Remember when you made yourself a sandwich while waiting for the Internet to start? Today, no one has time for a slow computer. When your computer starts acting like it’s walking on sand, it’s a priority to fix it. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of ways to end a slow computer.
So, where do you start? If you are not a tech geek, you should first start with the most straightforward ways.
Restart Your Computer
The easiest choice. If your computer is stuck, shut it down and restart it. Why does this work? Turning off your laptop clears your RAM and shuts down additional programs and processes running in the background.
This can be a quick and helpful solution.
Exit Power-Saving Mode
Windows 10 has a default setting to save power so your computer doesn’t die. The downside is that it slows down your computer’s performance. So when it’s plugged in, you need to get out of power-saving mode.
By staying in low power mode, you are slowing down your computer’s operating speed. Doing this is relatively easy:
- Open Control Panel.
- Choose Hardware and Sound.
- Select Power Options.
- Click the down arrow next to Show additional plans.
- Choose High Performance.
Disable Startup Apps
We have a bad habit of simply clicking Yes on notifications to get past them. Some of those notifications cause programs to start automatically. The problem with those autostart programs is that they slow down your computer from when you open them.
If you’re not using them, close them. Minimizing the number of programs that start running when you turn on your computer will make it run more efficiently:
- Type Task Manager in the Windows search box.
- Choose the Home tab.
- You will see all the programs that start automatically when you turn on your computer.
- Right-click on the programs you don’t need and select Disable.
Disable Shadows, Animations, and Visual Effects
Windows has some special effects on new computers, and they certainly put on a good show. But unfortunately, in the long run, they slow down your computer, more if your computer is not a last-generation model.
If you want your computer to run as fast as possible, you should disable all shadows, animations, and visual effects. Do the following:
- Type sysdm.cpl in the Windows search box and press Enter.
- In the System Properties dialog box, choose the Advanced tab.
- Choose Settings in the Performance section.
- You’ll see all the animations and special effects in the Performance Options dialog.
- Please turn off the ones you consider unnecessary or all of them.
- If you’re not sure which to choose, select Adjust for best performance at the top of the screen.
- Tap OK.
- Turn on automated updates and maintenance.
Windows is always doing something behind the scenes. Whether you’re updating apps or testing the system, a lot is going on in the background that you’re not aware of. For optimal performance, you should turn them off.
But beware! If you choose to disable automatic updates and maintenance, you must update everything manually. If you forget it, you leave your computer open to hacker attacks. Do the following:
- Open Control Panel.
- Choose System and security.
- Go to Security and Maintenance.
- Hit Automatic Maintenance.
- Choose Change maintenance settings.
- Select the option that works best for you.