Macs® can run well for years after you purchase them. However, even the best computers can get slow and sluggish with enough use. Here are some tips to keep your Mac® running well for years and years to come. 

1) Cut down on programs and utilities running in the background of the computer –  Some of these utilities can be printers, location enablers, file sharing networks, at home cloud-based services to the internet, or other programs that need to send or receive data. These programs and utilities usually will run in the background of your machine and take up RAM. This will in turn slow your computer down. If you look at the upper right corner of your screen, you will notice that many icons are lined up in the navigation bar next to your battery and Wi-Fi icons. If you see a lot of icons up there, then it's most likely they are the reason for your computer’s sluggish performance. 

2) Backup your data weekly – If your Mac® is crashing, having hard drive issues, or facing other issues that could jeopardize your data, make sure to backup your data to prevent losing any precious images or important personal documents. As long as you backup your data every week or two you can save yourself from losing those files or memorable pictures that you haven't stored anywhere else. One option is a permanent Time Machine® backup. This basically clones your entire hard drive so you can easily restore your computer to its former self. You can also just drag and drop data and pictures into an external hard drive to selectively save and backup those documents most important to you.

3) Clean out your old files on your Mac® - Oftentimes a slimmer MacBook® laptop means a laptop with less storage space, so it is important to clean it out and declutter the space in your computer. Set up a day once or twice a month to clean out old files – videos, mp3 files, photos, word documents, and more. By doing this you increase hard drive space and keep your computer running smoothly. It’s always recommended to have a minimum of 10 percent free space on your hard disk but more available space would be better. If you happened to use up all your hard drive space, then a regular cleaning is of the utmost importance. Your Mac® computer works better if it is not cluttered with too many unnecessary files and utilities.

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From North Andover, MA to Andover, MA to Peabody, MA, Lynnfield, MA to North Reading, MA, to Reading, MA and all around the Middleton, MA and Danvers, MA area, Experimac Middleton is the trusted local source for pre-owned Apple® products and repairs. We frequently see visitors from Saugus, MA; Lynn, MA; Lawrence, MA, and even parts of Southern NH or the Metro-Boston area – it goes to show that we are closer to you than you may think!