Unlock the full potential of your Mac with these advanced performance tuning tips.
1. Manage Login Items and Background Tasks
One of the most common reasons for a sluggish Mac is too many applications fighting for resources at startup. macOS Sequoia has refined how background tasks are handled.
- Go to System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions.
- Review the Open at Login list and remove any apps you don’t need immediately.
- Under Allow in the Background, toggle off non-essential apps. Be ruthless—every toggle you turn off saves CPU cycles and RAM.
2. Optimize Apple Intelligence (AI) Resources
macOS Sequoia and Mammoth lean heavily into Apple Intelligence. While powerful, these local AI models use the Neural Engine and significant amounts of memory.
Pro Tip: If you notice lag during heavy workloads, try closing apps that use generative features (like Photos or Mail with smart summaries) to free up the Neural Engine for system-level tasks.
3. Declutter Your Storage with APFS Optimization
A full SSD is a slow SSD. macOS needs “breathing room” (swap space) to function correctly. Aim for at least 15-20% free space.
- Use the built-in tool: System Settings > General > Storage.
- Review the Recommendations section to empty the bin automatically or move large files to iCloud.
- Look specifically at Applications and Developer folders, which often accumulate cache files that are no longer needed in newer OS versions.
4. Fine-Tune Visual Effects
If you are on an older Mac or want to prioritize raw speed over aesthetics, reducing the GPU’s workload can provide an instant boost.
- Navigate to System Settings > Accessibility > Display.
- Check Reduce motion and Reduce transparency. This simplifies the UI rendering, making window switching and Mission Control feel significantly faster.
5. Update “Legacy” Software
Running apps via Rosetta 2 (Intel apps on Apple Silicon) is efficient, but native ARM code is always faster. With macOS Mammoth, optimizations for the M-series chips are expected to be even more specialized.
- Check for updates in the App Store or within the apps themselves.
- If an app hasn’t been updated in years, look for a modern, Universal binary alternative.
6. Reset the Spotlight Index
After a major update like Sequoia or Mammoth, Spotlight may spend days indexing files, causing high CPU usage and heat. If your Mac feels slow days after an update, try rebuilding the index:
- Go to System Settings > Siri & Spotlight.
- Click Spotlight Privacy at the bottom.
- Drag your hard drive into the list, wait a moment, and then remove it.
- macOS will be forced to re-index your files cleanly.
7. Monitor the “WindowServer” Process
In macOS Sequoia, the new window tiling features are handled by the WindowServer process. If your Mac is lagging, open Activity Monitor (Cmd + Space, type “Activity Monitor”) and check the CPU tab.
If WindowServer is consistently above 20-30%, try reducing the number of open windows or external displays, as each adds a layer of complexity to the desktop compositor.
Conclusion
Optimizing macOS Sequoia and Mammoth isn’t just about deleting files; it’s about managing the balance between new AI capabilities and system resources. By auditing your background tasks, maintaining storage health, and streamlining visual effects, you can ensure your Mac remains a high-performance machine for years to come.
