Just like any other machine, computers require routine maintenance, too. If you notice that your Macbook Air or Macbook Pro is running slow, there are steps you can take to restore your laptop to its previous speeds. Here are some Macbook maintenance tips:

Disk Utility

The Utilities folder found under Applications is a treasure trove of helpful tools that can improve your computer. One of the most useful is called Disk Utility. Every few months, or as needed, open up Disk Utility and go to the Fist Aid tab. When you're there, first run the option labeled Repair Disk Permissions. When that is completed, click on Repair Disk. These may take some time, especially if your hard drive is running near capacity, so make sure you have time to spare before you run these options, as they cannot be aborted.

Software Update

Keeping your software up to date is one of the most important things you can do with your computer to make it run better. Apple's programmers are always working on improving their software and fixing bugs, so updates ensure that you will benefit from these enhancements. Click on the apple in the menu bar in the top left corner of the screen and select Software Update or open up the Mac App Store and head to the Update page. Some updates require you to restart your computer in order to take effect, so make sure you save your work before proceeding.

Restart

One of the benefits of having a Macbook is the ability to put it to sleep by closing the screen and then flipping it open at a later time, picking up right where you left off. While that is perfectly fine to do with your laptop, it's always a good idea to shut down or restart it once a week. The longer it remains on, the more things begin to slow it down, so it's always good reboot and start fresh. 

Login Items

Ever wonder why a recently installed application automatically starts when you turn on your computer? Some applications are set to start up this way by default. While this can sometimes be helpful, too many will slow down your startup process and your computer's overall performance. 

Luckily there's a way to fix this without uninstalling the program. Click on the apple in the menu bar and go to System Preferences. When that window pops up, select Users & Groups and then click on the Login Items tab. From here you have the option to stop items from starting up automatically by clicking on the check box in the Hide column next to the application. Unless it's something you absolutely need, hiding all of them will provide for the smoothest experience.

Backup

With the increased importance of data security to businesses, having your information backed up is essential. These will allow you to quickly recover from potential disasters and decrease the downtime of your business operations. Luckily, Macbooks make that process easier.

First, purchase a Mac compatible external hard drive that has at least the same capacity as your laptop. Then open up Time Machine (it can either be in the dock, at the top right corner of the screen in the menu bar or under System Preferences). This create snapshots of your hard drive and then backs it up at regular intervals you can set based on your needs. You can also backup manually as needed using Time Machine, which is recommended before you do any major software update.

If you are interested in learning more about the functionality of the latest Apple devices, or are looking to upgrade to a new computer, contact PortableOne today!