Flip Between Windows in Current Application – Command+`: Much like you can Command+Tab your. Quit Apps You’re No Longer Using. Clicking the red “X” in the corner of a window won’t always close a Mac app. In fact, most Mac apps will stay running in the background when you close their windows. You may have only closed the window, and the app is still open as signified by its presence in your dock. As you can see, there are plenty of ways for how to boost WiFi signal on Mac, from adjusting the positioning of your router to using apps like WiFi Explorer and NetSpot to find the best frequency to connect to. Even in case your WiFi is completely down, you can use TripMode to find a solution via your iPhone hotspot. I use Windows and OS X daily and after about 2-3 weeks I wasn't having any trouble at all. I use Expose and never really try to maximize windows on my Mac, I use a one-button mouse and all that jazz. On my PC I still maximize most application windows for browsing the net and doing email.
“No matter what I do, my Mac is still slow”, an average tech-consultant hears this phrase multiple times a day. Give a person even the most powerful computer, and pretty soon it will be cluttered with apps, extensions, and things that are too much for it to handle. To reverse it, one has to go back and сlean up the mess, removing memory agents one by one. Prepare for a fight — every byte of memory is at stake. So let’s put your Mac on a diet and get it more free RAM to breathe freely.
First, remove desktop clutter. Get a combination of Setapp apps that clear away unneeded desktop files.
Download Declutter Free“Your system has run out of application memory”
How do you know your Mac is low on memory? Floating “rainbow wheels” aside, you may notice your Mac now takes ages to load. You’ll also see many browser applications crashing. You’ll be also thrown warning messages as “Your system has run out of application memory”. To help it, you should first visit the Activity monitor to see memory usage on Mac.
How to check RAM usage on Mac
Go to Applications and type in Activity Monitor in the search bar. This invokes a good old Activity Monitor that should tell how much free memory you’ve got left.
A shortcut to open Activity Monitor:
Press F4 and start typing Activity Monitor in the search bar.
I’ve attached a screenshot from my Mac and as you can see my memory usage almost reached full capacity. Here’s what it all means:
App memory: taken by apps and processes
Wired memory: reserved by apps, can’t be freed up
Compressed: inactive, can be used by other apps
Swap used: memory used by macOS
Cached files: memory you can really use
Wired memory: reserved by apps, can’t be freed up
Compressed: inactive, can be used by other apps
Swap used: memory used by macOS
Cached files: memory you can really use
Notice the colored graph under Memory Pressure. If your graph is all but red and yellow, your Mac is really gasping for fresh memory. It seems counter-intuitive, but “available memory” your Activity Monitor is not that important after all. In fact, it’s a system intended behavior to use all memory resources when available. On the contrary, the Memory Pressure graph is much more telling, so grow a habit to check this graph in the Activity Monitor every now and then.
How to check CPU usage on Mac
Open the CPU tab in Activity Monitor to keep in check CPU-heavy processes. Normally an app would be using 0-4% of CPU. If it takes abnormally more than that, go inside that particular item in the list and press the Quit button.
How to free up memory on Mac
Tip # 1. Remove Login Items to lower Mac memory usage
Login items are programs that load automatically upon Mac startup. Some of them covertly add themselves to the list and this is no good. If you’re looking to free up RAM, they are the first candidates for deletion. Don’t worry, you’re not deleting the app itself, you just stop it from auto-launching every time.
So, to remove Login Items and at the same time reduce your memory usage of your Mac, you need to:
- Open System Preferences and select Users & Groups.
- Click your nickname on the left.
- Select the Login Items tab.
- Check programs you don’t want to load as your Mac starts.
- Press the “–” sign below.
Now, you won’t see these apps pop up the moment you turn on your Mac. Although this method doesn’t require some superpowers of yours, some special Mac optimization and memory cleaner tools may do the job faster and ensure the smooth performance of your Mac. CleanMyMac X is an excellent example of such software. Here’s how to disable Login Items with CleanMyMac X:
- Download it for free and go to the Optimization tab.
- Check Login Items to see the list of apps that get opened when you start your Mac.
- Click Remove.
