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8 tips to speed up your Mac’s performance; yes, really

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8 tips to speed up your Mac’s performance; yes, really

If you’ve had a Mac computer for a few years, you might be looking for a way to speed up your performance without investing a large chunk of cash to buy a new Mac.

Luckily, today, we will teach you how to give your Mac a needed tune-up so that you don’t have to invest in a new machine just yet. 

Remember, Mac computers are some of the best on the market, and even as they age, a little bit of maintenance will go a long way in keeping everything running smoothly. Here are eight tips to improve the performance of your Mac.

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Woman on MacBook (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Tip 1 — Give your Mac a restart

Before we do anything else, I suggest you restart your Mac first, especially if you prefer to leave your Mac in sleep mode instead of shutting the device down fully. You will want to shut down your Mac or MacBook regularly because of how MacOS stores RAM. The longer you leave a Mac on, the more RAM the computer uses as virtual memory, making the machine slower. However, restarting your Mac will reset your RAM and result in a refreshed Mac that runs faster. You can do this by clicking on the Apple icon in the upper left toolbar and then selecting Restart or Shut Down.

HOW TO KNOW WHEN IT IS TIME TO REPLACE YOUR MAC

Showing Restart or Shut Down options (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: BEST ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE FOR YOUR MAC

Tip 2 — Find and close power-hungry applications

One of the easier ways to speed up your Mac’s performance is to find and close power-hungry applications that you don’t currently need running in the background. To do this, you will open a program that is pre-installed on all Macs called Activity Monitor

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You can find the Activity Monitor by pressing Command + Spacebar and searching for Activity Monitor

At the top of Activity Monitor, you’ll see tabs for different tabs for CPU, Memory, Energy, Disk and Network. Select the CPU tab, and you’ll be able to see what has been using the most CPU resources and end any applications that you don’t currently need. You don’t need to pay too much attention to the other tabs, but if you want, we suggest sorting by memory usage. 

To close any application from the Activity Monitor, simply select and double-click on the application you want to close and press where it says quit.

How to find and close power-hungry applications (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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MORE: APPLE’S TWICE-AS-FAST MACBOOK PRO LAPTOP AND 24-INCH IMAC ALL-IN-ONE DESKTOP

Tip 3 — Update your operating system and applications

You’ll want to make sure you are performing routine software updates for MacOS, as well as routine updating for all the apps installed on your Mac:

Navigate to the Apple logo (top left corner of the screen) > System Settings > General tab (left column). From there, you can see any updates that are required for MacOS.

Red arrow pointing to Software Update (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

If you have any MacOS updates available, consider installing them now. If the operating system has been out for over three to four months, the hope is that Apple developers have addressed any bugs that have caused problems. After any big new operating system update, I usually like to wait a bit and search online to see if others have experienced any issues. Sometimes you won’t be presented with the latest operating system because your Mac computer is too old. If that’s the case, it may be time to start considering a new laptop or desktop computer.

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You can also easily update applications from the App Store by navigating to the App Store. In your left column, you should have a section titled Updates, which will show you if you have any applications from the store that need updating.

MORE: BEST NEW LAPTOPS OF 2024

How to update applications from the App Store (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: 5 THINGS TO DO FIRST IF YOU GOT A NEW MAC 

Tip 4 — Free up storage space

Your performance will be negatively affected when you’re running low on storage. If you are using iCloud and have it synced across all devices, photos and text messages from your iPhone will end up being stored on your Mac, eating up space. Until you get more space, it might be helpful to turn off iCloud on your Mac.

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A wide range of applications, such as Google Drive and Dropbox, can be used to back up files and photos to the cloud without storing them on your Mac. Music downloads can also take up a large amount of system storage on your Mac.

You can save a large amount of storage by not storing music directly on your Mac’s hard drive. Services like Apple Music allow you to move all of your music into the cloud and delete music from your hard drive but have it synced across all of your Apple devices before deleting anything.

MORE: ASK KURT: MAXED-OUT YOUR ICLOUD?

Tip 5 — Use a quality performance optimization program 

You’ll also want to have a quality performance optimization program. These programs are designed to do a deep cleanup of all that redundant junk from your device so that it can perform the way it’s supposed to and serve your needs. Here are my top picks for the best performance optimization programs in the industry.

Before you clean out your computer with these programs, it’s always a good idea to back up your devices.

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Tip 6 — Empty the trash

One of the easiest and quickest ways to give your Mac a bit of a boost is to keep the trashcan empty. It’s a solid idea to go through your documents and files from time to time and delete documents you no longer use. 

One place where unused files can build up is in your Downloads folder. To check your downloads folder:

  • Open the Finder (icon that looks like a face in your dock) > Click Downloads

Here, you’ll have access to any files or documents that you have downloaded. You can delete them by highlighting, left-clicking and using the ‘Move to Trash’ option.

It’s important to remember that your unused files aren’t off your hard drive just yet.

  • Locate the Trashcan Icon in your dock bar on your desktop.
  • Delete all files in your trash by clicking the Empty button in the top right corner.

