Lightroom Running Slow on Mac? 8 Ways to Make It Run Faster

If you’re a professional photographer or photography enthusiast, you probably use Adobe Lightroom to edit, organize, and manage your photos. Even the best software, however, can experience slowdowns over time. If Lightroom is running slowly on your Mac, you’re not alone.

A sudden slowdown is frustrating, especially when you’re working on an important project or racing against a deadline. In this post, we’ll explore the common causes and effective solutions.

Why Is My Lightroom Running So Slow on My Mac?

A slowdown can significantly impact your workflow and productivity. To prevent this, it’s important to understand the common reasons why Lightroom may be lagging:

• Insufficient RAM can slow down Lightroom when processing images.
• A nearly full or fragmented hard drive may affect performance.
• Working with a large number of high-resolution images can overwhelm the software.
• Running multiple resource-intensive applications simultaneously reduces available RAM and CPU power.
• Storing images on a network drive can slow performance due to network latency.
• Background processes or apps can consume system resources.
• A corrupted Lightroom catalog can slow down processing.
• Running an outdated version of Lightroom may lead to compatibility issues.
• An underpowered or outdated graphics card can affect image rendering speed.
• Outdated graphics drivers may reduce performance and cause errors.

How to Make Lightroom Run Faster on Mac in 8 Ways

Here are 8 ways to speed up Lightroom on your Mac:

1. Clear Lightroom Cache on Mac

While editing, Lightroom generates render cache files. Over time, these files can accumulate, taking up significant storage and slowing down playback and overall performance.

Clearing the cache helps Lightroom run faster on your Mac. To do this:

1. Open Lightroom.
2. Click the Lightroom menu and select Preferences.
3. Click the Performance (or Cache) tab. Depending on your Lightroom version, it may be labeled Performance.
4. Under Mange Storage, set the Cache size limit or click the Clear cache button.

2. Free Up RAM and Storage

Having enough RAM and free storage is essential for smooth image processing in Lightroom.

If you want an easier solution, try BuhoCleaner. This all-in-one tool helps you keep your Mac clean and fast by:

• Clearing unnecessary files, including Lightroom cache
• Uninstalling unwanted apps
• Freeing up RAM in one click
• Disabling unwanted startup programs
• Monitoring system performance from the menu bar

Simply download BuhoCleaner and explore features like Flash Clean, App Uninstall, Large Files, Duplicate Files, and Toolkit to optimize your Mac for the best Lightroom performance.

3. Manage Your Image Library

A cluttered library can slow Lightroom’s indexing and search functions. Organize images into folders, remove duplicates, and archive older projects.

High-resolution images can also overwhelm Lightroom. Consider importing lower-resolution versions or using Smart Previews for editing.

4. Close Unnecessary Applications

Running multiple apps simultaneously can compete for RAM and CPU, slowing Lightroom.

1. Open Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities).
2. Check the CPU tab for apps consuming high processing power.
3. Check the Memory tab for apps using the most RAM.
4. Close unnecessary apps to free resources for Lightroom.

5. Use Local Storage

Storing images on a local drive (SSD or HDD) is faster than using a network drive. Faster read/write speeds improve loading times, responsiveness, and overall Lightroom performance.

6. Check for Catalog Corruption

A corrupted catalog can slow Lightroom. Check and repair it to ensure smooth operation:

1. Launch Lightroom and go to Lightroom > Catalog Settings.
2. Under the Metadata tab, click Check for Metadata Errors.
3. If errors are found, go to File > Catalog > Repair Catalog and follow the instructions.

7. Update Lightroom

Running an outdated Lightroom version can cause compatibility issues. Always keep your software up to date:

1. Close Lightroom.
2. Check for updates via Adobe Creative Cloud.
3. Optionally, use BuhoCleaner to uninstall older versions completely before updating, ensuring a clean installation.

8. Upgrade Your Graphics Card and Drivers

Lightroom relies on the GPU for rendering images and previews. Upgrading to a more powerful graphics card and installing the latest drivers can improve speed and responsiveness, especially with high-resolution images.

1. Power off your computer and unplug it.
2. Open your case and replace the old graphics card with the new one.
3. Start your computer and download the latest drivers from the manufacturer’s website.

Conclusion

To make Lightroom faster, give it more system resources and storage. Freeing up RAM, managing your image library, using local storage, and keeping software and drivers updated all contribute to a smoother editing experience. Upgrading hardware when necessary ensures your Mac and Lightroom work together at peak performance.