How To Speed Up A Slow Laptop: The Best Solutions

We can all agree that dealing with a slow laptop is inconvenient, especially if you need to get things done quickly. I recall missing an application deadline once because my laptop was extremely slow.

 When using a slow laptop, it takes a lot of patience. Read on to learn about the various causes of slow laptop speeds and how to resolve them.

 

What causes laptop to be slow

If your laptop has become slow, you're probably wondering what's wrong. An overzealous start-up, low RAM, and malware are just a few of the reasons why your laptop is so slow. 

Let's take a closer look at some of the reasons why your laptop's performance might be slow.

 

1. There are far too many programs running at startup.

Many computer users have experienced slow computer speeds as a result of an overzealous startup. This is primarily due to the installation of numerous programs on your device. These installed apps and files then compete for a spot in your computer's startup, slowing it down. 

If your laptop is slow because of an overzealous startup, don't worry; the problem can be fixed. Here's how to fix it quickly: First uncheck the permission box. This will prevent the unchecked programs from starting automatically when you turn on your computer.

 

2. You've used up most or all of your Random Access Memory

It's crucial to know how much RAM your computer has because this will help you figure out which programs it can run. When you have more RAM, you can run memory-intensive programs that are difficult to run when you have less RAM. 

Processing will likely become slower if RAM is low and more than one program is open. Although many computers nowadays are capable of multitasking, if your computer is old, it may not be able to handle multiple memory-intensive programs running at the same time.

 NOTE: It’s possible to experience slow laptop performance due to programs such as Antivirus running in the background, even when you aren’t multitasking.

 

3. Your computer is infected with a virus.

A virus attack could be the cause of your computer's slow speed. Viruses are designed to disrupt computer processes, causing your computer to slow down. Malware can consume a significant amount of memory on your computer, leaving legitimate programs with insufficient resources. As a result, issues such as program crashes may arise.

 Malware could be the cause of your laptop's programs opening and closing on their own. Other signs and symptoms include an increase in pop-up notifications, missing files, frequent errors, and frequent restarting and shutting down of your computer.

 How Can I Improve My Laptop's Performance?

Now that we've covered some of the reasons for your laptop's slow performance, let's look at how to resolve the problem. You can speed up your computer in a variety of ways. 

The method you use to resolve the problem should be determined by the cause of the slow speed problem in the first place. If your laptop is slow because it is out of date, updating it may be the solution. We'll show you how to speed up your computer using the methods listed below. 

     Restart Your Computer

Restarting your computer is one of the most common hacks for resolving computer issues. Restarting your computer can help you solve a variety of computer problems and increase the speed of your computer. Many users have reported that restarting their laptops helped when they were experiencing slow speeds.

 Another important step is to turn off your computer rather than put it to sleep. It's tempting to put your computer on sleep mode rather than shutting it down as a computer user. When you're done with it, however, it's a good idea to turn it off. This is excellent for your device's overall performance.

 

 2. Keep an eye out for software updates

Many users have a habit of ignoring software update notifications. This is due to the fact that software updates typically take a long time to install, and users may not have the patience to wait for the process to finish. These pending updates, on the other hand, could be the cause of your laptop's slowness. 

Other programs may experience issues as a result of pending updates. When I worked with Microsoft Outlook on Windows 10, I had trouble configuring it if there were any pending updates. Having said that, for optimal laptop performance, you should install all updates.

Go to start, then settings to check for updates on your laptop. Find Update and Security Settings, then Windows Update, in the Settings menu. Check to see if there have been any changes, and if so, take action.

 

 3. Remove any unwanted or memory-intensive programs.

Installing software on your computer can be fun, but it can also slow down your laptop's performance. If this is the case, you should consider uninstalling any programs that you no longer require. 

You can uninstall any memory-intensive programs that are slowing down your machine and reinstall them when you need them. Also, don't clutter your desktop with a lot of single files. Organizing files into folders is the best option. 

To uninstall a program, go to the search bar and type Control Panel. Now go to Programs, then features, and finally Uninstall a Program.

 

4.     Cloud storage can be the answer

Because low RAM can wreak havoc on laptop performance, you should consider storing your files in the cloud. Microsoft, Apple, Google, Azure, and many other companies provide cloud services that can help you free up space on your computer.

The benefit of cloud storage is that it is inexpensive, and you can access your files from anywhere with an internet connection. It's also fairly secure, and you won't have to worry about losing your files in the event of a hard drive failure.

 

5.      Use good Anti-malware Software

Malware can cause serious problems with your computer, so you should avoid it at all costs. You can protect your computer from malware with a variety of anti-malware programs.

The good news is that some of these anti-malware applications are completely free. Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition, Avira Free Security Suite, AVG AntiVirus Free, SpyBot Search and Destroy, and Emsisoft Emergency Kit are all recommended.

 Although free anti-malware programs are useful, some premium anti-malware programs are superior, especially when dealing with more persistent malware or malware that has hidden itself within your laptop.

 

 6. Boost Your RAM

If you use your laptop frequently, it may slow down over time due to the constant use of RAM. If you're using an older laptop and experiencing slow performance, you might want to consider upgrading your memory.

 The amount of RAM you require is also determined by how you use your computer. For most computer users, 8 GB RAM is sufficient, but 16GB or 32GB RAM may improve performance.

 Check the status of your laptop's RAM usage if you're experiencing slow speeds on your laptop. To do so, open Task Manager and go to the Processes tab to see all of the programs that are using RAM. After obtaining this knowledge, you can choose which programs you want to use memory.

 6.     Consider Upgrading Your Hard Drive

You might be wondering why you'd want to upgrade your hard drive. This is because your computer's data is stored on the hard drive. Unlike a modern laptop with a built-in SSD, you can upgrade your internal hardware to increase storage capacity if your laptop is old.

Upgrading your hard drive will improve the performance of your laptop, and it is something worth considering.

 

7. Develop good online habits

Last but not least you need to start adopting good internet habits in order to avoid problems with your computer. Bad internet habits can lead to a plethora of issues. Visiting every site that catches your eye can harm your computer because some of them contain malware. Some users have a habit of opening a lot of pages in Chrome or other browsers, which can cause laptop slowdown. 

Furthermore, downloading and installing programs from unofficial websites can cause problems, so you should only download from official websites. You can remove ads that pop up while you're on the internet with the help of ad-blocking software.

Conclusion

Now that we have looked at what’s causing your laptop to be slow and how you can speed it up, I hope you can now utilize the tips and enjoy increased pc performance. You deserve the best experience with your pc. We hope this article has helped you.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below.