First, avoid storing iPhone or iPad backups on your Mac-use iCloud instead. However, the combination of aging hardware and macOS struggling for space creates the perfect storm of freezes and long waits while your computer struggles to stay afloat.įortunately, there’s a lot you can do to create more space on your Mac. These problems can affect Macs of any age. Your Mac might even refuse to boot altogether if you completely run out of space. When your Mac runs out of space, it can’t perform routine tasks, like downloading and unpacking macOS updates.Īny software you use that creates large temporary files can have stability issues or crash if your computer doesn’t have sufficient space. If you get a warning message that your computer is running out of space, it’s time to do something about it. However, we recommend keeping around 10 percent of your available disk space free at all times. There’s no set rule as to how much space your computer will require at any given moment-Apple’s never made a specific recommendation. The macOS needs room to breathe, and that means maintaining a buffer of free space on the boot disk.

If GIMP hasn’t got what you need, though, give the free trials of Affinity Photo or Pixelmator Pro a try and see how they perform.įinally, you can also ditch any intrusive antivirus software because you really don’t need it running constantly on your Mac. GIMP is a free, open-source alternative, that’s much less feature-heavy, but can perform most common editing tasks. However, that power comes at a cost-both to your wallet and your Mac’s performance. Bear is another slick Mac-only notes app that rivals Evernote, and Simplenote is also worth a mention due to its speed and text-only simplicity.įor photo editing, you can’t beat Adobe Photoshop for raw power. Try ditching these bloated apps for Apple’s Notes app, which is now a viable alternative. LibreOffice is another no-frills option.Įvernote and OneNote are the undisputed champions for notes, but most people don’t use (or need) all the features.

Apple’s iWork suite is undoubtedly lighter than Microsoft Office, less demanding on your system, and completely free to boot! It’s comprised of the Pages word processor, the Numbers spreadsheet app, and the Keynote presentation tool. Your browser isn’t the only app you can switch out to improve performance.

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