Lag in macbook after Tahoe update

Part 1 of 2

Restart in Safe Mode. This will perform a Disk Repair, clear cache files and only load Apple Software, extensions and fonts. The boot up will be slow and can take some time - Normal.

Safe Mode will also eliminate Third Party Software, extensions and drivers from loading. It will only load the Minimum amount of Core Apple Processes to allow the the computer to function at a reduced Level of Performance 

Does the issue present in this mode ?

Sometimes a Safe Boot followed by a Normal Boot will just put things right.

If not - there could be something in the main User Account playing up. To further isolate this - Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac. Then log out of the Main User account and log into the dummy account and test again if the issue persists.

If the issue is present in the dummy account - then, this appears to be a System Wide issue on the computer.

Part 2 of 2

To Drill Down further and to avoid a session of Q&A, Q&A  and Q&A  

Download the Application Etrecheck  ( External Link ) directly from the Developer.

The Application is Not a " Silver Bullet "  and is  only a tool to examine the Hardware / Software used on this computer 

This is a Diagnostic Tool that makes no changes to the computer Hardware / Software used on this computer 

The application is free or paid from added features. 

The Report will Not Reveal Any Personal Information. 

Post back the Full Report - copy and paste - >>>> using the Additional Text Icon ( 3rd Icon to last ) <<<<

I see all these would be M-series... ref: macOS Tahoe is compatible with these computers - Apple Support

A bit disappointing your report as it stands.

Have you shut down and restarted more than once since your upgrade....this will certainly sort some upgrade anomalies.

unplug all non-essential peripherals when testing

Uninstall all third party apps that are Cleaners/Optimizers/VPN/Anti-Virus

all known to cause issues on the macOS

To trouble shoot further you can:

—A SafeBoot Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support will sort many anomalies

Does a quick disk repair before it fully boots up, and certain system caches get cleared and rebuilt, third party system modifications and system accelerations are disabled temporarily.

Login and test. Reboot as normal and test. Caches get rebuilt automatically.

This test will tell you if third party interference; most extensions etc are not loaded in safe boot mode.

—Test issue in another user (or guest user) account Change Users & Groups settings on Mac - Apple Support

This will tell you if it a universal issue or isolated to your user/admin account. 

***wireless keyboard with rechargeable batteries— connect the charging cable, this will make the wired keyboard successful Safe Boot your Mac.

magicf wrote:

I have a Studio computer powered by M2 Max - not a slow machine. I upgraded to Tahoe about 10 days ago and immediately noted sluggish performance. Start up, practically instantaneous with Sequoia, now takes a few minutes and there are often time lags in performance. I have stuck with it hie hope that it will settle, but remain disappointed.

That is not normal.

More likely than not, there is something peculiar to your system that is causing it.

Try starting in Safe Mode.

Is the system also noticeably slow?

Restart normally. Does the slowness return?

Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here. Use the "additional text" button and paste the report into the text box.

It is possible there are processes running in the background that are using significant resources. Check Activity Monitor, CPU tab (sort by % CPU) and/or Memory tab (sort by Memory) to see what's running hard.

Activity Monitor User Guide for Mac - Apple Support

CarlMLidl wrote:

I want Sequoia back :-(

[Edited by Moderator]

Otherwise, use the Etrecheck application as suggested earlier on October 21, 2025 and post the Full Report

Downgrade Apple Silicon computer

User Risk Assessment: macOS Downgrade Procedure

• Before initiating any downgrade from macOS 26 (Tahoe) to an earlier version such as macOS Sequoia, assess the user’s tolerance for potential risks. The following checklist must be completed before proceeding.

Primary System Dependency

Determine whether the affected Mac is the user’s primary or only computer.

• If the user cannot function without this system for several days in the event of a failed downgrade, the risk level is high.
• The downgrade should be postponed or avoided until proper contingency measures are established.

Availability of a Secondary macOS System

Confirm that the user has access to another Apple computer currently running macOS 15 or macOS 26 (Tahoe).

• This secondary system must be capable of performing a Revive or Restore operation on the target Mac’s firmware if required.
• Lack of a secondary Mac significantly reduces the ability to recover from firmware corruption or boot failures.

Firmware Compatibility and Secure Enclave Risks

Be aware that upgrading to macOS 26 (Tahoe) likely includes a firmware update affecting the logic board and Secure Enclave Processor (SEP).

• Downgrading to an earlier version (e.g., Sequoia) may introduce firmware mismatch issues, leading to instability or loss of functionality.
• There have been at least three documented cases where downgrading from Tahoe to Sequoia resulted in Secure Enclave malfunctions, requiring full system restoration or hardware servicing.

Backup Integrity and Recovery Preparedness

Verify that the user has at least three complete backups created before the macOS 26 (Tahoe) upgrade.

Implement the 3-2-1 Backup Strategy:

• 3 total copies of essential data
• 2 different backup methods or storage media
• 1 copy stored offsite (for protection against natural or human-caused disasters)

Each backup should reside on a dedicated, single-purpose external drive.

For enhanced backup and cloning capabilities beyond Time Machine, refer to:

🔗 https://bombich.com

Recommendation Summary

If the user answers NO to any of the above questions:

⚠️ Downgrading the Mac is not recommended.

Proceeding without proper contingency plans, verified backups, and recovery tools may result in:

• Data loss
• Firmware corruption
• Secure Enclave failure
• Complete system inoperability

mrmaceee wrote:

I have 2 external monitors with my Macbook Pro M3 Max. I noticed a significant lag on my external monitors after the Tahoe update. Feels like dragging my mouse through mud. It also affects my screen recordings. The audio does not always sync up with my mouth if I record my external monitor.

Running the latest DisplayLink update. Still having issues. Figured the source of the problem is Tahoe 26.1

This sucks

Perhaps DisplayLink has not caught up with the current macOS yet.

Do you actually need DisplayLink, though?

Your M3 Max can connect to most displays without any third party software - USB-C and HDMI displays can just be directly attached to your mac, or a compatible dock.

Can you tell us how the displays are attached to your mac? I assume you are using some external dock and connecting the displays to it.

I have a Studio computer powered by M2 Max - not a slow machine. I upgraded to Tahoe about 10 days ago and immediately noted sluggish performance. Start up, practically instantaneous with Sequoia, now takes a few minutes and there are often time lags in performance. I have stuck with it hie hope that it will settle, but remain disappointed.

I have 2 external monitors with my Macbook Pro M3 Max. I noticed a significant lag on my external monitors after the Tahoe update. Feels like dragging my mouse through mud. It also affects my screen recordings. The audio does not always sync up with my mouth if I record my external monitor.

Running the latest DisplayLink update. Still having issues. Figured the source of the problem is Tahoe 26.1

This sucks

I have the same issue on my Apple MacBook Pro M1 with 32GB of RAM. The whole system is less responsive. I suddenly have a lag of approx. 2 seconds when I e.g. click on a folder before it opens. I did not experience this on the previous OS. This is new. This came with the Tahoe OS. I want Sequoia back :-(

[Edited by Moderator]

aryan_codzzz wrote:

Hi everyone,

After updating my device to macOS Tahoe, I’ve been noticing a consistent lag in performance. Apps seem slower to launch, and overall responsiveness feels reduced.

Is this something only I’m experiencing, or have others noticed the same issue since the update? Would love to hear if it’s widespread or if I should try troubleshooting locally.

Need to restart it frequently to fix this .......

MacBook Air, macOS 26.0

You do not say what exact MacbookAir is this ... Intel or M-series(?)

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I have the same issue with my Air M1 16Gb RAM