How to Monitor macOS System Statistics

Edited 3 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Monitoring macOS system statistics is an integral part of maintaining a healthy and efficient computing environment. It enables users to understand how resources such as CPU, memory, and disk are being used. Regular monitoring can help troubleshoot performance issues and ensure the system is running optimally. This guide will walk you through the various tools and techniques available on macOS to monitor system statistics.

1. Using Activity Monitor

Activity Monitor is a built-in application in macOS that provides a comprehensive view of the processes running on your system. It is the easiest way to check your Mac's performance and resource usage.

1.1 Opening Activity Monitor

To open Activity Monitor, use Spotlight by pressing Command + Space and typing “Activity Monitor.” Alternatively, go to Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.

1.2 Understanding the interface

The Activity Monitor interface has several tabs including:

• CPU: Displays CPU usage by processes and overall system performance.
• Memory: Shows information about RAM usage, including memory pressure.
• Energy: Indicates the energy usage of applications, useful for MacBook users.
• Disk: Provides details about the data written and read by processes.
• Network: Displays data sent and received over the network.

1.3 Monitoring CPU usage

The CPU tab is important to understand which processes are consuming the most processing power. It lists each process along with its CPU usage. The % CPU column shows the share of CPU consumption by each process. High CPU usage can lead to system slowdowns, and it is important to identify processes that take up substantial resources.

1.4 Monitoring memory usage

The Memory tab provides information about RAM usage. The Memory Pressure graph shows your memory usage over time. Green indicates low memory pressure, yellow indicates medium, and red indicates high memory pressure. High pressure can slow down your Mac and indicates that active apps are demanding more RAM than is available.

2. Using Terminal Commands

The terminal is a powerful tool for users who prefer the command-line interface. There are many commands that can help you monitor different system statistics.

2.1 Top

top command provides a dynamic real-time view of system processes. It displays the same information as the CPU tab in Activity Monitor, but from the terminal.

2.2 vm_state

To check virtual memory statistics, use vm_stat. This command provides information about memory usage, data such as page in/out, page faults, and more. Here is how you can use it:

vm_stat

The output includes statistics such as free pages, active pages, and inactive pages, which help you evaluate your memory usage.

2.3 Iostat

Use iostat command to monitor system I/O processes. It provides insight into disk activity by showing data transfer statistics.

iostat

The output will include metrics such as disk0 and disk1, showing read and write operations over time.

2.4 Nettop

For monitoring network usage through the terminal, nettop provides real-time statistics. It is especially useful for tracking bandwidth usage by processes.

nettop

This command will provide you a comprehensive view of incoming and outgoing network traffic.

3. Third-party applications

In addition to the built-in tools, there are also a number of third-party applications available for more detailed system monitoring.

3.1 iStat Menus

iStat Menus is a popular option that provides highly customizable and detailed statistics directly from the Mac menu bar. It provides detailed information ranging from CPU and RAM usage to fan speed and network status. It is an excellent option for users who need in-depth monitoring capabilities.

3.2 Menumeter

MenuMeters is a free application that places simple meters in the menu bar, showing CPU, memory, disk, and network statistics in real time. It is light on resources and easy to configure, making it a perfect choice for users who love simplicity.

3.3 Intel Power Gadget

Ideal for Macs with Intel processors, the Intel Power Gadget can be used to monitor the CPU's power consumption, temperature, and frequency. This is especially beneficial for developers and power users who want to understand CPU-level statistics.

4. System Preferences

macOS System Preferences also offers limited monitoring capabilities. While it's not as in-depth as the tools mentioned above, it's useful for a quick check.

4.1 Battery Preferences

For MacBooks, the Energy Saver preference pane shows useful information about battery usage. Go to System Preferences > Battery and see which applications consume the most energy.

4.2 Security and Privacy

This pane shows applications and services that have accessed certain hardware or performed significant network behavior, which may indicate unexpected applications consuming resources.

5. Conclusion

Monitoring macOS system statistics is an important aspect of keeping your Mac running smoothly. Whether you use built-in tools like Activity Monitor and Terminal commands or rely on third-party applications like iStat Menus and MenuMeters, regularly checking system performance helps diagnose problems early, maintain optimal performance, and extend hardware lifespan. By understanding CPU, memory, disk, and network usage, you are able to make informed decisions about how to manage and optimize your macOS environment.

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