MacBook Pro Running Slow? 10 Ways to Speed It Up

MacBook Pro Running Slow? 10 Ways to Speed It Up

A slow MacBook Pro is frustrating — especially when you remember how fast it was when new. Before spending money on a new device or an unnecessary repair, work through these 10 fixes in order. Most performance problems are software-related and can be resolved in under an hour.

Our TechFix Malaysia technicians have helped thousands of MacBook Pro users restore their machines to near-new performance. Here is the exact process we recommend.

Fix 1: Check Activity Monitor First

Activity Monitor is the starting point for every slow Mac investigation. It shows exactly what is consuming your CPU, RAM, and disk.

Steps:

1. Press Command + Space to open Spotlight
2. Type Activity Monitor and press Enter
3. Click the CPU column header to sort by CPU usage (highest first)
4. Look for any process consuming more than 30% CPU consistently

Common offenders: kernel_task, mds_stores (Spotlight indexing), Google Chrome Helper, WindowServer, and WebContent processes.

If kernel_task is consistently above 100% CPU, this is often a thermal management response — your MacBook is throttling itself due to overheating. See Fix 8.

Fix 2: Free Up Storage Space

macOS needs at least 10–15% of your storage free to operate efficiently. When your SSD fills up, macOS can't create virtual memory swap files, causing severe slowdowns.

Check storage:

1. Click Apple menu → About This Mac → Storage
2. If used storage exceeds 85% of total, this is your primary problem

Free up space:

• Delete large files and empty Trash (check ~/Downloads, ~/Desktop)
• Use Optimize Storage (Apple menu → About This Mac → Storage → Manage)
• Remove unused applications
• Move large files (videos, RAW photos) to external storage or iCloud

A 256GB MacBook Pro with 240GB used will be noticeably slow regardless of processor speed.

Fix 3: Reduce Login Items and Background Agents

Every app that launches at startup consumes RAM and CPU during boot and continues running in the background.

Steps (macOS Ventura/Sonoma):

1. Go to System Settings → General → Login Items
2. Review the list under Open at Login
3. Remove anything you don't use daily by selecting it and clicking the minus (−) button
4. Also check Allow in Background — disable anything unnecessary

Common hidden background consumers: Dropbox, OneDrive, Spotify, Creative Cloud, Steam, Slack, and third-party antivirus software.

Fix 4: Reset NVRAM / PRAM

NVRAM stores display settings, startup disk selection, and other hardware preferences. Corrupted NVRAM can cause slow boot times and erratic behavior.

Steps (Intel MacBook Pro only):

1. Shut down your MacBook completely
2. Press the power button, then immediately hold Option + Command + P + R
3. Keep holding until you hear the startup chime twice (or see the Apple logo flash twice on newer models)
4. Release and let macOS boot normally

Note: Apple Silicon MacBooks (M1, M2, M3) automatically reset NVRAM during startup — this step is not needed.

Fix 5: Reset SMC (System Management Controller)

The SMC controls battery charging, thermal management, keyboard backlight, and power behavior. A corrupted SMC causes thermal throttling, fan issues, and poor performance.

For Intel MacBook Pro (non-removable battery):

1. Shut down
2. Hold Control + Option + Shift (left side) for 7 seconds
3. While still holding those keys, also hold the Power button for 7 more seconds
4. Release all keys, wait 5 seconds, then press Power to start

For Apple Silicon MacBook Pro (M1/M2/M3): Simply shut down completely and wait 30 seconds before restarting — the SMC equivalent resets automatically.

Fix 6: Update macOS

Running an outdated macOS version can cause performance issues, especially if security patches have not been applied or if your current version had known performance regressions.

1. Go to System Settings → General → Software Update
2. Install any available updates
3. After updating, restart and test performance

Fix 7: Run First Aid on Your SSD

A fragmented or corrupted volume can significantly slow down read/write performance.

Steps:

1. Open Disk Utility (Spotlight → Disk Utility)
2. Select your startup disk on the left
3. Click First Aid then Run
4. Let the process complete and restart

If Disk Utility reports errors it cannot repair, your SSD may have failing sectors.

Fix 8: Address Thermal Throttling

If your MacBook runs hot and becomes slow during demanding tasks, thermal throttling is the cause. The CPU intentionally reduces speed to prevent damage from overheating.

Signs of thermal throttling:

• Fan runs at maximum speed constantly
• MacBook becomes hot to the touch on the bottom
• Performance drops dramatically during video editing, compilation, or gaming
• kernel_task process consumes excessive CPU

Solutions:

• Clean the MacBook's vents using compressed air
• Replace dried thermal paste (requires professional service)
• Use the MacBook on a hard, flat surface — never on fabric that blocks airflow
• Consider a laptop cooling pad

Thermal throttling on older MacBook Pros (2016–2019) is often caused by degraded thermal paste. Our technicians at TechFix Malaysia perform thermal paste replacement as part of our performance service.

Fix 9: Check RAM Pressure

macOS uses RAM pressure color coding:

• Green: RAM is adequate
• Yellow: Moderate pressure, some swapping to disk
• Red: RAM is critically full, severe swapping occurring

If RAM pressure is consistently red, your MacBook needs more RAM for your workload — or you need to close applications. MacBook Pros from 2012–2019 support RAM upgrades. Models from 2016 onwards have soldered RAM that cannot be upgraded.

Fix 10: Consider an SSD Upgrade

MacBook Pro models from 2012 to 2015 shipped with standard SATA or early PCIe SSDs that are significantly slower than modern drives. Upgrading to a current-generation NVMe SSD can produce 3–5x faster read/write speeds on these models.

Eligible models for SSD upgrade: MacBook Pro 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 (both Retina and non-Retina).

Models from 2016 onwards have proprietary soldered storage that cannot be replaced.

When Hardware Repair is Needed

If you have completed all 10 fixes above and the MacBook Pro remains slow, the issue is hardware:

• Failing SSD: Slow read/write speeds, frequent beachball, apps crashing — verified via Disk Utility errors or third-party diagnostics
• Logic board fault: Random slowness unrelated to load, unexpected shutdowns
• Thermal damage: Burnt or oxidized components from liquid damage or previous overheating events

A professional diagnostic can identify these issues and provide a clear repair recommendation.

Book a MacBook Pro diagnostic and repair at TechFix Malaysia →

Our technicians provide a written quote before any repair begins, with a 90-day warranty on all work.