If your computer is slow and takes time to load even simpler tasks or programs, there is good news: You don’t have to settle for poor performance. There are a few practical tweaks and tips that will increase your computer speed and overall efficiency. Here are seven tried-and-true methods to increase your PC speed and performance.
1. Clean Up Disk Space
The main reason for slow speed and sluggish performance is the lack of available disk space. The valuable storage is filled with junk files, unused applications, and large downloads. By regularly cleaning up your disk, you free up space that can be used for more critical and valuable processes.
To start:
- Use the built-in Disk Cleanup tool on Windows to remove temporary files.
- Uninstall programs you no longer use.
- Transfer large files, like videos or photos, to external storage or cloud services.
2. Disable Startup Programs
Maybe many programs launching at startup may cause your computer to boot up. At a time, many programs automatically set themselves to start, which may slow down the boot process.
To fix this:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Navigate to the Startup tab.
- Disable programs that you don’t need to start with your computer.
Your computer will speed up your PC’s boot time and overall performance.
3. Defragment and Optimize Your Hard Drive
While downloading information on a hard disk, it often scatters across various parts. This leads to slower read and write time, which may affect the speed. Defragmentation helps to organize the data more effectively.
For HDDs (not necessary for SSDs):
Use Windows’ built-in tool called “Optimize Drives” to defragment and optimize your hard disk.
This will help your PC access files more quickly, improving overall performance and defragmenting your hard disk. This will help to improve overall performance.
4. Update Your Software and Drivers
Outdated software, operating systems, and drivers can slow down your PC. The manufacturer mainly releases updates that include performance improvement, bug fixes, and security enhancement.
Make sure to:
Check for Windows updates regularly.
Update software applications and system drivers, especially the graphics card and motherboard drivers.
This ensures your system is running the latest and optimized version of its software.
5. Scan for Malware and Viruses
Malware and viruses can greatly damage your computer’s performance. They can run background processes that slow down performance or steal valuable resources for malicious purposes.
To keep your system free from threats:
- Use a reputable antivirus program to scan for malware regularly. You can download it from any reputable website on the web like Get Into My PC.
- Consider using tools like Malwarebytes for deeper scans.
Removing any harmful software can give an immediate boost to your PC’s speed.
6. Upgrade Your RAM
Upgrading your RAM (Random Access Memory) can provide a significant performance boost when solving intensive tasks like video editing.
To determine if you need more RAM:
- Check your system’s RAM usage by opening Task Manager and navigating to the Performance tab.
- If your system regularly uses 80% or more of its available memory, consider upgrading.
Adding more RAM will speed up the performance.
7. Switch to a Solid-State Drive (SSD)
SSDs are much faster than HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) and can make a world of difference. SSDs use flash memory to store data, allowing faster boot times, quicker program launches, and smoother performance. SSDs are affordable and give you the best performance upgrades for the price. You can notice the speed improvement of SSDs.
Conclusion
Slow PCs are not permanent issues. Implementing these seven methods, from disk cleaning to upgrading RAM and SSD, can bring revolutionary changes in speed and performance. For smoother and more efficient performance, it takes a few minutes to optimize your system and ensure your PC runs like new again.