How to Fix a Slow MacBook Pro: The Manual Methods

Method 1: Manage login items to tune startup times

Method 2: Clear off cluttered Desktop items & Dashboard widgets

Method 3: Clean up hard drive to free up more disk space

Method 4: Verify and repair disk permissions with Disk Utility

Method 5: Lighten web browsers to improve Internet surfing

Method 6: Identify and knock out heavy apps/processes with Activity Monitor

Method 7: Reset SMC and NVRAM to fix odd hardware errors

Method 8: Update Macbook system to the latest OS X

Method 9: Disable fancy features in exchange for performance

Method 10: Upgrade hardware (RAM, SSD) to have a real boost