Slow After macOS Sonoma Update? 8 Fixes to Try

Upgrading to a new version of macOS, such as macOS Sonoma, is usually an enjoyable and exciting experience. We look forward to new features, a fresh look, and fixes for old problems.

However, it can be frustrating when you experience a slow macOS Sonoma after update. If this happens, you can try several possible solutions, starting with the simplest ones. Often, updating your apps on the Mac can make a significant difference.

However, you might have to check different aspects of your system and get rid of incompatible programs. Read on to learn how to fix the macOS Sonoma running slow after update error.

• ⏫Fix 1: Update the app for improved speed on macOS Sonoma
• ?️Fix 2: Optimize Mac performance by emptying the Trash
• ?Fix 3: Quit resource-intensive apps
• ✅Fix 4: Manage startup items to speed up macOS Sonoma
• ⛔Fix 5: Disable Stage Manager on macOS Sonoma
• ?Uninstall incompatible apps
• ?Rebuild the Spotlight index
• ?Reset SMC/PRAM/NVRAM on macOS Sonoma

"Why is Sonoma running slower after the update?"

Slower performance or even crashes after a macOS update is not new to Mac users, and you may have already encountered the issue of your MacBook running slow after the Ventura upgrade.

Sometimes, you might notice a significant slowdown that has you wondering why your Mac isn't running faster after installing the new macOS Sonoma update. After all, an upgrade is supposed to help optimize Mac performance.

Some reasons why your updated macOS Sonoma might be running slow include the items listed in the main article on macOS Sonoma issues.

• Resource-intensive processes: Running multiple heavy-resource processes simultaneously can strain your RAM and CPU, leading to performance issues.
• Incompatible apps: Some applications might not be optimized for Sonoma, which can cause your system to run slower.
• Software bugs: Updates to macOS Sonoma can sometimes introduce software bugs that affect performance.
• Lack of storage space: The upgrade process requires free space, and if your Mac's storage is limited, you might not have enough room to ensure smooth operation.

In most cases, the fix is both simple and quick. But in some instances, more may be required, for example, to meet specific system requirements, and we will address those next.

How to Fix Sluggish Performance After the macOS Sonoma Update

If you're experiencing slow performance after updating to Sonoma, don't worry – there are several ways you can speed up Sonoma on your Mac.

To avoid losing data after the issue is fixed, it's recommended that you back up important data using Time Machine or a comprehensive data recovery tool like Data Recovery Wizard for Mac Pro.

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Backup Your Mac and Never Lose Data

Back up and restore your MacBook/iMac without using Time Machine, iCloud, or an external hard drive.

They are ranked in order of difficulty and potential impact on Sonoma's efficiency. Let's get started!

Fix 1: Update your apps to speed up macOS Sonoma Keeping your applications up to date is crucial for optimizing the performance of macOS Sonoma. Developers regularly release updates to enhance software performance, fix issues, and improve compatibility. Here's how to update your apps: 1. Open the "App Store." 2. Click on the "Updates" tab in the top-right corner. 3. Check if there are any available updates. If so, click "Update All" or select individual apps you want to update, then click the "Update" button. 4. Wait for the updates to download and install. Ensuring that all critical system components and third-party apps are updated to their latest versions will contribute to improving the overall system performance.

When a new version of macOS comes out, developers usually update their apps to work better with the new system. If your apps aren't updated to their latest versions, that could be one reason your Mac is running slow.

You can update apps from the App Store using the Updates tab. To update other apps:

Step 1: Open the App Store on your Mac. Click on the App Store name in the menu bar.

Step 2: Choose the Check for Updates option.

Sometimes you might encounter an unresponsive App Store, and this article will help you address the issue effectively.

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Solutions to Fix App Store Not Working on Mac: 5 Quick Fixes and 4 Practical Fixes

This article discusses how to fix issues with the App Store not working on macOS Monterey/Ventura/Sonoma. Read More >>

Fix 2: Optimize Mac performance by emptying the Trash

One common reason that a Mac runs slowly is lack of storage space. The upgrade process takes up some of that, and you may then not have enough room left for your Mac to run other apps smoothly. So, it's a good idea to free up space on your Mac before you start.

The best way to free up storage space is to “Empty the Trash” or Force Empty Trash on Mac. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Click the Apple icon in the top menu bar and select “About This Mac.”

Step 2: Choose Storage > Manage.

Step 3: Turn on “Empty Trash Automatically” so that items in the Trash are deleted after 30 days.

Manually cleaning can be time-consuming and laborious. Moreover, you won't get as thorough a clean as with a Mac cleaner, so you might delete files with no change to your Mac's storage.

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Deleted Files on Mac but Still No Space: 4 Solutions

This article will help you fix the issue of not having enough space on your Mac even after deleting files. Read More >>

Solution 3: Quit apps that use a lot of resources

Resource-heavy tasks can significantly slow down your Mac, and running too many of them at once can cause your system to crash or overheat. Try not to run too many resource-heavy tasks at the same time.

You can use the Activity Monitor to quickly identify and stop these tasks. Here's how:

Step 1: Launch Activity Monitor using Launchpad or Spotlight.

Step 2: Check the Processes under CPU and Memory for anything that looks out of place.

Step 3: Click on the unresponsive program, then select “Force Quit” or “Force Quit Application” to stop the program.

Force Quit via Activity Monitor

If the Force Quit button on your Mac isn't working, don't worry! Read on to fix your issue.

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Force Quit Not Working on MacBook Pro/Air

This article explores various methods to force quit an app that's not responding. Read More >>

Solution 4: Manage Startup Items to Speed Up macOS Sonoma

If your Mac starts up slowly, it might be because many apps open at startup. To speed things up, you can prevent apps from opening automatically. Here's how:

First, click the Apple icon and choose “System Preferences.”