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How to empty the trash on a Mac (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Tip 7 — Turn off visual effects

While Apple computers can handle MacOS easily, if your Mac is older than five years, it might struggle to keep up with the latest updates. If you feel that your Mac is under a lot of strain, you can take some of the pressure off by turning off what is known as Reduce Motion. By disabling motion effects, you can make your Mac feel more responsive. Animations, while visually appealing, can consume system resources and slow down older Macs. Here’s how to enable Reduce Motion.

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  • Click the Apple icon in the upper left of your Mac
  • Choose System Settings
  • Select Accessibility
  • Next, choose Display
  • Locate and toggle on Reduce Motion, so it turns blue, to disable most animations in MacOS

GET MORE OF MY SECURITY ALERTS, QUICK TIPS & EASY VIDEO TUTORIALS WITH THE FREE CYBERGUY NEWSLETTER – CLICK HERE

How to turn on Reduce motion on a Mac (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: HOW TO REMOVE MALWARE ON A MAC 2024

Tip 8 — Perform a clean install of MacOS

If you have followed these steps but still don’t feel an increased performance, you could wipe your hard drive and perform a clean install of MacOS. 

This should only be done as a last resort. If you decide to format your Mac and re-install MacOS, back everything up beforehand. If a clean install doesn’t give you a better performance, you may need to consider investing in a new Mac.

Here’s how to know when it is time to replace your Mac.

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Finally, as a reminder, you can always book a free online session with the Apple Store for any further guidance.

Kurt’s key takeaways

I hope these tips help you to get the most out of an aging Mac desktop or MacBook laptop. I always used to leave my MacBook in sleep mode, but once I started restarting it daily, I noticed an immediate increase in my Mac’s performance. 

This is a great habit to get into even if you just bought a new Mac or MacBook, as it doesn’t apply to just older Macs. Remember, while a clean install of MacOS might be the most fool-proof way to increase the performance of an older Mac, you need to back everything up beforehand. I recommend backing up anything important to an external drive every few months, just in case.

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What are some of the things you have found that have slowed down your computer, and what have you found to help improve performance? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips & security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

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Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

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Microsoft’s Edge Copilot update uses AI to pull information from across your tabs

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Microsoft’s Edge Copilot update uses AI to pull information from across your tabs

Microsoft Edge is adding a new feature that will allow its Copilot AI chatbot to gather information from all of your open tabs. When you start a conversation with Copilot, you can ask the chatbot questions about what’s in your tabs, compare the products you’re looking at, summarize your open articles, and more.

In its announcement, Microsoft says you can “select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don’t.” The company is retiring Copilot Mode as well, which could similarly draw information from your tabs but offered some agentic features, like the ability to book a reservation on your behalf. Microsoft has since folded these agentic capabilities into its “Browse with Copilot” tool.

Several other AI features are coming to Edge, including an AI-powered “Study and Learn” mode that can turn the article you’re looking at into a study session or interactive quiz. There’s a new tool that turns your tabs into AI-powered podcasts as well, similar to what you’d find on NotebookLM, and an AI writing assistant that will pop up when you start entering text on a webpage.

You can also give Copilot permission to access your browsing history to provide more “relevant, high-quality answers,” according to Microsoft. Copilot in Edge on desktop and mobile will come with “long-term memory” as well, which can tailor its responses based on your previous conversations. And, when you open up a new tab, you’ll see a redesigned page that combines chat, search, and web navigation, along with the Journeys feature, which uses AI to organize your browsing history into categories that you can revisit.

Meanwhile, an update to Edge’s mobile app will allow you to share your screen with Copilot and talk through the questions about what you’re seeing. Microsoft says you’ll see “clear visual cues” when Copilot is active, “so you know when it’s taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing.”

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Apple’s $250M Siri settlement: Are you owed cash?

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Apple’s 0M Siri settlement: Are you owed cash?

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If you bought a newer iPhone because Apple made Siri sound like it was about to become your personal artificial intelligence sidekick, you may want to pay attention.

Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over claims that it misled customers about new Apple Intelligence and Siri features. The case centers on the iPhone 16 launch and certain iPhone 15 models that were marketed as ready for Apple’s next wave of AI. The settlement still needs court approval, and Apple denies wrongdoing.

The lawsuit argues that Apple promoted a smarter, more personal Siri before those features were actually available. For some buyers, that was a big deal. A new iPhone can cost hundreds of dollars, and many people upgrade only when they think they are getting something meaningfully new.

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WHY IPHONE USERS ARE THE NEW PRIME SCAM TARGETS

U.S. buyers of certain iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro models may qualify for payments if a judge approves Apple’s proposed settlement. (Getty Images)

What Apple is accused of promising

Apple introduced Apple Intelligence in June 2024 and promoted it as a major step forward for iPhone, iPad and Mac. A key part of that pitch was a more personalized Siri that could understand context, work across apps and help with everyday tasks in a more useful way.

The lawsuit claims Apple’s marketing made consumers believe those advanced Siri features would arrive with the iPhone 16 or soon after. Instead, buyers received phones that had some Apple Intelligence tools, but not the full Siri overhaul that many expected.

