Computers tend to slow down as they age, and no one likes a laggy computer. You’ll notice a definite increase in the time it takes to do anything once you’ve had the computer for a few years.
The gradual slow down can happen for a few reasons, such as viruses and malware, too many background programs running, outdated software, or inadequate hardware. You might be wondering “how do I clean up and speed up my computer?” We’ve come up with 6 tips to stop your computer from lagging.
1. Delete computer programs you aren’t using
This happens to a lot of us - you install a program that you use just once and completely forget it exists thereafter. These programs bog down your PC, eating up hard drive space and memory, causing it to slow down. Do your PC a favour and get rid of them. This will help speed up your computer.
2. Kill unnecessary background processes and limit startup processes
Open up Windows Task Manager and have a look at the number of processes your computer is currently running. Some of those are running because of a program you started yourself, and some are launched when your PC starts. All of those processes are using valuable memory and processing power, so getting rid of them is a great step in figuring out how to stop your computer from lagging. Stop any that aren’t required, but make sure you know what you’re turning off before you accidentally end up stopping a process attached to a program that you are currently using.
3. Upgrade your hard drive to an SSD and/or install more RAM
Installing Windows on an SSD (Solid State Drive) will vastly speed up your PC. SSDs increase the speed of data transfer which in turn will help make your PC more responsive overall. While traditional HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) are often sufficient, SSDs are seriously faster with data handling thanks to the way they’re designed. It might be worth your while investing in an upgrade if that will benefit the purpose of your PC use.
The other hardware upgrade that will make a major difference is adding more RAM (Random-access memory) to your computer. This is an affordable upgrade that will result in a very effective performance boost.
4. Cleanup and Defrag your HD
It’s no secret that the longer you use a hard drive in your machine, the more it becomes fragmented and will fill up with junk or temporary files. This can make it harder for your computer to access what it needs to, leading to laggy computer performance. It’s a good idea to get into the habit of using the disk defragmenting tool and Disk Cleanup tools that are built into Windows to free up hard drive space and keep things running optimally.
5. Turn off useless visual effects
Unfortunately, the visual effects that make Windows look good, can also make a dent in PC performance, especially if your hardware is a little bit older. Take the time to turn off some of these effects to reduce strain on your PC and speed up your computer:
- Click the Start button then Control Panel. In the search box, type Performance Information and Tools, select it in the results.
- Click Adjust visual effects.
- Click the Visual Effects tab, click Adjust for best performance, and then click OK.
6. Keep your PC virus and malware free
Viruses, worms, spyware, trojans, ransomware, adware and bots can cause your PC to slowdown severely — they can take up valuable computing resources when replicating or spreading malicious code, and often adjust files and settings that cause your PC to perform poorly. You can easily avoid this by installing an Internet Security and Antivirus solution like ESET Nod32 or ESET Smart Security Premium (if you also have Mac take a look at ESET Cyber Security Pro)
Speed up your PC now
In essence, the best way to clean up your computer and make it faster is to take heed and action these tips. Support your laggy computer and browse ESET’s products to find what you need today.