If your Mac is a 2011 model or newer, check out how much memory it can be configured with, according to Apple specifications: iMac, Mac Pro, MacBook Pro, MacBook, and Mac mini. If you have been working on a large project and have a million tabs, it may be helpful to close. If you see that your hard disk is almost full, you can.
Make Your Computer Faster For Free As WellYou may even be able to get them the entire suite of iWork apps for free as well. Are They Running Mavericks or Yosemite?Before doing anything else, if the computer is running an older operating system and is capable of running Mavericks or Yosemite, you should upgrade it for them since it doesn't cost anything. Scar Gutirrez/CNET Has your once shiny and speedy Mac lost a bit of speedIf your mom, dad, grandma, or other family member uses Microsoft, check out our companion guide to speeding up and fixing your family member's Windows computer for help. We'll show you how to make it run faster. A faster MacBook can help accomplish important tasks, enjoy your favorite entertainment seamlessly, and provide a better overall experience.To help you through the process, just follow along with this step-by-step guide to speeding up and troubleshooting a Mac OS X computer, from PowerBooks to MacBook Pros and iMacs to Mac Minis.A slow Mac is a frustrating Mac.Clear the Web CacheThe web cache in every browser stores information from visited pages in order to help them load faster in the future. If you've got the time, it would also be helpful to make a bootable Mavericks or bootable Yosemite USB drive for them in case they ever need to reinstall the OS when you're not around. The last thing you want is to solve one problem and create another.Second, backup the entire system using Time Machine or another program that will allow them to fully restore if anything goes wrong.Scan & Delete Malware & SpywareSome people buy into the myth that "Macs can't get viruses" and therefore do absolutely nothing to protect themselves. This will build up quickly if they never pay attention to it. Deleting All DownloadsIf they have the main Downloads folder in Mac OS X set in Mail, make sure to also clear out any files in there, along with any other unnecessary downloads they have in there from the web browser. Browsing history, cookies, and downloaded files are all part of these temporary internet files.These files can be deleted from the same settings where you cleared the cache, so just follow the same instructions for the specific browser they're using and check the boxes for the additional data you want to get rid of.If they don't have iCloud setup, that's probably something worth looking into. Delete Temporary Internet FilesIn addition to the web cache, there are other types of data stored by web browsers that can slow down your family's Mac. You'll most likely be looking for the section on Safari, but be sure to do the same for any additional browsers they have installed as well, Firefox and Chrome being the two most likely.![]() Clean Up the DesktopThe desktop may be an easy spot to dump files and pictures, but your family's computer has to waste valuable memory on those files every time it's booted up. If it finds any files that shouldn't be there, just use the software to get rid of it. There's also iAntivirus by Norton.There's no shortage of options (especially if your family doesn't mind paying for one), so make sure to do some research before choosing.Once an antivirus program is installed, there's not much work left to do besides starting the scan. Avast! Free Antivirus for Mac is another good free scanner that scans only for Mac-specific malware.But some of the safest options will be in the Mac App Store, and one of my favorites is ClamXav, because it's free, easy to use, and most importantly, bloat-free. Sophos is considered one of the best, and it's free and easy to use. It's always better to be safe than sorry.Mac OS X doesn't come with an antivirus scanner built in, so you'll need to download one. Download photoshop for mac for freeLuckily, disabling them is easy. Disable Startup ItemsIf a bunch of programs automatically start running when you boot up your family's Mac, they're probably slowing it down significantly. That way, your family can still find what they need, but the files won't use up any working memory just sitting there. Delete Duplicate FilesObviously, it doesn't do any good to have multiple copies of a file just sitting on a computer. Some might even have a built-in uninstaller, like some Adobe products.Also, if you see a bunch of unnecessary icons up in the menu bar that you didn't already obliterate in Step 6 above, you should look into what they are and how to disable or delete them. To get rid of one, just drag and drop it into the Trash, then right-click on the icon and select Empty Trash. A lot of people just use the automated wizard when they install a program, so if they don't pay close attention to their downloads there could be a bunch of these extras slowing down the computer.You can find a list of the installed programs under the Applications folder in the Finder. You can find the Activity Monitor in the Utilities folder in Applications.Downloaded programs often tack on extras that your family probably doesn't use, like toolbars and other bloatware. Disk permissions can be repaired using Disk Utility to find and correct differences between files.To launch Disk Utility, find it in the same place Activity Monitor was in, the Utilities folder under Applications. When these permissions are changed, they can cause the computer to slow down, freeze, or sometimes crash. Verify & Repair Disk & Disk PermissionsAnytime your family installs a program or application on their computer, it includes files that act as permissions for what each user is allowed to do with it. Check out our guide on how to remove duplicate files and folders for help. It's usually good to start with this option first, before fixing and repairing permissions. Click on Repair Disk Permissions to fix them.Also, you will want to perform Verify Disk and the subsequent Repair Disk, which actually checks and tries to fix any issues with the directory structure on the hard drive itself. Once it's done, you'll see a list of the permissions it found problems with. It's pretty much the same process on any newer version of Mac OS X, and it's pretty intuitive. Click on the Erase tab, which will bring up a few options: Zero Out Deleted Files, 7-Pass Erase of Deleted Files, and 35-Pass Erase of Deleted Files.You can check out Alex Long's guide to find out how to configure automatic backups with Time Machine. Then, open up Disk Utility and select the computer's hard drive from the list on the left. This is another area where Disk Utility comes in handy.First, make sure to Empty Trash in Finder, to make sure everything thing is already trashed. ![]()
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