Is It Possible To Increase Download Speed On Mac?

Did you know that the global average internet download speed is 31.61 Mbps? Unfortunately, you might experience a few obstacles that might prevent you from reaching those speeds.

If you’re using a Mac and you’re experiencing slow connections, you might find it difficult to increase download speed. It’s especially the case when you’re not tech-savvy.

In this guide, you’ll learn some methods that can increase download speed on Mac. These methods can work even without prior technical knowledge. Read on and learn more:

1. Use A Download Manager

Some applications enable you to download files faster while offering you a lot of other options and features. These download managers have both free and paid versions, with the latter offering a more comprehensive service. These download managers will often come bundled with torrent search software.

These applications will split the received content into threads, making the download process significantly faster. You can pause or stop downloads and start where you left off. You need not restart your downloads whenever you need to go out and turn off your Mac.

It also has download controls, offering a system that makes it convenient for save file storage and management. Most will come equipped with the means of previewing the downloaded content. All you need to do is to download and install the application and follow the steps to let it download the file for you.

2. Change Your DNS Server Settings

Domain Name System (DNS) is a service that enables computers to understand a website address. It’s a translator that looks into its special database for the matching IP address for any website. Once found, the service transfers your request to the corresponding website for more processing.

That’s why the speed of your DNS service directly contributes to the speed of web pages loading. If you aren’t tech-savvy, you’ll most likely settle for the settings provided by your ISP. It’s often ideal since their DNS servers have decent speed.

But in recent years, more powerful alternatives like Open DNS and Google DNS emerged. These are more reliable while giving a higher speed. But regardless of its popularity, your main concern is to speed up your Mac downloads.

Not sure how to increase download speed using the DNS service? First, you need a utility app that checks your current internet connection. After that, it will tell you the DNS service that works best in your current location.

Run several tests and see which ones are the fastest. Most utility apps don’t need installation since they’re self-sufficient. It often just pops up several options selected by default, and in most cases, you need not change anything.

3. Change Your System Settings

Some certain system settings can change the download speed of your Mac. These options can increase the buffer size on your machine. This ensures that your internet downloads and web page loading are much faster than before.

The only downside is that you might do this process every time you boot your computer. Here are the steps:

1. Click the Apple icon at the top corner of your screen.
2. Open the Terminal, which you can search using these methods:
   • You can use the Spotlight to search for “terminal”. It’s the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner of your screen.
   • Use Finder to locate it
3. At the terminal prompt, key in “Sudo -s” and hit the Enter key.
4. When prompted, enter your admin password.
5. Type the following command phrase “sysctl -w net.inet.tcp.recvspace=65536” and hit Enter.

Entering these commands should expand the size of the incoming buffer. This enables your Mac machine to download files faster. Once done, use the “Exit” command at the terminal prompt to get out.

4. Use Caching To Increase Download Speed

Regardless of what you download on your network, it will stay within your device cache. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a software update, an iCloud document, or an app download. When another network-connected device needs the file, the cache is the first thing checked to see if it exists.

It means the file will come from the computer instead of the internet. That means your devices won’t put a lot of strain on your bandwidth. With that, you’ll see your download speeds getting faster.

5. Restart The Router

Sometimes, the slow download speed problem isn’t with your Mac, it’s with the router. If you’re experiencing slow speeds with all your devices, that means the Mac doesn’t have problems. To remedy this situation, you can restart your router.

It means turning it off, waiting for a few seconds, and turning it back on. If that doesn’t work, you can try moving your router closer to where you’re usually staying. Ensure that no objects are affecting the quality of the signal, such as metallic objects and microwave ovens.

6. Close Unnecessary Apps And Browser Tabs

Is your internet slower on the Mac alone? If so, it’s likely because of the dozens of open apps and websites open on your browser. Some of these include:

• Safari
• Skype
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Mail

These and more will often try connecting to the internet now and then. They do so to make updates or synchronize your files and other information. This slows down the Mac internet, and sometimes the websites will start freezing.

That’s why you must get rid of the unnecessary apps on your Mac. Also, you can close the tabs on your web browser after you’re done with it. You can also check here to learn other tricks on how to increase download speed.

Increase Your Mac Download Speed Today!

Now you know some easy and straightforward ways to increase download speed. You need not spend years learning technology to do these tasks. Most of the time, all you need is to change your Mac’s cache settings and everything will work out fine.

Did you find this guide informative? If so, take the time and browse some of our other articles. We have a lot of posts that can help you with more Mac-related topics that can otherwise stump you.