If you run a business from home, or you find yourself working from home more often due to recent events, then the chances are you have a computer or a laptop. They become the workhorse. You can build your own personal websites on them; it can handle heavy slideshows and so much more.
Many people choose to have an iMac or a Macbook. Since so many of us have Apple iPhones, it is often the case for ease of use; it makes sense to have a computer to match.
iMac and MacBooks are great; they are intuitive, smooth to use, and practical too. Millions of content creators and other creatives love them. However, once they get a little bit full, they slow down quickly and can make your working life a nightmare. Unlike some other computer brands, you might find cleaning them a little bit more complicated.
Here are some simple, none technical things that you can do to help speed your Mac back up.
Photo by Norbert Levajsics on Unsplash
Update
Yes, those updates that you keep ignoring do need to be done. They have a host of important patches and fixes that will help your machine run better. Sure, the 40-minute wait while it is installing can eat into your date. But, use that time to make notes, have lunch or a coffee while your Mac updates.
If you put off an update, your OS isn’t running with the most up to date software, options, or fixes.
You can check quickly if you have any updates waiting.
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Click the apple in the top left corner.
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The third option down is ‘App Store.’
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It will have available updates next to the name; this will include macOS Updates.
Follow the installation instructions to update your mac quickly and easily.
Removing Virus and Malware
If you often download files or click rogue links, you might have been a victim of a virus or malware. There are a few options that you have and the steps you need to take. If you have a very specific virus, like a redirect, then you will need to find out how to get rid of Bing redirect virus.
Mac is generally considered a safe computer, and they are usually more secure due to their built-in features. But user error is real.
How will I know if my mac has a virus?
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If your mac is behaving strangely and doing things it hasn’t done before
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You see pop-up adverts.
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When looking in Applications, you see a program you didn’t download
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Your Mac is running very slowly.
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You get unusual requests for your admin password.
How can I begin to clean my Mac?
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The first step you will take to begin to clean your Mac of virus and malware is to delete your browser extensions.
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Uninstall any apps that you don’t recognize and those that you don’t use
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Create a new user profile that you can use to clean up, and transfer data too
Delete & Move
Even if you don’t have a virus, you still need to remove applications and files you don’t use. Most of us are guilty of installing things we don’t use. Your old files take up a lot of space too. If you don’t need it or use it, then it’s time to delete them.
When there are files that you need to keep but not have daily access to, you should move these to an HDD. An HDD will keep your files safe and allow you to keep them, have access, but it won’t eat up space on your computer.
Make it a priority to empty your bin at least every week.
Storage
Your Mac cleverly color codes the types of files that you have on your computer. So when you open the storage option:
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Click the apple in the top left.
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Click about this Mac
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Then you will see multiple options; click storage.
You can see what types of files are taking up the most room. Usually, this will be photos and music.
Setting up iCloud storage is one of the easiest ways to help you manage your storage needs better. When you sign up for iCloud, you automatically get 5GB of free storage, and you can expand that to suit your needs.
You can purchase 50GB, 200GB, or 2TB. They vary in price.
This will allow you to move some of your heavier files but give you faster access than using an HDD. Giving your space back on your iMac or MacBook
If you are working with a very small amount of space and running Sierra onwards, then you can quickly find the larger files on your system by using the build-in storage manager following the steps above. It will give you some recommendations about how you can maximize your storage.
Mess & Junk
If your files are messy and not well named, it will always feel like your computer is full. Because it takes so long to find anything, you give yourself the impression there is too much on there.
Start going through your files and naming them properly. This will also give you the opportunity to remove even more files that you missed during the initial clean up.
You might be surprised to find out just how many junk files you have on your computer. Open Finder, press Command+Shift+G, type in ~/Library/Caches press go, and you will be presented with all your cached files. You can quickly delete them by pressing Command+A and then delete them.
Compress
You can also make your files smaller by compressing them using a built-in tool. Navigate to the files you want to compress, right-click on the file, and click Compress. Compressed files take up less disk space and are useful for making backup copies or sharing larger files.
Just like everything in your life, your mac needs to be cleaned and maintained. This requires keeping applications and software up to date, storage management, and proper file management too. There are many in-built options on your mac so that you can clean your machine very well.
