Many macOS users have been complaining about Monterey slowing down their computers, and reducing GPU performance. Judging by users’ reports, it seems that Monterey 12.3 has made the matter worse. Video editing programs may sometimes become so laggy that they’re almost unusable. Some users noticed their eGPUs had a 40% cut in performance after upgrading to the latest Monterey version. Let’s discuss what could be causing this issue and how you can fix it.
What to Do if Monterey Is Slowing Down Your Mac
Roll Back to a Previous macOS Version
If your Mac is unusable, try rolling back to a previous macOS version. Many users confirmed that going back to Monterey 12.2 solved the problem for them. It seems that the latest Monterey release is plagued by an unexpected bug that drastically reduces GPU performance. The quickest way to solve this problem is to roll back to Big Sur or other macOS versions while waiting for Apple to patch this bug.
Don’t forget to back up your data before rolling back to an older macOS version. If something goes wrong during the downgrade process, you’ll be able to recover your data.
There are two main ways to go back to an older macOS version: use Time Machine or Internet Recovery.
The simplest way is to use an earlier Time Machine backup. Keep in mind that when you restore from a backup, you’ll delete all the data from your startup disk. Unfortunately, this option is not available if you failed to create a backup before upgrading to Monterey.
Follow the on-screen prompts to restore your Time Machine backup
If you want to use Internet Recovery, turn off your Mac. Then, restart it and press Alt, Command, and R to enable Internet Recovery Mode. Select Reinstall macOS and hit the Install button to reinstall the original macOS version your computer shipped with.
Keep in mind that M1 Macs don’t support Internet Recovery which means that you can only go back to Big Sur. Older macOS versions are not available on M1 devices.
Close Unnecessary Background Processes
Background apps and programs can eat up lots of CPU, GPU, and disk resources. If your Mac is running low on resources, performance gets affected.
Identify and force-stop resource-hogging programs, and check if you notice any improvements.
Go to Utilities
Select the Activity Monitor
Click on the CPU tab
Locate the resource-hogging apps running on your machine
Hit the X button to force-stop them
Additionally, make sure your Mac is not overheating. Check the vents, and make sure they’re not obstructed.
Declutter Your Mac
Make sure you have enough free space on your MacBook. You need at least 35GB for Monterey to run without any hiccups on your machine. Delete junk files, uninstall the programs you no longer use, and delete large video files that take up a lot of storage space. Go to your Downloads folder and remove all the files you no longer need.
Click on the Apple Menu and select About this Mac. Select the Storage option and hit the Managebutton. Click on Store in iCloud to move your files, photos, and messages into the cloud and free up more space on your disk.
Additional options you can use to declutter your Mac:
Optimize Storage (removes Apple TV files and TV programs you already watched)
Empty Bin Automatically (deletes Trash files after 30 days)
Reduce Clutter (deletes the files you no longer need)
Reset NVRAM or PRAM
Resetting your NVRAM can help you fix a wide range of glitches, including the issue where your Mac is too slow.
Shut down your Mac
Turn it back on and immediately press Option, Command, P, and R simultaneously
Hold down these four keys for about 20 seconds
Release them after the second startup sound or after the Apple logo appears on the screen for the second time
Conclusion
To fix the issue where Monterey slows down your Mac, go back to a previous macOS version. Then, force-stop all the unnecessary programs running in the background. Additionally, delete your junk files, and uninstall the programs you no longer use to declutter your Mac. If the problem persists, reset NVRAM or PRAM.
Which of these solutions helped you make your Mac snappy again? Let us know in the comments below.
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