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

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Catalina dropped support for 32-bit apps, so any outdated software could be bogging your system down.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