Why is your laptop running slower?
If you’ve noticed that your laptop has been running slower lately, there could be a few different reasons why. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most common causes of slow laptop performance and what you can do to fix them.
One of the most common reasons for a slow laptop is too many programs running in the background. When you have too many programs open at once, it can tax your computer’s memory and processing power, which can lead to a slowdown. To see what programs are currently running, select Task Manager from the Windows Start menu. From here, you can see how much memory and processing power each program is using. If you see that one or more programs are using a lot of resources, you may want to close them.
Another common cause of slow laptop performance is too many startup programs. When you install new programs, they often add themselves to the list of programs that start automatically when you turn on your computer. Over time, this can lead to your computer taking longer and longer to start up. To fix this, open the Task Manager and go to the Startup tab. Here, you can disable any unnecessary programs that are set to start automatically.
Another potential reason for a slow laptop is simply having too many files and programs stored on your hard drive. As your hard drive fills up, it can start to impact your computer’s performance. To free up some space, you can run a disk cleanup utility or delete temporary files that are taking up space. You can also uninstall any unnecessary programs that you’re no longer using.
Remedies for your Slow computer/laptop
Defragment your hard drive
When you free up space on your hard disk, it stays in the folder where the deleted material was stored as a fragment rather than going into a huge pot of free space. Your hard disk eventually fills up and begins to utilize the sparse open space, producing your document or file from several disc locations. Your computer needs more time to do this.
Defragmenting, also known as defragging, your hard disk arranges the jumbled data into conveniently accessible and arranged pieces. Defragmenting might help your computer speed up if it has slowed down over time. Defragmenting will enhance the performance of huge file-size apps, such as video editors, games, etc., which will cause your hard disk to become fragmented.
Disable background programs/ run multiple programs
Too many applications running at once consume processing resources and slow down the PC, which is a common reason for slow computers. Some applications run in the background even after you have closed them or launch on their own when your computer boots up.
Open Task Manager by clicking CTRL+ALT+DELETE to check what background processes are active on your computer and how much memory and processing power they are using.
On Windows, 10 Task manager may open in a simplified view, in which case you’ll need to click ‘More details’ at the bottom first.
To arrange the applications running on your computer by how much of its resources they are using, click the CPU, Memory, and Disk headings. For instance, you should arrange applications according to how much memory they consume and shut down those that are not needed if your memory bar is near or at 100%.
By choosing them and clicking “End task” in the bottom right corner of the Task Manager, you may shut down apps directly from the Task Manager. To avoid mistakenly closing anything that your operating system requires, you should Google a program’s function before using it.
Disable startup programs
There may be too many apps active while your computer boots up, which can cause it to perform slower and take longer to boot. Many apps provide the choice of starting automatically when the computer boots. This is helpful if you want to use the software constantly when using your computer, but if you have too many starting apps, your computer may take much longer to start up and perform worse when they are running in the background.
In contrast to Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 do not need you to control starting apps using the System Configuration tool. As an alternative, you may do this action directly from the Task Manager, which can be accessed by pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE and selecting “Task Manager.” To find out which starting apps are active and how they affect your computer’s speed and boot time, click the “Start-up” tab at the top of the screen.
Select the application you want to prevent from starting up automatically, then click “Disable” in the bottom-right corner. Be careful not to disable things you absolutely need, such as your driver or antivirus software.
Scan for malware and viruses
Your computer will run slower if it has been infected with malware and viruses. Make sure your antivirus software is up to date, and do any necessary scans to look for infections that could be choking up your computer’s performance.
Upgrade your memory
arbitrary access In contrast to your computer’s disk drives (HDD or SSD), which are often where applications and data are saved, memory is what your computer utilizes to store information that the operating system and programs running on it are now consuming. One of the best methods to improve computer performance and speed is a RAM update.
When apps compete for memory, a computer with less than 4GB of RAM is probably going to run slower. Because hard drives operate significantly more slowly than RAM, your computer switches to utilizing a file on the hard drive known as the swap file when RAM runs out. This causes a noticeable speed difference.
You should have at least 6GB of RAM if you utilize programs like games and video editing software that require keeping a lot of data in memory for rapid access. This will prevent your computer from frequently accessing the swap file.
The process of updating your RAM on a desktop computer should be rather simple; all you need to do is buy the new RAM and install it in the slots that are designated for it in the motherboard’s documentation. It may or may not be feasible to upgrade the RAM in laptops without getting a brand-new machine. If you want to know if you can upgrade the RAM on your own laptop, you’ll need to consult the handbook for that particular model.
Upgrade your hard drive
By upgrading from a hard drive to a solid-state drive, you will notice a significant improvement in speed if your computer is sluggish while starting up, opening files, or playing games. SSDs do not contain any moving elements, unlike hard drives, which require the disk to spin in order to read data from it. Instead, they store data on fast-acting, linked transistors.
Hard drives require some time to spin up to full speed when they first turn on, whereas SSDs function instantaneously, allowing data to be read much more quickly and speeding up your PC.
An SSD should be simple to purchase and install if you have a desktop computer, and there are many online instructions for doing so. However, switching out your disk drive on a laptop will probably be challenging or impossible. When you decide it’s time to update your laptop, bear in mind that many new models do come equipped with SSDs.
Install system updates
For optimal PC performance, it’s crucial to make sure your computer has the most recent Windows updates installed in addition to the most recent driver releases. Falling behind on Windows and driver updates might cause your PC to sluggishly function. New Windows and driver upgrades provide performance enhancements. The Settings menu on your computer allows you to control updates.
- Click the Settings button on the left side of the Windows start menu to access settings.
- Please select Update & Security.
- You may find out on this website whether you’re behind on Windows updates and what to do next.
Reinstall Windows
Reinstalling Windows is the best course of action to take if everything else fails before turning to new hardware It’s likely that after using your computer for a time, you’ve accumulated apps and data that you don’t need any longer. While wiping them out one by one is helpful, the only way to ensure that everything has been removed is to uninstall Windows and then reinstall it. Your drivers will all be restored to their factory preset settings.
Before reinstalling Windows, keep in mind that this operation will erase all data from your hard drive, so make sure to back up all of your crucial information. You may either store your files on the cloud services mentioned earlier or utilize Windows’ native backup program, which can be found by searching for “backup” in the start menu.
Internet
Finally, if all else fails, you may want to check your internet connection. A slow or unreliable connection can lead to a slowdown in overall performance. If you’re connected to the internet wirelessly, try moving your computer closer to the router. If you’re still having trouble, you may need to upgrade your internet plan or switch to a different provider.
Conclusion
If your laptop is still running slow after taking these steps, it may be time to upgrade your computer’s hardware. If your processor is outdated or your hard drive is full, this can impact your computer’s performance. In some cases, you may need to replace your hard drive with a solid state drive or upgrade your memory. If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, you can take your laptop to a local computer shop and have them do it for you.