macbook air mid 2012 slow

Downgrading isn't what you need to do. See Basic Steps for Upgrading OS X. Then follow these steps. This will erase the SSD before installing High Sierra 10.13.2. Backup your files before proceeding.

Clean Install of El Capitan or Later on a Clean Disk

1. Restart the computer. Immediately after the chime hold down the Command-Option-Rkeys until a globe appears.
2. The Utility Menu will appear in from 5-20 minutes. Be patient.
3. Select Disk Utility and click on the Continue button.
4. When Disk Utility loads select the drive (usually, the out-dented entry) from the side list.
5. Click on the Erase tab in Disk Utility's main window. A panel will drop down.
6. Set the partition scheme to GUID.
7. Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)
8. Click on the Apply button, then click on the Done button when it activates.
9. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
10. Select Reinstall OS X and click on the Continue button.

This should install the version of OS X that was currently installed. To install the original factory version when the computer was new use Command-Option-Shift-R.

Try running this program in your normal user account, then copy and paste the output in a reply. The program was created by etresoft, a frequent contributor. Please use copy and paste as screen shots can be hard to read. On the screen with Options, please open Options and check the bottom 2 boxes before running. Click “Share Report” button in the toolbar, select “Copy Report” and then paste into a reply. This will show what is running on your computer. No personal information is shown.

Etrecheck – System Information

No.