In This Article We learn about Laptop Running Slow? Here Are the Best Ways to Fix Your PC Problems!
In 2017, the global laptop sector alone had an estimated worth of $101.7 billion. There were almost 162 million units of laptops shipped back then. Come 2025; experts say that laptop sales will further grow by at least 0.4%.
As for the top contenders, HP, Lenovo, and Dell are the biggest “best-sellers.”
Still, as reliable as high-quality laptops are, they often just have a usable life of three to five years. This is especially true in the business sector, as laptops often have multiple users.
However, a laptop running slow doesn’t always warrant a replacement right away. There are plenty of things that you can do first to try and bring your computer “up to speed” again.
On that note, we’ve come up with this tech support guide on how to troubleshoot and fix a slow laptop. Give these hacks a try first before you rush to buy a new computer.
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Disable Non-Crucial Start-up or Log-in Items
Having too many “start-up” or “log-in” items may be behind your slow computer. These are the apps, programs, or services that automatically open each time you log in to your laptop. A few examples are sticky notes, text editors, browsers, and commonly-used files.
If you require your computer to launch all these items from the get-go, it can affect your device’s speed. That’s because your laptop would need extra “thinking” power to load these up and then run them right away. What’s more, these apps or services will continue to eat more space and memory unless you quit them.
So, as much possible, limit the number of enabled start-up items you have on your laptop. Only keep the essential ones activated, especially your antivirus or anti-malware program.
Remove Non-Essential Programs
Each program you have on your laptop requires access to parts of your computer’s hardware. During start-up, these apps may also need to run some kind of background process. So, even if you don’t open them, they can still take a tiny toll on your laptop’s performance.
At first, it won’t be that noticeable, especially if you just have a few programs installed. The more apps you install, however, the more background processes that may occur. Over time, all that extra work can become significant enough to impact the speed of your laptop.
Now, your OS has the power to access these hard drive components in a matter of milliseconds. However, the more software you have on your laptop, the longer it’ll take for your OS to operate.
So, again, all those installed programs can make your device run harder over time. The more work your laptop has to do, the sooner it will develop wear and tear.
That’s why it’s best to remove all unused programs, as these may be behind your slow laptop. Uninstall all software and apps that you don’t need to reduce the burden on your computer.
Delete Unnecessary Files
If you overload your laptop with data, there may not be enough space to download essential app or OS updates. If this happens, your programs may start to lag, or your OS can even crash because it can’t install a crucial patch.
Not having enough space in your hard drive can also result in experience frequent app errors. This can happen if a program can’t create cache files due to the unavailability of space.
That’s why you’d want to maintain at least 15% of free space on a mechanical drive on a Windows computer. This should be enough for the OS to defragment the drive. Still, the more free space there is, the better so that you don’t have to worry about missing crucial updates.
For solid-state drives, experts recommend keeping at least 25% of available space.
One of the best ways to prevent slow computer problems is to delete as many unwanted files as possible. This is especially true for large files like raw, high-quality photos and HD movies. If you don’t need them anymore, why bother keeping them?
Reduce Desktop Files
One of the first processes that a laptop performs upon start-up is to load desktop items and their icons. What’s more, your laptop will also need to scan everything on the desktop to see if any of them is a shortcut with a hotkey. So, the more files you have in there, the longer your computer needs to complete the start-up phase.
Remember, your desktop exists to make navigation easy and simple. Therefore, you shouldn’t use it as a “save” location. The more cluttered it becomes, the bigger the toll on your computer’s performance.
Besides, a cluttered desktop can be confusing and can cause you to lose productivity. That’s why you should keep it organized with as few folders as possible.
Send All Unwanted Data to Oblivion
By default, most laptops don’t automatically execute the permanent deletion of files. Instead, they keep it in a temporary state (usually 30 days) in the trash bin or folder. So, when you delete anything on your computer, it gets sent to the “trash” bin and remains there for the time being.
Files inside the trash folder are smaller than their “active” counterpart. However, they still eat up valuable space. That’s why you should permanently delete everything in this location.
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Move Massive Files Out of Your Computer
If you don’t want to permanently delete them, move large files to the cloud or to an external storage device. If they’re super important, consider transferring them to both locations. This way, you can have two copies, which can help you prevent data loss.
Pay Attention to Your Active Browser Tabs
Did you know that 10 active browser tabs can consume anywhere from 750 MB to 3.1 GB of RAM? That’s only for browser tabs, so just imagine how much more RAM you’re consuming if you have other apps open. Either way, the more browser tabs you run simultaneously, the more RAM that gets used up.
If your laptop runs out of RAM, it won’t be able to “think” properly anymore. In addition, a lack of RAM can trigger your computer to start saving critical files on your hard drive. Over time, this will cause your device to slow down, develop lag, or even crash.
As such, make it a habit to close active browser tabs that you don’t need. If possible, don’t run more than nine tabs at any given time.
Monitor for and Destroy Phishing Malware
According to a recent post by Lenovo.com, phishing incidents have risen by 200% to 300%. What’s more, these cybercrimes have evolved, and they can now be a mode of malware distribution. This means that an innocent-looking email could introduce malware to your laptop.
The thing is, researchers say that almost one in 2,000 emails sent each day is a phishing email. That means that over 135 million phishing emails get sent every day! If you open one of these by accident, phishing malware could already get into your system.
In this case, the malware could already be running in the background of your laptop. Since it’s a type of program, then it eats up space and memory. This alone can be making your computer run slower than usual.
So, if you haven’t yet, download a malware scanner and eliminator. Scan your laptop to see if there’s any type of malicious program wreaking havoc on it. If the anti-malware comes with a removal tool, use it to get rid of the malicious program on your computer.
Keep It Cool
A laptop that overheats can be due to dirt and dust build-up within the device’s air vents. Ambient temperatures can also influence the internal temperature of the computer. A lack of ventilation under the laptop (such as if it’s underside lays flat on a surface) can also make it overheat.
Either way, overheating electronics can sustain long-term and even irreversible damage. At the very least, letting your laptop get too hot can result in slow and poor performance. Overheating can also cause its battery to deplete faster.
So, be sure to give your laptop, especially its vents, routine cleaning. Use a soft-bristled brush to sweep away dust or debris build-up in the vent openings. You should also invest in a laptop cooling mat or an elevating lap desk.
Use These Hacks to Speed up a Laptop Running Slow
There you have it, your ultimate guide on what to do if you end up with a laptop running slow. Try freeing up as much space as you can in your computer first, and be sure you don’t let apps hog your RAM. Run routine scans for malware, and make certain that you delete such malicious files ASAP.
Hopefully, one or more of these hacks will help speed up your laptop. If not, then it may be time to invest in a better, badder device.
Ready for more useful hacks and how-tos like this? Don’t forget to check out our site’s many other blog posts then!
