How to Speed up File Downloads on Mac Computers

Downloading files can sometimes be an ordeal if the time it takes is excessively long (and if you are in a hurry, even longer). In this article we will review the best tips that you should apply if you want to download files on Mac in a much faster way. Many of them have to do with the connection itself, but they also have to do with certain settings and tools present in macOS.

Tips to always keep in mind

There are a series of factors that, to a greater or lesser extent, directly interfere with the fact that the downloads you make on your Mac may be more or less fast. Below we detail these elements that you should always take into consideration to help your computer be faster in these tasks.

Speed up File Downloads on Mac Computers

Always have the latest software

Having macOS updated has many benefits, such as being able to enjoy the latest visual and functional novelties of the system, as well as having secured security patches that protect the device. However, it also intervenes in the fact of giving stability to the system and improving a multitude of processes, among which it also stands out having an improvement in the internet connection, either via WiFi or cable. Obviously the hardware will remain the same, but the software should be in its latest version so that it can be maximized.

Remember that you must go to System Preferences> Software Update to find the latest version of macOS ready for download and subsequent installation. If that menu does not appear, it is probably because you have a version equal to or earlier than macOS High Sierra (10.13), in which case you must go to the App Store and enter the “Updates” tab.

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Internet router checks

Another of the main architects of the internet connection and possibly the most important, is the router that allows you to connect. Regardless of whether your company is offering you fiber optic or ADSL services, the latter being lower in speeds than the first, there are a series of tips that you should take into account to verify that it is at full capacity.

The first of all is to carry out an internet speed test that allows you to know exactly what figures your computer is reaching. This could also help you to consult your telephone operator if there is any incident in case you are experiencing a lower speed than the contracted one, being able to even detect if the router could have some kind of problem that requires replacing or repairing it.

router

The most advisable thing is to always be connected by cable because this is how you get a higher speed and the downloads will be much faster, but in any case you must make sure that it is in good condition. If you use a WiFi network for this, it is advisable that you are at a good distance from the router and that, sporadically, if it is for a heavy download in particular, you consider bringing the Mac closer to being able to connect it by cable.

Check how many devices are connected

This point is important, since the more devices you have connected to the network, the slower the connection will be on them. There are some accessories such as home automation devices and others that do not have such a high consumption, but that together in the end can cause you to notice a certain delay. If your router offers a single network, unfortunately you will not be able to do anything, since we understand that disconnecting the rest of the devices can be too much a hassle, although if it is to do it on time in a Mac download, you could do it.

Now, if your router offers more than one WiFi network, it is advisable that you connect your Mac only to the best of the networks, thus prioritizing that the highest speed is that of the computer. It will also be important that you check the security of the router in order to prevent other people from accessing it, for which the essential thing is to have a strong password.

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MacOS tweaks to speed up the internet

There are certain adjustments or tips related to the operating system and the programs used that can be very helpful when trying to download faster.

Choose well the browser you are going to use

Fortunately, there are many internet browsers that we find available in macOS, either within the App Store or through the official pages of the developers. Google Chrome , despite consuming a lot of RAM resources, is one of the most efficient at it. The lesser-known Yandex is also surprising for being one of the fastest, although in the end the most recommended browser ends up being the native Safari .

The browser developed by Apple itself is one of the most efficient in macOS and has very good speed rates when downloading files, even when they are very heavy. Although if you use this you should make certain adjustments such as deleting the cache it has stored in order to optimize its performance even more. Although in the end the important thing is that it is updated , something that goes hand in hand with the version of macOS, so if it is updated, the browser will also be.

Safari en un MacBook

Close the apps you don’t use

We normally use dozens of applications on devices such as the Mac and, today, the vast majority require an internet connection to work. Although some may not consume excessively when they are being used directly, the truth is that being in the background they continue to consume and although it is true that individually it is not too much, as a whole they can affect.

That is why we recommend closing them correctly , and that the closure is complete and not simply by means of the corresponding button in the upper left part of the window. To close it completely it is recommended that, while in it, you press the command + Q key combination. You can also force exit as an alternative or if the program does not respond when closing, having to go to the Apple menu in the upper left corner, place where this option will appear.

forzar salida mac

Disable some login items

When you turn on your Mac there are certain programs or actions that, by default, are activated and start working without you having to open or activate them in any way. Many of these require connecting to the internet and are therefore strong candidates to consume the internet and slow down downloads. If you disable those that are not necessary you will win twice, since in addition to faster internet, you will also enjoy faster browsing through the system.

To do this you must go to System Preferences> Users and groups and go to the “Startup Items” tab. Once here you will be able to see all the elements that start when you turn on the Mac. To delete them, just select them with the pointer and then press the ‘-‘ button at the bottom. It is possible that during some part of this process you will be required to enter your user’s password. After this you can restart the computer and those elements that you deleted will no longer open automatically.

item de inicio mac

Prevent iCloud syncing

Having iCloud synchronized with the Mac is very interesting to be able to always have the changes made on other devices available in relation to photos, notes, calendars, reminders and even files from iCloud Drive. That is why deactivating it can be counterproductive on many occasions . However, it can be an important benefit when it comes to speeding up downloads, so it is recommended that you temporarily disable it when you want to perform this task.

To do this you just have to go to System Preferences> Apple ID . Once you are here you should go to the “iCloud” tab and uncheck all those apps that you want that are not continuously synchronizing and therefore consuming the internet. We insist that this may not be positive if you want to have certain information at hand, but luckily you can then follow the same settings route to activate it again once you have finished the download.

sincronizacion icloud mac

What to do if the file is very heavy

There are times that not even applying all these tips will make the download fast, which happens especially when the file is very large or the servers on which the download depends are very slow. In these cases the best recommendation is to arm yourself with patience, although there are a couple of settings that we advise you to configure if you do not want to be aware of it and that the Mac turns off.

The first of these settings is to configure the economizer of the Mac, especially if you have a MacBook and you want it not to consume excess battery (despite having it connected to the power). For this reason, you must go to System Preferences> Energy Saver and configure that the screen goes to sleep after the minutes you consider, although you must have the “Activate the computer to allow access to the network” box checked so that, as indicated in the name, the computer is still connected to the internet even when it goes to sleep.

economizador mac

Another option that we advise you is to program the automatic shutdown of the Mac if you want it to be when the download is finished. Of course, this can be “dangerous” if we consider that the computer can be turned off before the download is finished, so we advise you to add more time in the configuration than the download itself, in order to make sure that it is not will turn off earlier. You can also configure this from the previous settings panel, only in this case you must go to the “Schedule” tab.