7 Common Mac Computer Repair Ideas to Refresh an Old Mac

Updated on January 14, 2022
Opened laptop, cell phone, cup of coffee and pen on wooden table

Regardless of how expensive your Mac is, it’s not immune to the wear-and-tear effects of time. Sooner or later, time will take its toll on your Mac. When it does, what used to run like a beast will now run like a beast of burden.

The hallmarks of an outdated Mac is when it runs really slow and can no longer support the latest macOS software. However, that doesn’t mean you should toss your Mac in the trash, well maybe not just yet.

Sometimes, a Mac computer repair is all you need to make your Mac run as good as new. Here are a few Mac repairs to try out and bring some fresh life into your aging device and make it run faster. 

1. Clean Your Mac

A great place to start your Mac refresh is with a thorough cleanup. Just cleaning your Mac could go a long way in boosting your Mac’s performance. 

A good Mac cleanup is more than just the usual wiping of the casing; it also involves using an electric blower to get rid of the dust inside the Mac. This could dramatically improve your Mac’s performance and also prevent further complications in the future.

You also get that new Mac look if you do a bang-up job. If you want to make your Mac new the right way, then start from the outside-in.

2. Get a New SSD

Your Mac most likely has a mechanical hard drive, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, the more recent solid-state drives are way better.

The difference between hard drives and solid-state drives is in their internal parts. The latter has no moving parts, unlike the former. This means that the internal SSD parts cannot wear and tear because they do not move.

An SSD is less likely to underperform over time and is generally much faster. Swapping out your hard drive for an SSD is relatively simple and should take no more than five minutes for old Mac models. 

For the newer models, the hard drive may be soldered to the logic board and is much more difficult to swap out. If that’s the case, then you should take it to the Mac repair shop.

3. Reinstall macOS

A fresh start for you Mac is as easy as installing the Mac OS again.  A simple reinstall could clear up all the clutter and address any issues with the current OS.  

For the greatest effect, couple your macOS reinstallation with your new SSD, and the performance will blow you away. Reinstalling the macOS doesn’t mean you have to get rid of all your personal data and important files. All it does is overwrite the system files which have nothing to do with your personal data.

4. Update Your macOS

If your Mac still receives updates from Apple, then maybe all your Mac needs is a good old software update. That’s because these latest OS updates have improvements and fixes to various bugs and crashes from the previous operating systems. 

Note that an OS update could sometime take up to 16 hours or more. As such, it’s best to schedule your OS for a free day or do the update overnight.  That way, the update doesn’t disrupt your work schedule or any schedule for that matter.

The latest macOS is bound to take even longer, so that’s something you should keep in mind. Also, before you update your macOS, make sure your Mac meets the system requirements. You can check out the latest Mac Big Sur OS system requirements on https://setapp.com/lifestyle/what-are-the-macos-11-big-sur-system-requirements

5. Switch Your Browser

If your Mac is running extremely slow, then the culprit could be none other than the browser. Chrome has roughly 310 million users from around the world and boasts a large market share of the browser market. 

Chrome is undoubtedly a super-fast browser, but it could be slowing down your Mac. Google Sync and backup and other Chrome features could significantly drain your battery and performance. You’ll probably notice it whenever you fire up Chrome that you can no longer multi-task as seamlessly as you did before.

Despite your attachment to Chrome, you might want to consider switching to Safari or Firefox for better performance. Firefox has been working steadily to improve its performance and can now boast mind-blowing speeds even for the very heavy sites. 

Try switching to either Safari or Firefox, and see how it works for you. If you can’t give up Chrome, then you should try adjusting how you work and open fewer tabs.

6. Delete Your Old Apps

If you want your old Mac running like new, then you might need to do some decluttering. You probably have several apps that you never use, and they’re hurting your Mac’s performance. 

So what’s the solution? You should get rid of them, of course.

A lot of these apps are just wasting your Mac’s resources and making it extremely slow. You can download a cleanup tool and just drag and drop all the apps you want to remove. You can also do it the old-fashioned-way and delete the apps from your file directory.

If you opt for the latter, make sure you don’t delete any crucial system files. 

7. Increase Your RAM

Increased RAM is an excellent complement to your new SSD and OS. You can think of a new SSD as a performance booster that makes programs run faster. More RAM, on the other hand, enables your RAM to run more programs at once.

Increasing your RAM allows you to do many things at once without hurting your Mac’s performance. This is especially ideal for heavy Mac users like graphic designers and serious gamers. You can find more here.

Restore Your Old Mac’s Performance With Mac Computer Repair

You don’t have to live with an old and rusty Mac. Simple Mac computer repair can revitalize your Mac and make it brand new.  All you have to do now is follow our instructions to the letter, and you’ll have a brand new Mac in no time.

Technology accelerates at incredible speeds, and most Apple heads can’t wait to see what the next macOS has in store. While you wait, you should check out other enticing reads on all matters technology on our site.

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.