortcuts
Currently-running apps (you can also choose in the Dock preferences whether you want to view an indicator (a little black dot) for currently-open apps)
Favorite files or folders
The Trash
Though you can shuffle the position of app shortcuts in the Dock, you can't move the Finder or Trash — they live on opposite ends of the Dock, respectively — nor can you mix file shortcuts with apps in the same section.
How to add apps to the Dock on your Mac
Launch a Finder window from your Dock.
Click on Applications in the sidebar.
Select an app and drag it to the Dock.
Let go of the app while it hovers over the Dock.
If you want to permanently add a currently-running app to your Dock:
Right-click or Control-click on the app icon in the Dock.
Select Options under the drop-down menu.
Click on Keep in Dock.
You can alternatively just drag the icon to a different position in your Dock, which will automatically save it as a favorite shortcut.
How to add files and folders to the Dock on your Mac
Files and folders can also be saved to your Dock, but they can only be stored on the far right of the Dock, after your app shortcuts. The Dock has a demarcating line that separates apps from files and folders, so you won't mix them up.
Launch a Finder window from your Dock.
Select a file or folder from its location on your Mac and drag it to the right side of the Dock.
Let go of the file or folder while it hovers over the right side of the Dock.
How to remove apps, files, and folders from the Dock on your Mac
If you don't want a particular app, file or folder in your Dock anymore, you can remove it with just one gesture. Note that this doesn't remove the item from your computer, it just removes the shortcut from the Dock; you can always re-add the app or folder by following the steps above.
Select an app, file, or folder and drag it out of the Dock.
When it is hovering over your desktop, you will see the word Remove appear above the app, file, or folder.
Let go of the app, file, or folder. It will disappear from the Dock.
Repeat the steps above to remove all items you no longer want to kept in the Dock.
Note: If you do this on a currently-open app, it will continue to stay in the Dock until you Quit the application, at which point it will disappear.
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How to organize the Dock on your Mac
You can rearrange the placement of apps, files, and folders in your Dock so they are in alphabetical order, color-coordinated, or however you like.
Note: You can't move the Finder or Trash icons to the far left and right of the Dock respectively. They are anchored to the Dock because of their importance to the system.
Select an app, file, or folder in the Dock.
Drag it to a new location in the Dock.
Let go of the app, file, or folder while it hovers over the new location in the Dock.
How to change the Dock's size on your Mac
You can adjust the size of the dock so that icons are larger or smaller on your screen.
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Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your Mac's screen.
Select System Preferences from the drop down menu.
Click on Dock.
Drag the Size slider to the left or right to increase or decrease the size of the Dock.
Tick the box for Magnification to enable an animation that makes the items in the Dock that your cursor hovers over larger.
Drag the Magnification slider to the left or right to increase or decrease how large the icons grow when your cursor hovers over them.
How to change the Dock's orientation on your Mac
You can display the Dock on the bottom, right, or left side of your screen.
Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your Mac's screen.
Select System Preferences from the drop down menu.
Click on Dock.
Select Left, Bottom, or Right to change the orientation of the Dock.
How to automatically hide or show the Dock on your Mac
On smaller laptop screens, every bit of screen space is valuable. If you don't want the Dock getting in the way of your productivity, you can keep it hidden until you want to access it, at which point, you can call it back up by hovering your cursor over the place where it normally resides.
Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your Mac's screen.
Select System Preferences from the drop down menu.
Click on Dock.
Tick the box for Automatically hide and show the Dock.
How to hide recent applications on the Dock on macOS Mojave
Much like iOS on the iPad, macOS Mojave puts users' recently-used applications in a special section of the Dock. If this doesn't sound like your cup of tea, it's easy enough to turn off.
Open System Preferences from your Dock or Applications folder.
Click Dock.
Click the checkbox next to Show recent applications in Dock so that the check disappears (it's on by default).
You can check the box if you decide you want to use this feature.
Bonus: Pro tips for using the Dock
You can change the size of the Dock by positioning the cursor over the Dock divider that separates apps from files and folders. The cursor will change to a double-sided arrow; click and drag to increase or decrease the size of the Dock. https://intensiveeditor352.weebly.com/samsung-ml-2010-software-mac.html.
You can change the location of the Dock by holding down the shift key, clicking on that divider, and dragging the Dock to the left, bottom, or right sides of the screen.
If you'd like to keep an app that's open in the Dock permanently, right or control-click the icon in the Dock, select Options and select Keep in Dock.
If you want to add spacers between apps, there's a Terminal command to do so.
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