Applies to: Intego ONE for Mac · SmartClean
If your Mac feels slow or memory/CPU usage is high, these steps will help you find the cause and free up resources
❶ Identify what's using resources
- Open Intego ONE > SmartClean > RAM to see which apps and processes are using the most memory.
- You can also see this list on your Mac by opening your Finder >Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.
- Select CPU to see which apps are using the most processing power, or select Memory to see which apps are using the most memory.
| Note — If Intego ONE is using a lot of resources, check whether it’s scanning your Mac or updating its virus definitions. Wait for the task to finish, then check the usage again. |
➋ Quit apps you aren’t using
Save your work before closing an app. Only close apps you recognize, and don’t quit macOS system processes.
- In SmartClean, open the RAM or CPU section.
- Select an app you aren’t using, then choose Quit Selected, then in the pop up, click Yes, Quit.(or click the … icon next to the item and select Quit [application name]).
- Repeat these steps for other unused apps, starting with those using the most CPU or memory.
➌ Restart your Mac
Restarting closes all running apps and processes. This may reduce high CPU or memory use caused by a temporary problem.
- Select Apple menu > Restart.
- If prompted, turn off Reopen windows when logging back in. This prevents your apps from reopening automatically.
- After your Mac restarts, open Intego ONE > SmartClean.
- Open your other apps one at a time. Check SmartClean after opening each app to see whether its CPU or memory use increases.
➍ Optimize for the long term
- Keep 15–20% of your disk free: This is a general guideline, not a macOS requirement. It gives macOS space for temporary files and virtual memory. If needed, use SmartClean’s Quick Cleanup to free up space.
- Review your login items: Go to System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions. Remove apps you don’t want to open automatically, and turn off unnecessary background items.
- Install updates: Keep macOS and your apps up to date. Updates may fix problems that cause unusually high CPU or memory use.
Still not resolved?
If usage stays high after trying the steps above, Generate a debug log report and submit a request and include:
- How much memory your Mac has and the Memory Used amount shown in Activity Monitor.
- The color of the Memory Pressure graph: green, yellow, or red.
- The names of the apps or processes using the most CPU or memory.
- Whether the high usage is constant or happens only during an activity, such as scanning or updating.
- When the problem started.