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Why Are My Apps So Slow After Updating to macOS 26?
The new macOS 26 update has an issue causing the simple Calculator app to use an extremely large amount of computer memory. Some users have reported the app consuming over 30 gigabytes of RAM, a clear sign of a software bug known as a memory leak.
This problem, while most noticeable in the Calculator, appears to be part of a wider memory management issue affecting other applications in macOS 26, also called Tahoe. This article explains what is happening, who is affected, and what you can do about it.
A Calculator with a Big Appetite
The issue gained widespread attention after a user shared a picture online. The image showed the basic Apple Calculator app using a massive 32.22GB of memory on a computer running macOS 26. This is an extraordinary amount for such a simple program, which normally uses only a tiny fraction of that. The news spread quickly on social media platforms like Reddit and X, where users expressed a mix of amusement and concern.
Many people joked about what could cause a calculator to need so much power. Some playfully asked if the user was trying to divide by zero or calculate all the digits of pi. These comments highlight how unusual the situation is. No normal calculation would ever require that much memory. The behavior is a classic example of a memory leak.
A memory leak happens when a program makes a mistake in how it handles the computer’s memory, or RAM. Think of RAM as a temporary workspace for your computer. When you open an application, it takes up some of this workspace to run. When it’s finished with a task, it should clean up its area and release the memory, making it available for other programs. A memory leak occurs when the program fails to release this memory. It keeps holding onto it, causing its footprint in the workspace to grow larger and larger over time, even when it’s not actively doing anything. This can slow down the entire computer because there is less memory available for everything else.
More Than Just a Calculator Problem
While a misbehaving calculator is peculiar, the issue points to a more significant problem within macOS 26 that is impacting professionals. Developers and other users who rely on tools built with the Electron framework are experiencing serious performance slowdowns. Electron is a popular technology that allows developers to create desktop applications using web code. Many widely used apps, including Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Slack, and Discord, are built on Electron.
Discussions in online communities for macOS users and developers show a pattern of system-wide lag after updating to macOS 26. This lag occurs even when the computer’s main processor (CPU) and graphics processor (GPU) are not working hard. This suggests the problem lies with how the operating system is managing memory for these specific types of applications. Developers are actively investigating the root cause, with evidence pointing toward issues in the system’s rendering processes for Electron apps.
What You Should Do Now
If you have updated to macOS 26, it is wise to be cautious. Here is some advice on how to handle these memory-related issues.
For the Calculator Bug
If you notice the Calculator app is using a large amount of memory, you should close it immediately. You can force the application to quit from the Apple menu or by using the Activity Monitor utility. A full reboot of your Mac will also clear the memory and resolve the immediate problem.
For General Performance Issues
If your work depends on Electron-based applications like VS Code, it is best to delay updating to macOS 26. Before you update, check for information on developer forums or community threads. The main discussion for the Electron issue is being tracked publicly, and waiting until a fix is confirmed can save you from significant disruptions.
Monitor Your System
You can use the Activity Monitor application (found in the Utilities folder inside your Applications folder) to see how much memory each program is using. Keep an eye on the “Memory” tab. If you see any application, especially one that is idle, consuming an unusually large or steadily increasing amount of memory, it might have a memory leak.
This Is Not the First Time
Bugs like this can be disruptive, but it can be reassuring to know that similar situations have occurred before and were resolved. Back in 2021, the release of macOS Monterey was also accompanied by reports of a memory leak affecting a small number of users. In that instance, certain applications and system processes would consume large amounts of RAM, causing performance problems. Apple addressed the issue in a subsequent software update. It is highly likely that the current memory leaks in macOS 26 will also be fixed in an upcoming patch, such as macOS 26.0.1.