If you want to make your computer work faster, then this article will provide you with some of the most effective and efficient ways to do so.
Now that it's spring, it's time to clean, pull weeds, put away winter clothes, and tune up your PC! Improving the speed of your PC isn't as hard as it sounds, though. Your PC will run faster after you make a few small changes.
It may take some work to make your PC run more efficiently, but some tasks can be done automatically. Your PC is like a Roomba; it cleans up your laptop or desktop most of the time when you're not looking. Here are a few things you can do to make your PC faster and more efficient, as well as to make it last longer. Some may be known, while others may not be. And good for you if you've already done these!
While these steps can help give your PC a much-needed speed boost, the real secret sauce is consistency. Just like you wouldn’t let dust bunnies pile up under your couch, maintaining a regular tune-up schedule for your PC can prevent performance slowdowns before they start. Setting aside time each month to revisit these tasks, updating, cleaning, checking for bloatware, will pay off in the long run.
Good computer habits, combined with regular maintenance, not only keep your machine humming along but can also add extra years to its life. Consider marking your calendar or setting a recurring reminder so your PC gets the TLC it deserves. With just a little effort, you’ll enjoy a faster, more reliable computer every day.
Here are some tried and tested ways to enhance your computer’s performance. These methods don’t include using any third-party software like PC optimisers, Free Driver Updater Tools, game boosters, etc. All the methods shared in this article are manual, so follow the steps carefully to perform them.
Having the most recent Windows 10 update installed is a great method to maximise the performance of your PC. Additionally, upgrading your productivity tools, such as ensuring you have the latest version when you buy Microsoft Office, can further enhance your workflow.
System faults and common flaws may affect system performance, although Microsoft provides updates often to correct them. Both small and large system updates aim to find the most recent device drivers, which may boost your PC's performance.
Performing a clean installation of Windows is a powerful way to give your PC a fresh start, but it's essential to get your ducks in a row before diving in. Think of it like prepping your home before a big spring-clean: a little planning upfront saves headaches later.
Here’s what you should do before wiping the slate clean:
Once you’ve got everything secured and ready, you can proceed with the installation, confident you won’t lose valuable data or hit any unexpected roadblocks.
If you're looking for a totally fresh slate, perhaps your computer feels sluggish even after tweaks, a clean install of Windows can work wonders. This process wipes everything on your hard drive and reinstalls Windows from scratch, eliminating stubborn glitches, malware, or years of digital clutter that slow your machine down.
Here's how you can do it the right way:
Once Windows is reinstalled, you’ll need to reinstall your favourite programs and restore your files from backup. It’s a little extra effort, but you’ll notice the snappiness right away, like giving your PC a spa day and a fresh haircut all at once!
If you’ve tried the previous suggestions and your computer is still sluggish, a more advanced solution is to reset Windows. When you start the reset process, Windows gives you two main choices:
To get started, head to your Settings, find the Recovery section under Update & Security, and follow the simple prompts to choose the reset option that best fits your needs.
Although it may seem obvious, restarting your computer regularly might improve its performance. A lot of individuals don't bother to shut off their computers; instead, they put them in Sleep mode and leave them running for weeks. As a result, your computer's RAM becomes clogged with applications and workloads, making normal operations slower.
Your computer will run faster and more efficiently the next day if you turn it off every night so it can clear its memory. Restarting or powering down your computer may help speed it up if you've observed it taking longer than usual to accomplish commonplace activities like launching applications or accessing files. Before you turn off your computer or restart it, save all of your work.
Running several applications and programs simultaneously may be taxing on a computer's performance. A lot of installers slow down your PC's speed by telling Windows to begin their apps immediately after you start up your PC.
Behind the scenes, Windows runs a variety of background services, some essential, others less so. Non-essential services starting automatically can quietly sap your system's memory and processing power, especially if left unchecked after years of updates and software installs.
To streamline performance, you can fine-tune which services run at startup:
Taking a few minutes to review and adjust these settings can free up resources, especially on older machines or laptops that seem to lag despite your best efforts.
Tweaking Windows services can free up system resources, but it's important to proceed thoughtfully. Before making any changes, take these steps:
services.msc
, and hit Enter to open the Services window.Common services that users often disable safely (depending on usage) include:
A word to the wise: Never disable services like Windows Update, Security Center, or anything related to network functionality unless you’re absolutely sure, doing so may cause unexpected issues. Creating a system restore point before making changes can save a lot of headaches if you need to roll back.
By thoughtfully disabling unnecessary services, you’ll be giving your PC more breathing room for tasks that matter most.
Not all background services on your PC need to start up automatically with Windows. Fine-tuning which services launch at startup can shave precious seconds off your boot time and free up resources for the tasks that really matter.
To get started, open the Start menu and type services.msc
, this launches the Services management console. You'll see a long list of services, but don’t worry, you don’t need to tweak them all! Do a quick search online (or visit trusted sources like TechSpot or PCMag) to find out which Windows services are safe to delay or disable based on your setup and needs.
When you’ve found a service you want to change, right-click it and choose "Properties." Here, you’ll see the “Startup type” drop-down, switch it between 'Automatic', 'Manual', or 'Disabled' depending on your preference. Be careful not to turn off anything critical to the system; when in doubt, leave it as is! Making selective adjustments can help your computer power up faster without losing any essential features.
Disk Cleanup is an integrated function in Windows 10. Files like temporary internet files, picture thumbnails, and downloaded software files may accumulate on your computer and be a pain to remove if you aren't using them. If you see any additional programs or files eating up space on your computer, now is a good time to delete them. To find unnecessary or outdated files to remove, look in your Downloads folder.
With Windows 10, you get a plethora of visual enhancements that enhance the whole experience. Windows and other features that may be designed to fade in and out of view automatically apply them. Translucency and animations are two more unique elements that might reduce your performance.
There is an integrated function in Windows 10 that checks for and fixes common system issues. Included in this category are activities like searching for updates, defragmenting the hard disk, and screening for viruses and malware. Although system maintenance often runs invisibly in the background when your computer is not in use, you always have the option to manually launch it if you suspect a problem.
Increasing the amount of RAM, or system memory, is a significant approach to boost your PC's speed and performance. For optimal performance, Windows 10 needs at least 4 GB of RAM. Having additional RAM is a good idea if you use your PC for demanding tasks like gaming or video editing.
Windows 10 makes use of transparency effects for certain elements, such as the task menu, in addition to using system resources to show features like animation. This effect, which doesn't seem to be heavy or difficult at first glance, really uses more system resources than you would expect.
Many times, third-party programs that you may not need are pre-installed on your computer. This kind of software is called bloatware, and it often sits about doing nothing while taking up a lot of space on your computer. If your computer is running slowly, it can be because of unused apps that are installed.
A storage upgrade is one of the best ways to boost your computer's speed and performance. While most personal computers ship with spinning disk hard drives (HDD), upgrading to a solid-state drive (SSD) makes your PC far more powerful. While SSDs are often more costly than HDDs, the benefits they provide in terms of faster boot times, application loading times, and system responsiveness make them a worthwhile investment.
We believe that the above-shared tips have helped you improve your computer’s overall performance. However, if your PC is still processing slowly, then it is time to buy a new one. Additionally, if there’s anything else you wish to add to this list of tricks, then share them with us in the comments section below.