How Can We Help?
Backup your computer
- Before doing anything major to your computer, backup your files — you could lose everything.
Turn the computer off regularly
- At least once a week, to give your computer a break
- Closing the lid isn’t sufficient; that only puts it to sleep
- Apple – Shut Down to turn off completely
Getting Rid of Junk
Applications
- More apps means more to run, slowing down the computer
- Quit any apps that you aren’t using (save first)
- The ‘x’ closes the current window, not the app.
- Open apps on the dock are indicated by a black dot underneath
- Keep control of browser tabs
- Each tab is a complete app
- Browser tab tips
- Avoid unnecessary browser extensions
- If there’s anything you don’t recognize or shouldn’t have, get rid of it.
- Organize desktop items into folders
- File icons take work to render, unless stored in closed folders.
- Right click desktop to make a folder
- Also good for organization
Files
- Files take up memory
- Leftover memory is used to run programs
- Trash obsolete files
- Drag to the trash can (end of dock)
- Remember to empty trash, and reboot, to reclaim the space
- If you’re worried, you can store old files in backup.
- Deciding what to get rid of
- Scan for viruses or spyware
- Be wary of downloads and suspicious files/emails
- To scan, use Sophos Home or Malware Bytes
- Only update from the App Store
- You can also upgrade the MacOS (see tech office)