Mac users generally expect their devices to operate quickly and smoothly. When a Mac starts to slow down, it can be frustrating because it interrupts their workflow and can cause delays in finishing tasks. Moreover, slow performance can make it difficult to multitask, switch between applications, and perform other basic functions, which can be particularly frustrating for those who rely on their Mac for work or productivity. So, the users resort to solutions available on the internet to get it fixed quickly. And you must be one of them if you are reading this. If you are, keep reading until the end to learn the various ways to make your Mac start up faster. These ways to make your Mac boot faster will indeed fix your problem and alleviate the stress it causes. Let’s start!

9 Ways to Make Your Mac Start Up Faster

We have provided various ways that you can use to make your Mac boot faster. There are simple as well as complicated ways discussed in our guide, so you can opt accordingly. Read and follow them carefully.

Quick Answer

To make your Mac faster, you should remove unnecessary login items and startup apps. Follow these steps to do that:

1. Open System Preferences by clicking on the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen and selecting System Preferences from the drop-down menu.

2. Click on Users & Groups > your user account.

3. Click on the Login Items tab at the top of the window.

4. From the list of apps, click on the minus (-) icon for the related unnecessary apps to remove them from the list.

5. Once you’ve removed all the unnecessary login items, close the System Preferences window.

Method 1: Keep Mac Hardware Clean

Keep your Mac clean and handle your hardware with care as grimy hardware will affect the boot speed of your Mac. You can clean your Mac by using a lint-free microfiber cloth and some isopropyl alcohol. Do not use something harsh as this would damage your device.

Also Read: How to Clean iPhone Charging Port with Alcohol

Method 2: Run Wireless Diagnostics

By running the wireless diagnostics, you can figure out if there are any issues with the network connection. If there are any, try to resolve them as slow internet connection can make your Mac run slowly. This is one of the ways to make your Mac start up faster. To run wireless diagnostics, follow the steps discussed below:

1. First, press and hold the Option key on the keyboard and click on the Wi-Fi icon located in the top menu bar.

2. After that, click on the Open Wireless Diagnostics… option.

3. Then, click on Continue from the popup window.

Method 3: Remove Unnecessary Login Items and Startup Apps

When you boot your Mac, prevent the programs from launching automatically. This is one of the ways to make your Mac start up faster. When you log in to your device, Mac launches some programs which can slow down the startup process. So, you should start them afterward. Check out the steps given below to remove those login items:

1. Open System Preferences on your Mac.

2. Then, click on the Users & Groups option.

3. Switch to the Login Items tab.

4. Click on the minus (–) icon to discard the desired items from the Open at Login list.

5. Then, you should also disable hidden startup items. For that, open Finder and click on the Go option located on the menu bar.

6. Then, select the Go to Folder… option from the dropdown menu.

7. Now, click on Volumes when the pop-up window appears.

8. Following that, choose your boot partition.

9. Then, click on Library > StartupItems and press the Enter key.

10. The hidden folders will get displayed that let your Mac know about the applications to start at boot. If you find something that you have not installed, move them to Trash.

The applications you launch at shutdown will reopen at startup. So, you can close them before you shut down with a checkmark.

Also Read: Fix You Don’t Have Permission to Open the Application on Mac

Method 4: Free Up Space on Mac

To speed up Mac startup times, ensure that your boot drive is not obstructed with information if this is the case then your startup process would get slowed down. To check the free space, you can navigate to System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud. Here, you will see the iCloud Storage at the bottom of the window. From here, you can control your data.

Moreover, from here you can see what apps are consuming how much space so that you can free up the space accordingly. To free up the space, you can empty your trash, delete the Mac apps you no longer use, delete large applications and files, optimize storage in the Photos app, etc.

Method 5: Update macOS

The latest macOS update comes with new features, security updates, fixes bugs, etc. So, update your mac to the latest macOS version to improve the startup speed. Follow the steps mentioned below if you wish to learn how you can update your Mac:

1. First, go to System Preferences on your Mac.

2. Then, click on the Software Update > Upgrade Now option.

Also Read: How to Open Applications Folder on Mac

Method 6: Remove Cache Files

Another way to make your Mac boot faster is by clearing the cache files. When these files accumulate then your Mac, it might take time to boot up. Clearing the cache is worthwhile when attempting to speed up Mac startup times. Following the steps below will clear up caches on your Mac:

1. Press the Command + Shift + G keys together on your Mac device to launch Finder.

2. Type ~/Library/Caches in Go to the Folder search field and press the Enter key.

3. Select all Cache files by pressing the Command + A key combination.

4. Then, press the Command + Delete keys simultaneously to delete the cache files.

5. Restart your Mac and empty the Trash.

Method 7: Reset PRAM/NVRAM

PRAM stands for Parameter Random Access Memory and NVRAM stands for Non Volatile Random Access Memory. Resetting PRAM or NVRAM is one of the other ways to make your Mac start up faster. To gain insights on how to do this, abide by the below-mentioned steps:

1. Click on the Apple icon > Shut Down… option from the top menu bar.

2. After that, power on your Mac and press and hold the Option + Command + P key combination immediately for about 20 seconds.

3. Then, release the keys after your Mac reboots. It will reset the PRAM of your Mac and fix the slow startup issue.

Also Read: MacBook Keeps Freezing? 14 Ways to Fix it

Method 8: Utilize Sleep Mode Instead of Shutting Down

There is a difference between sleep mode and shutting down. When you shut down your device, all the running apps and programs are closed, including your operating system. So, when you boot your device again, everything has to be loaded into RAM.

Whereas during the Sleep mode, RAM is in use and the other things are closed to preserve the energy. Sleep mode is a quick process, and it turns on your Mac quickly.

Method 9: Obtain SSD or Upgrade RAM

You can upgrade the SSD or replace the current drive with an SSD if your Mac is old. This is one of the ways to make your Mac start up faster. RAM also plays an important role to speed up the startup process. So, you can also get more RAM or faster RAM.

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And we are done with this article on ways to make your Mac start up faster! We hope this guide helped you learn the methods and fixed your Mac slow problem. Feel free to reach out to us with your queries and suggestions via the comments section below. Also, let us know what you want to learn about next.