Maintain OS performance throughout day

[sirwoodland]

Hi all,

I'm running OS X 10.13.6 on a new MacBook pro and I notice a trend where through a day of web browsing and MS Outlook use, my mac slows down quite a bit. Namely, when I'm writing new emails I notice lag between creating a new email, the window appearing, and when I hit send for the window to disappear. I see this as well with new browser tabs being created later in the day in Chrome. Everything slows down and lags, interrupting my (typically quick) pace of work.

Typically a restart gets everything back up running quickly but I'm wondering if there's a way to avoid the restart and maintain this level of restart-fresh system performance throughout a workday?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[chabig]

I have no idea why you’re seeing things get slower. It’s certainly not normal. But you shouldn’t a restart to fix it. Simply logging out and back in will probably suffice. And...if that works you know it has something to do with your user account. Make sure your apps are all up to date. Ask yourself why you’re using Chrome (a famous resource hog) and not Safari? Why Outlook and not Mail? You don’t have to use Apple’s apps if they don’t serve your needs, but they do tend to the best written and best behaved.

 

[Fishrrman]

My advice:
STOP using Chrome.
Use something else -- ANYthing else.

 

[Tarek]

I use Chrome and I have not noticed that except when I have three or four other applications running at the same time. However, I have made it a habit of mine to reboot the laptop every three or four days because I always let it sleep but never really shut it off. I remember reading that the more the uptime accumulates, the heavier the os gets and a reboot certainly clears that for me.

As for your issue, in particular, I have never experienced it with Chrome but I actually had a similar one with Safari, which is why I stopped using that browser altogether.

 

[nypinstripes]

@sirwoodland

First, just to start, let me say that all MS applications are memory hog trashwares, consider switching to a web mail client or mac mail, or just use your phone. Also, hard rebooting absolutely does have the effect of clearing all memcache whereas simply logging out does not, that said you shouldnt need to do that so frequently.

Here's some things you can do, which if you were to do them all, would virtually guarantee near perfect uptime for your mac's performance.

1. Are you running a lot of chrome browser extensions? These will each run in their own threads and the more you use the more cpu chrome will require. Use only the ones you require frequently disable the rest.

2. This might be obvious but, look at your dock, if there are little dots underneath apps that means they are running. You must quit apps with cmd + q, or toolbar > app > quit. Simply clicking the CLOSE x button DOES NOT quit the app.

3. Keep good battery habits, SHUT DOWN your mac at night and when you are commuting or traveling, DO NOT simply just close the lid, especially with a bunch of open apps. This little change of habit will extend your mac & battery's life by 300%.

4. Quit apps when you are not using them, running too many apps at once will most definitely slow you down.

5. Save work and Quit apps before you shutdown your computer, relying on the mac to always remember where you left off will cause a lot of strain on the cpu when you reopen your computer, give yourself a fresh start when starting up.

6. Open the Activity Monitor app in Applications > Utilities. Along with a wealth of useful info about currently running processes, LOOK to see if there are any apps or processes in RED and STOP THEM. If they keep popping back up, you need to figure out why.

7. Don't run too many background process apps (the ones in the toolbar at the top right next to the time.) Quit them if you're not using them.

8. Check you login items in System Prefs > Account > Login Items, turn everything off.

9. And i'm not sponsoring or joking about this, I know 40$ is a lot to spend on an app but seriously CleanMyMac3 is a must have and i would seriously consider diving deep into all the tools it has to offer. If you want to get the most out of your mac cpu & memory, clear out old space, remove tons of system junk you'll never use etc.

https://macpaw.com/cleanmymac

seriously (and obviously you can disable the background process in the prefs )

10. Optionally, turn off time machine backup, and backup your important stuff manually, most people don't ever need constantly running backup services.

11. Remove any weather or location using widgets from your today sidebar.
12. Optionally, disable location services in System Prefs.

 

[sirwoodland]

Thanks for all of the replies... unfortunately it's a work computer and all of the IT-mandated applications are Microsoft products. I got lucky in that they gave me the Mac to start with. I will try some of the suggestions noted above to see what has the most impact and then look to change my tools from there. Thanks again