That gap is the heart of the case. Plaintiffs say customers bought or upgraded devices based on AI features that were not ready. Apple says it has rolled out many Apple Intelligence features and settled the case, so it can stay focused on its products. 

How much money could iPhone owners get?

The proposed settlement creates a $250 million fund. Eligible customers who file approved claims are expected to receive at least $25 per eligible device. That amount could rise to as much as $95 per device, depending on how many people file claims and other settlement factors.

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That means this will not be a huge payday for most people. Still, if you bought one of the covered phones, it may be worth watching for a claim notice. A few minutes of paperwork could put some money back in your pocket.

Which iPhones may qualify?

The proposed settlement covers U.S. buyers who purchased any iPhone 16 model, iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max between June 10, 2024, and March 29, 2025.

Covered iPhone 16 models include the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16e. The settlement also includes the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but not every iPhone 15 model.

The key details are the device model, the purchase date and whether the phone was bought in the United States.

HOW YOU CAN GET A SLICE OF APPLE’S $250M IPHONE SETTLEMENT

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Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle claims it misled customers about Apple Intelligence and Siri features on newer iPhones. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg)

How will you file a claim?

You do not need to do anything immediately. The settlement still needs a judge’s approval. Once the claims process opens, eligible customers are expected to receive a notice by email or mail with instructions on how to file through a settlement website.

That notice matters because scammers love moments like this. A real settlement notice should not ask for your Apple ID password, bank login or payment to claim your money. If you receive a message about this settlement, do not click blindly. Go slowly, check the sender and look for the official settlement administrator details once they are available.

Why this case matters beyond one Siri feature

This case hits a bigger nerve. Tech companies are racing to sell AI as the next must-have feature. That creates a problem for shoppers. You are often asked to buy now based on what a company says will arrive later.

That can be frustrating when the feature is the reason you upgraded. A smarter Siri sounds useful. A phone that can understand your personal context, search across apps and help with daily tasks could save time. But if those tools are delayed, limited or missing, the value of the upgrade changes.

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This settlement also sends a message about AI marketing. Companies can talk about future features, but consumers need clear timing and plain explanations. “Coming soon” can mean very different things when you are spending $800, $1,000 or more.

We reached out to Apple for comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.

FIRST 15 THINGS TO DO OR TRY FIRST WHEN YOU GET A NEW IPHONE

Apple denies wrongdoing but agreed to settle claims tied to its marketing of Apple Intelligence and Siri features. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

What this means to you

If you bought a covered iPhone during the settlement period, keep an eye on your email and regular mail. You may qualify for a payment if the court approves the deal.

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You should also keep your receipt or proof of purchase if you have it. Your Apple purchase history, carrier account or retailer receipt may help if the claim process asks for details.

More broadly, this is a reminder to treat AI features like any other big tech promise. Before you upgrade, ask one simple question: Can the feature do what is being advertised today, or is the company asking me to wait?

That question can save you from buying a device for a future feature that may arrive much later than expected.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Apple has built its brand on making technology feel polished, personal and easy to use. That is why this Siri settlement hits a nerve. People were buying phones they use every day for texts, photos, directions, reminders and everything in between. Many expected AI to make those everyday tasks easier, which is why the delay felt frustrating. The proposed payout may be modest, but the bigger issue is trust. When a company sells AI as a reason to upgrade, customers deserve to know what actually works now and what is still coming later.

Would you still buy a new phone for promised AI features, or would you wait until they actually show up? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

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Instagram hits the copy button again with new disappearing Instants photos

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Instagram hits the copy button again with new disappearing Instants photos

Instagram is once again cribbing from competitors like Snapchat and BeReal with a new photo-sharing format it calls “Instants,” which are ephemeral photos that you can’t edit and that you can only share with your close friends or followers that follow you back. Instants are available globally beginning on Wednesday as a feature in the inbox in the Instagram app and as a separate app that’s now in testing in select countries.

To access Instants from the Instagram app, go to your DM inbox and look in the bottom-right corner for an icon or a stack of photos. After you post a photo, your friends can emoji react to it and send a reply to your DMs, but after they see it, the photo disappears for them. Instants also disappear after 24 hours, and they can’t be captured in screenshots or screen recordings.

However, your Instants will remain in an archive for you for up to a year, and you can reshare them as a recap to your Instagram Stories if you’d like. You can also undo sending an Instant right after you post it or delete it from your archive.

The Instants mobile app, which popped up in Italy and Spain in April, gives you “immediate access to the camera” and only requires an Instagram account, Instagram says. “Instants you share on the separate app will show up for friends on Instagram and vice versa. We’re trying this separate app out to see how our community uses it, and we’ll continue to evolve it as we learn more.”

Instagram, in its testing, has seen that people “tend to use Instants to share much more casual, much more authentic moments about their day,” according to Instagram boss Adam Mosseri. “And we know that this type of sharing of personal moments with friends is a core part of what makes Instagram Instagram, but we also know that a lot of people don’t really share a lot to their profile grids anymore.”

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