M1 Macbook applications very slow to load

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M1 Macbook applications very slow to load

I recently upgraded to a MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021), as my 2017 MacBook Pro was getting tired. The hype for the M1 chip was that it was blindingly fast. But I'm not finding that at all - if anything, it seems to be slower, with many apps taking noticeably longer to launch than on my older laptop.

I'm disappointed, but I wonder if there might be something slowing my machine down, or something wrong with the hardware. Any thoughts?

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 12.3

Posted on May 9, 2022 11:08 PM

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Answer 1

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TheLittles

Level 10

192,639 points

May 9, 2022 11:14 PM in response to Paul_C_G

aul_C_G Said:

"I'm disappointed, but I wonder if there might be something slowing my machine down, or something wrong with the hardware. Any thoughts?"

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Troubleshooting Lagging Mac:

A. Try Safe Mode:

In Safe Mode, login items do not run, and corrupt system files(i.e. caches) are intentionally reset as a way to fix issues

Boot: in to Safe Mode: [Hold Down: shift key upon boot].
Log in: as same user
Wait: 30 seconds
Restart; your Mac
Log in: as same user

B. See if your Hard drive is Failing:

What to Try:

Verify your Drive: Repair your Disk in Disk Utility - Apple Support
Go Here: If your Mac Starts Up to an Apple Logo or Progress Bar - Apple Support
Perform the following in Recovery Mode:

Boot: into Recovery Mode. Go Here: How to Use Safe Mode on your Mac- Apple Support
Select: Disk Utility
Select: the Drive
Click: First Aid button

C. Remove Login Items:

While in Safe Mode, remove all of your Login Items, and then restart the Mac. Go Here: Change Users & Groups Login Items Preferences on Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 2

May 11, 2022 8:23 AM in response to Paul_C_G

<< many apps taking noticeably longer to launch than on my older laptop. >>

The important test is not time-to-launch, which can be slightly longer. The important test is whether that are fast enough in daily use.

Your M1 Mac uses Rosetta-2 translation/emulation to run x86 apps. Many x86 Apps will be translated at launch, ONCE.

according to wikipedia:

In addition to the just-in-time (JIT) translation support, Rosetta 2 offers ahead-of-time compilation (AOT), with the x86-64 code fully translated, just once, when an application without a universal binary is installed on an Apple silicon Mac.[9]

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Answer 3

Paul_C_G Author

Level 1

15 points

May 12, 2022 1:39 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Yeah, it's not slightly longer though. We're talking things taking over a minute to start, which might have taken 5 secs with my old intel MBP.

However, I think I've got it sorted. Safe mode made it quite a lot better, and I discovered that one of my login items was the old MenuMeters pref pane. Got rid of that, and things have been a heap better since. Seeming much more snappy, more like what I was expecting.

Thanks!

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Answer 4

Jun 14, 2022 7:49 PM in response to Paul_C_G

I wish had. I could not get the pc to go into safe mode. It would have help if the instructions provided it accurately.

I have an appointment with the “geniuses” tomorrow. If they can’t improve it, it’s back to Costco and back to a more intuitive, speedier system. Apple sucks.

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Answer 5

Paul_C_G Author

Level 1

15 points

Jun 14, 2022 7:55 PM in response to papasmiles

As a followup - it wasn't quite the full fix that I'd initially thought. It still becomes *very* sluggish to open certain programs. Firefox was a real problem, to the point where I abandoned it and moved to Safari. Chrome and Malwarebytes can open quickly, but at times take over a minute to open, occasionally even two minutes.

No idea what's going on there. Clearly very abnormal behaviour.

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Answer 6

Jun 15, 2022 5:58 AM in response to Paul_C_G

Post an Etrecheck report and users can look for any resource hogs or bad Actors or other issues on your Mac:

Using EtreCheck to Troubleshoot Potential… - Apple Community

.

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M1 Macbook applications very slow to load

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