Mac: my Mac is slow or shows the spinning wheel
The spinning rainbow wheel means your Mac is busy and cannot keep up with what you have asked it to do. Most of the time the cause is simple and you can fix it yourself.
Wait, then check which app is the problem
If the wheel appears only in one app, give it a minute or two. If it stays, see our Force Quit guide.
Restart your Mac
Many Macs are left running for weeks, which slowly clogs them up. Click the Apple menu in the top left, then choose Restart. Save your work first.
Find what is using the power
- Open Activity Monitor. Press Command and Space, type Activity Monitor and press Return.
- Click the CPU tab, then click the % CPU heading to sort the list.
- Look at the top few entries. If an app you do not need is using a lot, close it normally first.
Only use the cross button in Activity Monitor on apps you recognise. Never end something you do not know.
Reduce what starts up with your Mac
Open System Settings, then General, then Login Items. On older versions this is System Preferences, then Users & Groups, then Login Items. Remove apps you never use by selecting them and clicking the minus button.
Check storage and updates
A Mac that is nearly full runs slowly. Go to System Settings, General, then Storage to see how much room is left. Also check Software Update in the same General section, as updates often include speed fixes.
Other common causes
- Too many browser tabs open at once. Close the ones you are not using.
- An older Mac that does not have much memory (RAM). Newer apps may simply be too demanding for it.
When to get more help
Contact us if the wheel appears constantly even after a restart, if your Mac is more than about eight years old and struggles with everyday tasks, or if you hear loud fans or notice the Mac getting very hot. We can check whether a clean-up, more storage or a replacement makes the most sense.