Stream chromecast mac app. As you’ve already come to the Optimization module of CleanMyMac, you can also fix hung apps and heavy memory consumers there. In this way, you’ll free up the solid amount of RAM on Mac — 100% free of charge.
Tip # 2. Free up disk space if Mac is low on memory
The available space on your Mac’s drive translates into virtual memory. This comes to save you when you’ve run out of physical RAM. So now your computer relies on your hard drive space to keep your apps going.
The classic geek rule of thumb holds it that you should keep at least 20% of disk space on your startup drive. Not only this potentially reduces your future spending on iCloud storage but it also keeps your Mac speedier.
What to delete to free up space:
- Large unused files, like movies
- Old downloads
- Rarely used applications
- System junk
But here’s a simpler solution to save your time — clean up your drive with CleanMyMac X— the app I’ve mentioned above. Many users recommend it as an excellent way to free up more space because it searches for large & old files, useless system files, Photo junk, mail attachments and shows everything you can safely delete. Interestingly, it finds about 74 GB of junk on an average computer.
Extra trick: How to free up RAM on Mac with CleanMyMac X
If you have downloaded CleanMyMac, you may also take advantage of its amazing feature — the ability to free up RAM in a few seconds. Try this next time you see “Your system has run out of application memory” message.
- Go to the Maintenance tab on the left.
- Click Free Up RAM.
- Click Run.
As simple as that!
And you can do it even if you download a free version of the app.
Tip # 3. Clean up your Desktop
This tip always comes at the bottom of instructions and unfairly so as it is quite effective. Without even looking at your Desktop I would assume it’s cluttered with mountains of icons. Thing is, your macOS was designed in a way that it treats every Desktop icon as a little active window. The more icons, the heavier memory usage on Mac. So in order to release available memory resources, it’s recommended to keep your Desktop clean.
You don’t have to do it all by yourself. With apps like Declutter and Spotless, every desktop cleaning session will be scheduled in advance and executed automatically. Your only job is to define the rules on how your files should be organized.
Tip #4. Clear cache files
Another way to free up RAM on Mac is to clear it of cache files. Of course, it won’t save you gigabytes of space, but deleting cache regularly, you can help your Mac run faster and avoid system issues.
So, to remove cache files on your Mac, you need to:
- Open Finder.
- From the Go menu, select Go to Folder.
- Type ~/Library/Caches in the field and press Go.
- In the window that appears, you will see all your cache files.
- Press Command+A to select all files or delete files one by one.
- Enter your user name and password to confirm.
If you find some files still in the folder after you emptied it, maybe you have some windows open on your Mac. Just like that, you can save up some space on your Mac. Don’t forget to empty the bin afterward.
Tip # 5. Tune up Chrome’s Task Manager
Although Google Chrome is not the one to blame for massive memory usage, it can indeed affect your Mac's performance. If you use Chrome as your primary browser, you probably have many windows opened there. Chrome runs a lot of processes to ensure a fast browsing experience for you. So, it uses your RAM for storing your tabs, plugins, and extensions. Look at how many entries Google Chrome has in Activity Monitor:
The question then arises, 'Why does Chrome use so much RAM?' The thing is that each process is responsible for a separate plugin or extension of your browser. For example, when a tab unexpectedly falls, you need to refresh it to continue your work there. If one process were responsible for all tabs and extensions, you would need to restart the whole browser instead. Can you imagine how many times would you do that? That’s the proper answer to why Chrome uses so much RAM. Mac desktop organizer app.
I’ve been using Chrome for some years only to discover (recently) that Chrome had a task manager of its own. You can use it to force quit memory-heavy processes in the browser. It’s a handy tool because it lets you see how a page weighs on CPU usage on a Mac.
- Go to Chrome settings (dotted icon in the top right corner)
- Click More tools -> Task Manager
To free up even more RAM, close the GPU process. The GPU Process, though helpful in theory to accelerate pages, eats up a considerable amount of memory. Click to end it to free up RAM on your Mac.
Tip # 6. Manage RAM usage with CleanMyMac X menu
CleanMyMac X has another useful and convenient feature for managing your Mac’s performance and memory usage. As you install CleanMyMac X and start it for the first time, it’s icon will appear in your menu bar. Click the icon to open the CleanMyMac X menu. Here you can find updates on the current condition of your Mac and perform quick tweaks to increase your Mac's speed. Whenever you feel like your Mac underperforms, open the CleanMyMac X menu to check how much RAM is available and free it up as well.