Click “System Preferences.”

Step 2: Choose “Users & Groups” > “Login Items.”

Step 3: Find apps that you don't want to run at startup

Step 4: Select those apps and tap the “-” button at the bottom to remove them from the list.

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Fix 5: Turn off Stage Manager on macOS Sonoma

If you use multiple apps at once, you might want to avoid the Stage Manager. When you use it for multitasking, it shows previews of all currently unused apps.

And it's resource-intensive. Some users have reported that Stage Manager eats up a lot of RAM, which can slow down a Mac.

If speed remains an issue, you can temporarily turn it off to see if that helps. If you find that Stage Manager isn't the culprit, you can turn it back on. Here's how to disable Stage Manager:

Step one: Click the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen and open “System Preferences.”

Step 3: Scroll down the right sidebar until you find “Stage Manager.”

Step 4: Switch the toggle to Off for “Stage Manager.”

After going through these steps, check your system's performance. If you don't notice an immediate improvement, consider restarting your system to ensure a full reset and clear any related processes from memory.

Fix 6: Uninstall incompatible programs

If any of your apps need updating, your Mac might run slower on Sonoma. Usually, these apps still need optimization for Sonoma, but updates are typically on the way.

Sometimes an app might run without your knowledge, especially if it starts when you turn on your Mac. To find the problem app:

Press “Option + Command + Esc.” This will open the “Force Quit Applications” window.

The shortcut for Force Quit on a Mac is displayed in the image:

Step 2: Click on each app in the list and choose “Force Quit.” You can select all of them by holding down “Shift” while clicking.

If your MacBook Pro speeds up after that, then one of those apps is the culprit. To find out which one, you'll need to open them one by one and see which one is causing the slow down.

Upon identifying the problematic app:

• You can choose to stop using it, or wait for an update that fixes the problem.
• You can also contact the app's creator and tell them about your issue — they may be able to help.

Be careful when uninstalling apps, especially important ones, and make sure to double-check before removing them. Even after you remove incompatible apps, look for alternatives that are compatible with macOS Sonoma.

Solution 7: Rebuild the Spotlight Index

When you upgrade to macOS Sonoma and start your Mac for the first time, Spotlight has to rebuild its index. This might cause your Mac to run more slowly than usual. If this happens, be patient and let Spotlight finish its work.

Solution 8: Reset the SMC/PRAM/NVRAM on macOS Sonoma

Resetting the SMC can resolve serious issues and improve your Mac's performance. For example, it can help with rapid battery drain, slow performance on macOS Monterey, and specific hardware problems:

Step 1: Turn off your Mac.

It's a good one to try when your Mac is misbehaving. It's harmless, and it might make macOS run a little faster. Here's how to reset the NVRAM/PRAM.

< b > Step 1:</b> Turn off your Mac.

Step 2: Before you see the gray screen, press and hold the Power button, then press and hold Command-Option-P-R.

Step 3: Hold the keys until your Mac restarts.

Step Four: Release all the buttons, and then restart your Mac again.

Additional tip: How to avoid data loss after updating to macOS Sonoma

Backing up your important files, videos, and documents is key to avoiding the frustration of losing data. Data loss can happen for various reasons, such as accidental deletion without a backup, issues after a macOS Monterey update, or a virus attack.

System crashes, hardware failures, accidental shutdowns, and human error are other causes of data loss. That is why having a backup system in place is essential before tackling this problem.

If you've ever lost data, you might be wondering how to recover it. In that case, a powerful Sonoma data recovery software tool like Data Recovery Wizard for Mac is an excellent solution to help you retrieve your data and recover deleted files on macOS Sonoma. Whether you accidentally emptied your Mac's Trash or lost a single Office Word document, this tool can assist in getting your valuable files back.

Please follow these steps to recover lost or deleted data from a backup:

Step 1: Launch Disk Drill for Mac when you're ready to recover data from the disk image. Select “Disk Images” in the sidebar and click “Recover” > “Next.”

Step 2: Locate the DMG file you created earlier, then click “Open.” If your disk image is saved on an external hard drive, you'll need to connect that backup drive to your iMac or MacBook.

Step 3. The tool will immediately start scanning, and you can filter lost files on the left pane. Select all the photos/documents/videos/email that you want to restore and click on “Recover.” You can save the files locally/cloud or even restore them to iCloud by clicking on the “Save” button.

Conclusions

Upgrading to a new macOS is usually an exciting prospect! It can feel like getting a whole new Mac. But sometimes we run into unexpected issues, such as a slow Mac after installing a new macOS.

Creating a backup is crucial before installing new updates to prevent the loss of important data. However, there might be instances where you could encounter data-loss issues even without a backup.

If this happens, you can use a Mac Data Recovery Wizard utility to get your lost music files, photos, documents, emails, and videos back in a matter of minutes.

"Sonoma is running slowly after updating the FAQ."

Here are some common issues that can cause a Mac to run slowly after an update:

1. Why is my Mac running slower after installing the Sonoma update?

If your macOS Sonoma feels sluggish, it might be because it's demanding more of your Mac's CPU and GPU resources. The new features and enhancements in Sonoma require more system resources, which means that some Macs that can run Ventura might not be suitable for Sonoma.

Why has my Mac become so slow after updating to macOS Ventura?

Installing the latest macOS Ventura update on your Mac might lead to performance issues due to some problems and quirks present in this new version. Furthermore, apps and services are still being refined for the new operating system, which can contribute to system performance problems.

Why won't my apps run on my Mac Sonoma?

There can be several reasons why a particular app might not run properly on macOS Sonoma. It could be that the app needs an update to be compatible with macOS Sonoma, which the developer hasn't released yet, or you haven't installed. Another reason could be that some of the files associated with the app have become corrupted.