If your computer is running slow, you might be tempted to buy a new one or call a technician. But before you do that, you can try some simple and effective ways to optimize your computer and improve its performance. In this article, we will show you how to quickly optimize a slow computer by following these steps:
Malware is any malicious software that can infect your computer and harm its functionality, security, or privacy. Malware can slow down your computer by consuming your resources, displaying unwanted ads, or stealing your data. To check for malware, you need to use a reliable antivirus program and scan your computer regularly. You should also update your antivirus software and avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments.
Restart the computer sometimes, a simple restart can clear out temporary files and processes that might be causing slowdowns. Check for Malware Run a malware scan to ensure there are no viruses or malicious software causing the slowdown. Update software Make sure the operating system and all software are up to date. updates often include performance improvements. Clear Browser Cache Clearing your browser's cache can improve browsing speed. Upgrade Hardware If your computer's hardware is outdated, consider upgrading components like RAM or switching to a solid-state drive (SSD) for faster performance.
From experience, I prefer the windows defender that comes with the computer instead of installing a third party antivirus. Also, a simple system restart can help with lagging.
You can upgrade your computer ram at a more extreme even the processor ...upgrading a computer Random Access Memory (RAM) will definitely improve the performance of the computer
One of the many things to check. Including running services that are not needed which can relate to malware and viruses as well as virtual memory and memory leaks.
Uninstall unnecessary software. ... Limit the programs at startup. ... Add more RAM to your PC. ... Check for spyware and viruses. ... Use Disk Cleanup and defragmentation. ... Consider a startup SSD. ... Take a look at your web browser.
Over time, you might accumulate a lot of programs that you don't use or need anymore. These programs can take up valuable disk space and memory, and some of them might run in the background and affect your computer's speed. To uninstall unused programs, you can go to the Control Panel (Windows) or the Applications folder (Mac) and look for the programs that you want to remove. You should also delete any leftover files or folders that the programs might have created.
Half of Autodesk bloatware, half of Adobe Reader startup items, Logitech download assistant, Skype, Spotify-- they all get disabled or removed. There's so much bloat now a days with little actual need for it to be there.
Your disk is where your computer stores all your files and data. If your disk is too full or fragmented, your computer might have trouble accessing or writing the files, which can slow it down. To clean up your disk, you can use the built-in tools of your operating system, such as Disk Cleanup (Windows) or Storage Management (Mac). These tools can help you delete temporary files, empty the recycle bin, and remove unnecessary data. You can also defragment your disk (Windows only) to rearrange the files and make them easier to read.
In windows you can also run storage sense which will look for and remove unnecessary files, like files used for windows updates, but are no longer needed etc. try to reduce windows desktop icons. Instead of having huge folders one your desktop consider having shortcuts to folders that are stored somewhere other than the desktop.
Running a standard defrag can help speed up the computer. This is becoming less effective with more modern technology, but is still a valid step in trying to speed the computer up.
Your startup is the process of launching the programs and services that run when you turn on your computer. If you have too many programs or services running at startup, your computer might take a long time to boot up and use a lot of resources. To optimize your startup, you can use the Task Manager (Windows) or the System Preferences (Mac) to disable or remove the programs or services that you don't need at startup. You should only keep the ones that are essential for your system or your work.
I agree to this. Once I install a new application on my computer, I always try to disable it from running on startup especially if it’s not needed.
Yes definitely the first thing, the startup programs, and on the lower right hand taskbar in windows, right click and disable or stop those programs that don’t need to be running. Then second malware and pups.
I should also note that when disabling applications at startup, you should be careful not to disable important programs when the computer starts. Also, there are programs that add an autostartup file during the initial installation even if it does not appear at startup. This, in turn, can cause delays when the computer starts up.
Task Manager also tells you the Start-up impact programs have, which is an excellent tool if you are unsure how much they affect start-up speeds. Only disable programs you know like Spotify or Discord, if you aren't sure what a program is, check first before disabling it.
