It’s one of the most common frustrations in the digital world: your once-speedy Windows computer now takes forever to start up, programs lag, and everything just feels sluggish. Before you consider buying a new one, the good news is that you can often restore much of that lost speed with some simple maintenance.
You don’t need to be a tech expert. Here are 10 simple ways to breathe new life into your slow Windows laptop or PC.
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1. Disable Unnecessary Startup Programs
Many programs automatically start running in the background when you turn on your computer, which can significantly slow down your boot time.
- How to do it: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager. Click on the “Startup” tab. You’ll see a list of programs that launch at startup. Right-click on any program you don’t need immediately (like Spotify or Adobe Updater) and select “Disable”.
2. Uninstall Bloatware and Unused Software
Over time, our computers get filled with software we no longer use, often called “bloatware.” These programs take up valuable storage space and can run background processes that slow you down.
- How to do it: Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features. Scroll through the list and uninstall any software you don’t recognize or haven’t used in months.
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3. Clean Up Your Hard Drive with Disk Cleanup
Your computer stores thousands of temporary files from web browsing and daily use. Cleaning these out can free up space and improve performance.
- How to do it: In the Windows search bar, type “Disk Cleanup” and open the app. Select your main drive (usually C:). The tool will scan for files you can safely delete, like temporary internet files and system junk. Check the boxes and click “OK” to clean them out.
4. Switch to an SSD (Solid State Drive)
If your computer still uses a traditional Hard Disk Drive (HDD), upgrading to a Solid State Drive (SSD) is the single most effective performance boost you can make.
- Why it works: SSDs are incredibly faster than HDDs. Your computer will boot up in seconds, programs will launch instantly, and the entire system will feel snappier. This is a hardware upgrade, but it’s worth every penny.
5. Add More RAM (Random Access Memory)
Think of RAM as your computer’s workbench. The more RAM you have, the more tasks and programs you can run at the same time without slowing down.
- How to check: Open the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and click the “Performance” tab. If your memory usage is consistently near 100%, it’s time for an upgrade. For most users, 8GB is a good minimum, but 16GB is ideal for smooth multitasking.
6. Adjust for Best Performance
Windows has a lot of fancy animations and visual effects that look nice but consume system resources. You can turn them off for a noticeable speed boost.
- How to do it: In the Windows search bar, type “performance” and select “Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows.” In the dialog box that opens, simply choose the option “Adjust for best performance” and click “OK.”
7. Scan for Viruses and Malware
Sometimes, a computer isn’t slow because it’s old; it’s slow because it’s infected with malicious software that’s running in the background.
- How to do it: Run a full system scan with Windows Security (built into Windows) or a trusted third-party antivirus program. Make sure to do this regularly to keep your system clean.
8. Keep Windows and Drivers Updated
Microsoft and other hardware manufacturers regularly release updates that include performance improvements and security fixes.
- How to do it: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click “Check for updates.” Install any available updates to ensure your system is running optimally.
9. Change Your Power Plan
Windows has different “power plans” to manage your computer’s energy consumption. For better performance, especially on a laptop, you can switch to the High Performance plan.
- How to do it: Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options. Select the “High performance” plan. This will use more battery but will give your computer a speed boost.
10. Defragment Your Hard Drive (HDD Only)
Important: Only do this if you have an older Hard Disk Drive (HDD). Do NOT do this on an SSD. Over time, files on an HDD can become fragmented (split up), making them slower to access. Defragmenting reorganizes them.
- How to do it: In the Windows search bar, type “Defragment” and open “Defragment and Optimize Drives.” Select your drive and click “Optimize.” Windows usually does this automatically, but it’s good to check.