Written by: Jay H.
If you’ve ever used a slow computer, you know the frustrations an underperforming PC can cause. A sluggish computer can make routine tasks, such as opening a browser, take minutes instead of seconds. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to give your PC’s performance a boost. Use these five recommendations to help speed up your computer.
How To Speed Up Your Computer
Evaluate Startup Programs
If your PC is slow to boot, it may be because you have too many programs initiating at startup. In Windows 10, click the Start menu and type Task Manager. From the Task Manager window, click the Startup tab to see which (and how many) programs are set to open when your PC boots up.
There is a column showing the startup impact each program has on your computer on the right-hand side. Evaluate those with high and medium impact and decide if you really need them to start up when you sign-in. If there is a program you don’t need to initiate when you log-in, select it and click Disable in the bottom right corner.
Delete unused programs
Each software installed on your computer consumes resources, and removing unneeded programs may improve your PC’s performance. From the Start menu, search for Add or remove programs. From that window, you can see each program installed on the computer and their sizes. Go through the list of programs and click on any you don’t need, then select Uninstall.
Clean up your hard disk
Files consume space disk space and slow your PC, so removing unnecessary files can boost your computer. Use the pre-installed Windows application Disk Cleaner to free up space on your hard disk. The program generates a list of files for deletion, although you can deselect any you wish to keep. Selecting OK will remove all selected files and create more space on your hard disk, potentially allowing your computer to run faster.
Disable visual effects
Some of Windows’ visual effects can slow down your computer’s performance, and turning them off may give your PC a bit of a boost. You’ll be sacrificing appearance for performance, but if you’re budgeting your processing power, it may prove beneficial. To turn them off, click on the Start menu and then Control Panel. In the search bar, type and click on Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows. A window will pop up with a list of visual effects, with Windows choosing which to enable as the default option. To increase your computer’s performance, select either Adjust for best performance or Custom if you would like to choose which effects to enable manually.
Upgrade your PC’s hardware
If following these steps doesn’t impact your PC’s performance, you may want to consider upgrading your computer’s hardware. If your computer uses an HDD (hard disk drive), upgrading it to an SSD (solid-state drive) could speed up your computer as HDDs are slower to read and write than SSDs.
Another way to make your computer faster is to install more RAM (random access memory), especially if your computer has 8GB or less. The added memory should greatly improve your computer’s performance.
It may be time for a new computer
If none of the aforementioned tips helped, it might be time for an upgrade. No matter your requirements, we can help! Need a custom PC or just want expert advice for your next purchase? Contact our computer enthusiasts today!
Comments are closed.