Your settings are the preferences and options that you can customize for your computer and its applications. Some of these settings can affect your computer's speed and performance, such as the visual effects, the power plan, or the browser extensions. To adjust your settings, you can go to the System Settings (Windows) or the System Preferences (Mac) and look for the options that can help you optimize your computer. For example, you can reduce the visual effects, choose a balanced power plan, or disable unnecessary browser extensions.
if you are not to bothered by windows appearance and animations then set the visual setting for better performance. goto system, advanced system settings, performance -> settings and in the visual effects tab select "Adjust for best performance" Windows updates also often impacts the user experience so give some thought to pausing updates, but also be aware of the implications of windows not receiving updates. There are BIOS updates that can affect performance as well. in some cases BIOS settings can also affect performance, eg. some laptops have a power setting that gives preference to either power efficiency or performance. BIOS is best left alone though if you not familiar or comfortable working in it.
If none of the above steps work, or if your computer is too old or damaged, you might need to upgrade your hardware. Hardware is the physical components of your computer, such as the processor, the memory, or the disk. Upgrading your hardware can improve your computer's speed and performance, but it can also be costly and complicated. You should only upgrade your hardware if you are confident and experienced in computer repair, or if you can consult a professional technician.
Where and when doable, upgrading your storage to a solid state drive (SSD) and system memory (aka RAM) will boost a computer’s performance. You should also audit the software installed so you can review what is and is not needed anymore. This will also help to figure out if said software is needlessly using up system resources. Also, quit any applications not in use. When it comes to your computer(s), get lean to be mean! PS: This will generally apply to any computer regardless of operating system in use.
Over the last while I've found that the single biggest way to improve performance is to simply replace your traditional hard drive with an ssd, if you don't need lots of storage space then a smallish one will do and won't be costly. RAM could be upgraded, but if you already have about 8gb (or even 4gb but on a tight budget) then SSD I think should be considered first if all the software related options have been exhausted.
I would recommend completely restoring the operating system before doing a hardware upgrade as this can make any seemingly old specs make your computer run as if new again. If after installing your necessary software it still feels slow then a hardware upgrade may be required.
I appreciate others comment but in my view point To optimize your computer do these steps: 1-Check your recycle bin and empty it. 2-Delete temp folder: open Run and type %temp% then select all and delete them. 3-uninstall unwanted software 4-back up your favorite and delete appdata folder 5-on advanced tab in computer setting select best performance instead of best appearance 6-type msconfig on Run and on start up tab un check software that no need to run at the beginning 7-on administrator command prompt(CMD) type SFC/Scan. 8-Change physical drive from system manage to the drive that os not installed. 9-Cut data that you stored in desktop to the drive that os not installed. Via these methods hopefully your computer run faster.
Another thing that can help speed things up is to run a defragment on Hard Drives, or an optimization on SSDs/M.2s. Programs like Defraggler can do both. Doing this can optimise the storage drive to work more efficiently. Do not run a defrag on an SSD as this will shorten its life space and could break it, always double check you are doing the right one before going ahead.
Run SFC /SCANNOW Run Disk Optimization If running Windows 10/11, upgrade ram to 16GB, upgrade mechanical drive to SSD drive.
Consider what programs you may be using and find what the minimum and recommended system requirements are. Browsing the internet, using productivity suite software, or streaming video/audio can require vastly different/less requirements than other software. Are you playing videogames? Are you editing video and or audio? These examples can be resource intensive. For example if a minimum requirement of software for RAM is 16GB and that is what you have adding more RAM to upgrade to 32 GB can help performance by allowing the system to use more physical resources rather than software resources such as a page file stored on the hard disk. This is a simple upgrade and can be easily completed by the DIY'er with minimal research.
If all else fails, backup your PC, take note of required programs and software, and refresh the OS (if using Windows). This will reset the OS to factory settings and uninstalls apps and drivers; with the option of keeping your files. If needed, run Windows updates after refresh.