Why is your computer running so much slower than it was a few months or years ago? If you notice that it takes longer to start or complete basic tasks, don’t run out and buy a new PC without trying these tips first to speed up your lagging PC.
Programs, applications or processes that are running are a big culprit when it comes to slowing down your computer. Click Ctl-Alt-Del to call up the computer’s task manager. If it doesn’t open, click on Settings (Windows PCs) and find “Task Manager”. Here you will see every currently running program or process. At the top are the processes you may have opened. If you are using the Google Chrome browser, there is a good chance that you will see a large portion of your computer’s CPU and memory being used by Chrome. When I randomly checked Chrome was grabbing 24% CPU and over 1.6GB of memory. And that was with just one browser open with six tabs.
If your computer is slow while the Chrome browser window is open, close it by clicking End Task. You will need to reopen Chrome but it will start with an empty history and free up some of your computer’s memory.
If your computer is slow to start, check your startup applications. These apps or programs are forced to start when you turn on your computer and honestly, some of them probably don’t even need to start automatically. Go to Settings (Windows 10) in the bottom left corner of the toolbar and select Startup. Many of them should be turned off by default but you have to go down the list and if you see one that you are not using then switch the tab to Off.
Many people put their computer into “sleep mode” before they go to bed at night or just when they’ve been away from it for several hours. Heck, some people never shut down their computers.
If you’re having persistent problems with your computer running smoothly, restart it a few times a week. This “update” removes memory that has become fragmented and will speed things up considerably. It will also install any Windows updates the next time you start it up.
If your computer is 6 years old or older, it’s a good idea to upgrade your primary drive to an SSD or solid state drive. Older computers (which may only be 3 years old) have rotating hard drives while an SSD has no moving parts. Upgrading to an SSD will not only speed things up dramatically, but it will also extend the life of your computer and help prevent crashes that can wipe out everything on your main drive. SSDs big enough for most people’s primary drive are now around $100. I would recommend taking your computer to a professional to install the SSD because they will need to transfer all of your files to the new drive including the operating system.
While you’re there, ask them if you have enough memory installed to do all the things you do on the computer.
Beware of scams that claim to speed up or fix an old computer. Most of these scams are phone calls from someone claiming to work with Microsoft and asking you to give them access to control your computer remotely. Not only will they try to take your money but give them access to your computer they can install malware or collect your most sensitive data.
These tips are for PC owners, but Mac computer users may also need to clear Chrome or your browser tabs and restart installing any updates.
Originally posted 2022-12-20 14:00:38.