5 Ways to make

your Windows PC/Laptop faster!

Everyone wants their PC or Laptop to run quicker, so they can do their work or play games without any interruptions. When you buy your new PC or Laptop it may run quickly for the 1st 2 or 3 years but after that, because of technology improving day by day, your PC may start to lose some steam.

Don’t throw out or trade in your PC/Laptop just yet. Below we have 5 steps you can take to make your PC/Laptop run quicker and more efficiently.

 

Step 1: Close system tray programs

    If your computer is off to a slow start then you may have too many programs running on startup. When you start your computer items in your system tray often launch at the same time and stay running while your computer is running.

    To access these items, click the upright arrow on the right of your taskbar. If you see any programs. that is running that you don’t need, right-click on the intended icon and close the program.

    Step 2: Stop running programs on startup

      Just like the programs running in the tray, other programs that automatically run when you start your computer may slow it down as well. There are programs you want to run on startup, like your anti-virus software, but others may be unnecessary.

      Right-click your taskbar and select Task Manager or hit Ctrl-Shift-Escape to launch. Go to your Startup tab to see which programs are running when you start your computer along with their impact.

      Go through the list of programs and see which ones you don’t need when starting your computer. It works best to disable the high-impact programs BUT note that some programs are vital for Windows to run. It is best to leave the programs that have Microsoft listed as the publisher running.

      To disable the programs, simply right-click and hit Disable. You are not disabling the program, just the fact that it runs on startup.

      Step 3: Update Windows, drivers and apps

        If your computer is off to a slow start then you may have too many programs running on startup. When you start your computer items in your system tray often launch at the same time and stay running while your computer is running.

        To access these items, click the upright arrow on the right of your taskbar. If you see any programs. that is running that you don’t need, right-click on the intended icon and close the program.

        Step 4: Delete unnecessary files

          Just like your closets and drawers, your computer also gets cluttered. Although you can’t see them, they are still there, especially when you deal with a lot of large files, such as high-resolution images, audio files, and videos on a day-to-day basis.

          Make a habit of deleting files and folders every week and emptying the recycling bin afterward. Doing this on a regular basis means you will remember exactly what is in the files and folders and you are less likely to delete important files.

          Handy tip: HDDs usually run at peak speed until they reach roughly 90 percent capacity. So if you check how much space is used up and you’re over 90 percent, that’s probably what’s slowing things down. SSDs slow down more gradually as they fill up, so it’s good to stay on top of things. It’s recommended not to fill an SSD to more than 75 percent of its capacity.

           

          Step 5: Run a disk cleanup

            Windows comes with a built-in tool for cleaning up junk files that accumulate over time. To access this option, go to Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools, and select Disk Clean up from the list.

            Select the types of files you want to get rid of and click OK. Click Clean up system files and choose any files you want to remove.