5 Ways to Maximize Security Without Compromising Your Mac’s Performance
With the world going digital, it is important to keep your Mac secure and maintain performance. Most people believe that using state-of-the-art privacy and encryption software to secure their devices will slow them down, but that is not necessarily true. By making some changes and utilizing certain functions, it is possible to enhance the level of security on your Mac greatly while still maintaining its pace and effectiveness.
Enable Full Disk Encryption (Without Impacting Speed)
Enabling full disk encryption is one of the initial measures to enhance the security of your Mac and make sure that no one can access your files when the device gets lost or stolen. Mac users are lucky to have some added advantage in the form of FileVault which is an encryption tool. But does it impact performance?
The short answer is no — modern Macs are designed to handle full disk encryption with minimal impact on performance. FileVault on Mac works by encrypting your start-up disk using a password. Although this might lead to some little delay while logging in for the first time, it is almost impossible to notice any difference in the regular usage. On top of that, most modern Macs are now equipped with SSDs which have further enhanced the encryption performance, making it almost transparent.
Pro Tip: To avoid slowing down your Mac during encryption, switch on FileVault and leave it for the night so that encryption can run without interfering with your regular tasks.
Keep macOS and Apps Up to Date
Updating your operating system and applications is crucial for security. These updates usually come with patches to fix any weaknesses that may be exploited by hackers. Even though macOS updates may appear bothersome, they are vital in ensuring the security of your device.
It is a good thing that macOS updates do not affect the performance of the computer so much. Most of the time, these updates can even be set to update automatically while your Mac is not being used; as such, there is little or no need for you to be concerned about reducing your efficiency. The same applies to App Store applications which will update by themselves unless you decide to turn off this feature.
Pro Tip: Regularly check for updates under “System Preferences > Software Update” and enable automatic updates to ensure your system is always protected without extra effort.
Use Strong Passwords and Enable Two-Factor Authentication
To help in securing your accounts, strong passwords as well as two-factor authentications (2FAs) are very important. Although it may be difficult to remember complicated passwords, a password manager can help with that. For instance, Keychain Access is a tool found on macOS that stores your passwords safely and even helps create strong ones; therefore, one does not need to fear using poor security measurements on this matter.
Two-factor authentication is another layer of protection. By enabling 2FA on your Apple ID and other important accounts (such as email or banking), you significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
The good news? Both password management and 2FA don’t consume much of your Mac’s resources. Once configured, they provide excellent protection without hindering performance.
Pro Tip: Use the built-in password manager, iCloud Keychain, to manage all your passwords, and enable 2FA wherever possible to keep your accounts secure.
Manage Your Privacy Settings
You can use macOS privacy settings to stop applications from monitoring you and also restrict them from accessing some of your personal information. In the system preferences, there is a section “Security & Privacy” that allows you to deny entry to sensitive information such as; location, contacts, or camera data.
Additionally, macOS includes features like the "App Store" that ensures only verified apps are installed, minimizing the risk of malware or unwanted tracking software.
You can fine-tune these settings under “System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy” and selectively allow or deny permissions for apps. By being selective about which apps can access what, you’re reducing your exposure to security threats without affecting performance.
Pro Tip: Regularly review and adjust app permissions, especially after installing new software, to ensure you’re not giving unnecessary access to your sensitive data.
Use a Lightweight Antivirus and Anti-Malware Program
Despite the fact that macOS is based on Unix and is generally believed to be secure from viruses and malwares, every operating system is vulnerable. To enhance security, it would be advisable to use a lightweight, effective anti-malware or antivirus software.
Consider the system resources that the antivirus software consumes before making your choice. Most of the leading Mac antiviruses have been optimized to ensure that they run smoothly without affecting the performance of your operating system.
Pro Tip: Choose antivirus programs that are specifically designed for macOS to ensure they don’t unnecessarily slow down your system. Opt for software that has real-time scanning, but allows you to customize the scanning schedule to avoid performance hiccups.
Summary
You can increase the security of your Mac without compromising its performance. To achieve this, make use of the in-built encryption, keep on updating your OS, and also follow some tips such as using strong passwords and two-factor authentication. By leveraging on MacOS privacy configuration, installing lightweight security tools and watching out for newly added applications on your system, you will be sure that the performance of your Mac is not compromised.