Mac Running Slow After macOS Catalina Update? Here’s How to Fix It

Noticed your Mac acting sluggish after installing macOS Catalina? That’s pretty normal at first. Catalina performs background tasks like re-indexing Spotlight, updating system files, and optimizing performance — which can temporarily slow things down. But if days have passed and your Mac is still crawling, it’s time to take action.

Here’s a straightforward guide to help you speed things back up.


1. Restart Your Mac

A reboot clears temporary memory and gives your system a fresh start.

Here are a few ways to do it:

  • Click the Apple icon at the top-left of your screen > Restart.
  • Press Control + Command + Power (or Eject on older Macs).
  • Press and hold the Power button, then select Restart from the dialog box.

Save any open files before restarting.


2. Update All Apps

Catalina dropped support for 32-bit apps, so any outdated software could be bogging your system down.

To check for updates:

  • Open the App Store > Updates tab.
  • For apps not downloaded via the App Store, visit the developer’s website and grab the latest version.

Uninstall any apps that no longer work — they’re just taking up space.


3. Force Quit Resource-Hogging Apps

Some apps eat up a lot of RAM and slow everything else down. Here’s how to identify and quit them:

  1. Open Finder > Applications > Utilities.
  2. Launch Activity Monitor.
  3. Check the CPU and Memory tabs to see which apps are using the most resources.
  4. Double-click any heavy app, then click Quit or Force Quit.

Don’t force quit system processes — stick to third-party apps.


4. Clear Cache Files

Old or corrupted cache files can drag down your Mac’s performance. You can safely remove them with these steps:

  1. In Finder, click Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Type: /Library/Caches and hit Go.
  3. Go into each folder and delete its contents (but not the folders themselves).
  4. Repeat the process for ~/Library/Caches.

Be careful not to delete anything you’re unsure about. If you’re nervous, back up first.


Still Slow After Trying These Fixes?

If your Mac is still lagging:

  • Check System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items — disable any apps that launch at startup.
  • Run Disk Utility and use First Aid to scan for drive issues.
  • Consider upgrading your Mac’s RAM or switching to an SSD (if it’s an older model).
  • Or reset the SMC and NVRAM to refresh low-level system settings.

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