Tip # 7. Close Finder windows
Okay, suppose you’re still asking yourself, how do I clear RAM on my MacBook Pro/MacBook Air. The next trick is as magical (you’ll see for yourself) as it is time-saving. It’s no secret that each window in the Finder eats up RAM. But how many open windows are there? Some of them are collapsed or stacked in some blind spot on your screen. This Finder command merges all your windows into one. See how to do it:
Click on Finder > Window > Merge All Windows
Now you can manage Finder windows more effectively and free up memory on MacBook.
What else you can do to minimize memory usage on Mac
I’ve saved the easiest tips for the end, as long as these ones are self-explanatory.
- Replace AdBlock (very memory-demanding) with a lighter extension
- Keep fewer opened tabs in the browser
- Restart your Mac more often to free up RAM
- Close all hung-up print queues
That was my take on how to make your Mac a bit speedier to use. If you’re looking for more guidance, check simple ways to speed up your Mac.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to check application memory on Mac?
To check RAM usage on your Mac, go to Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities). In the Memory tab, you will see all the active processes that are using your Mac’s RAM. At the end of the window, there is a Memory Used graph, which indicates how much application memory is used.
How to find out whether your Mac needs more RAM?
Your Mac may be using almost all its RAM, but you don’t need more if it’s using it efficiently. Open Activity Monitor and go to the Memory tab. The Memory Pressure graph shows the current condition of your RAM: green color means your Mac’s using RAM effectively, while yellow is a sign that some application or process is using too much of application memory. The red memory pressure signals that your Mac needs more RAM.
How to quickly free up RAM on your MacBook?
To free up RAM on your Mac, firstly, you should find out what app uses so much of your memory. The memory-heavy programs are listed in Activity Monitor, Memory tab. If there is an app you aren’t using at the moment, click it and press the “X” sign to quit it. This will, in turn, free some of the application memory
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Almost everything we do on our Macs today requires a stable and fast internet connection: checking email, sending messages in chat, hopping on a video conference call, downloading documents, etc. So when the quality of the WiFi signal drops, our lives nearly come to a standstill.
Luckily, you can learn how to extend WiFi range, how to make your WiFi faster, and ultimately how to boost WiFi signal throughout your office or home with the help of a few simple tricks.
Best Ways To Speed Up Internet On Mac
Knowing how to boost internet speed not only makes loading webpages and watching YouTube videos faster but also improves the WiFi signal reception throughout your space. You should start with simple solutions like checking your WiFi speed and restarting your router and gradually move towards more complicated ones like switching frequencies and updating firmware. Let’s go through the whole process step by step.
Test your WiFi speed
To understand the severity of your WiFi issues, the first thing you have to do is see how fast your WiFi signal actually is and then compare it to the speed you actually pay your ISP (internet service provider) for:
- Visit speedtest.net
- Click Go
Restart your WiFi router
The easiest solution for how to make WiFi faster is to simply reset your router. Find where the router is in your space (often connected to a cable or phone line). On the back, the device should have an on/off button — press it to turn the router off and then again to turn it back on. Wait for about 30 seconds and check if this WiFi speed booster option worked on the speedtest.net website.
Check your network diagnostics
If you see that your Mac WiFi booster is underperforming or not working at all, you can ask your Mac for advice too:
- Hold down Option and click on the WiFi icon in your menu bar
- Select Open Wireless Diagnostics
- Click Continue
- Follow the instructions given
Additionally, try switching web browsers (e.g. between Google Chrome, Safari, and Firefox) or use an Ethernet cable to connect to your router directly. If the cable doesn’t work, it means that the problem is either with the router itself or the internet connection to your house and not limited to just WiFi. Call your ISP.
Analyze your WiFi coverage
It’s entirely possible that you’ll get a better answer to how to improve internet speed in your house if you take some time to analyze how evenly your WiFi actually covers your home (or office). To do so properly, however, you need a high-quality WiFi booster for Mac.
NetSpot is a robust Mac WiFi network analyzer that will scan all the nearby connections and give you every data point you need to know for troubleshooting. In addition, the app lets you upload a map of your space (or even draw one) to check your coverage precisely and see where the signal breaks down.
Adjust your WiFi router
Since you now have a clear WiFi coverage map, you can start physically moving your router a bit closer to the areas where the coverage is poor. A few guidelines to help you:
- Position the router away from outside walls and as centrally as possible
- If you have more than one floor in your space, putting the router on the top floor will work better than keeping it on the ground one
- If you don’t have much leeway moving the router around, at least make sure to elevate it in its place as much as possible
- Remove any obstructions between your router and your space (e.g. don’t hide it in a closet)
- For routers with antennas, make sure to point them straight up or in the direction where the WiFi signal is weakest
Remove non-essential devices
Another idea for how to speed up WiFi is to simply disconnect all the extra devices you don’t need to be on your network. If it’s in your office, maybe you can limit the number of phones that are connected to the network at any given time. In your home, maybe it’s worth disconnecting your Xbox, printer, or a laptop that you don’t use very much.
Update router firmware
Most of the time, your router gets automatic updates. But sometimes outdated router firmware might not let you boost WiFi signal appropriately, so you need to update it manually:
- Find your router admin settings on the back (192.168.x.xxx), along with username and password
- Type the number into your URL address bar in the browser and log in
- See if there’s an upgrade to your router available
How To Download Mac Apps
Use a 5 GHz WiFi band
Most routers now support two different WiFi bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. How do I know which WIFI channel is best? Since nearly every device uses the 2.4 GHz frequency by default, including all the gadgets your neighbours have, it could help to switch to the 5 GHz one to see better results. The 5 GHz band is also able to send more data, although it’s not as good at going through walls as 2.4 GHz.
You can create a 5 GHz band network right from your router’s admin panel. Make sure to give it a distinctive name or just add 5 GHz at the end so you can differentiate between the two. Once done, go to System Preferences ➙ Network ➙ Advanced and move the newly created network to the top to automatically connect to it first.
Buy a new WiFi router
If you need more ideas for how to increase WiFi speed, why not look into updating your router? It’s likely that your device came for free with your ISP and, chances are, it’s a bit outdated and not that powerful.
The standard router denomination is 802.11. While most old routers are 802.11g and 802.11n, you really want to get the latest 802.11ac one, which handles queries like video streaming much better. You might even call your ISP and ask to update your current router for free, if possible.
Extend your WiFi network
The best answer by far to how to make WiFi stronger in a large house or space is to get a WiFi signal booster on Mac. Essentially, what it does is accept a weak WiFi signal and amplify it in the parts of your home where reception is not good otherwise.
There are lots of alternatives for WiFi extenders on the market. TP-Link RE220 presents a good and low-cost option you can spread out through your home as does Netgear Nighthawk X6 EX7700. But how do you know where you need to boost WiFi signal exactly?
WiFi Explorer is a complete monitoring solution for your internet connection. Launch this app from the various spots in your home and it will perform a complete analysis of your area, including all the networks, channels, bands, download speeds, and more. Then place WiFi speed boosters anywhere you see signal degradation.
Create an LTE hotspot
In case you’re trying to figure out how to boost WiFi speed while your WiFi is down, you still need access to the internet. Initiating a hotspot from your iPhone is a logical way out, but you need to make sure that your Mac is using the LTE network only for troubleshooting and doesn’t automatically go downloading some irrelevant update.
TripMode is a handy menu bar utility that restricts your Mac’s internet connecting to save you precious data. For example, you can only allow access to Safari and block your backup software or media downloader. You also automatically see the amount of data being used and stay in control to avoid any surcharge on your phone plan.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways for how to boost WiFi signal on Mac, from adjusting the positioning of your router to using apps like WiFi Explorer and NetSpot to find the best frequency to connect to. Even in case your WiFi is completely down, you can use TripMode to find a solution via your iPhone hotspot.
Best of all, NetSpot, WiFi Explorer, and TripMode are available to you absolutely free for seven days via Setapp, a platform with more than 170 Mac apps for any task you could ever encounter. Sign up today and download and explore for yourself — at no cost!
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