Is Your PC Running Slower Than It Used To?
Over time, Windows computers tend to accumulate digital clutter — startup programs, background processes, temporary files, and outdated software — all of which chip away at performance. The good news is that many of the most effective fixes are free and don't require technical knowledge.
Here are 10 actionable steps to get your PC running faster, in roughly the order you should try them.
1. Disable Unnecessary Startup Programs
One of the biggest causes of a slow startup is too many programs launching automatically when Windows boots. To manage them:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click the Startup apps tab.
- Right-click any program you don't need at startup and select Disable.
Common culprits: Spotify, Discord, OneDrive, Teams, Skype, and various update helpers. Disabling them here doesn't uninstall them — they'll still work when you open them manually.
2. Run Disk Cleanup
Windows includes a built-in tool to clear temporary files, system cache, and other junk. Search for "Disk Cleanup" in the Start menu, run it, and check all the boxes. For deeper cleaning, click "Clean up system files" to also remove old Windows Update files, which can be several gigabytes.
3. Check for Malware
Malware and adware consume CPU and memory in the background. Run a full scan using Windows Defender (built-in and free): go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Windows Security → Virus & Threat Protection → Quick scan. You can also run Malwarebytes Free alongside it for a second opinion.
4. Adjust Power Settings
If your power plan is set to "Power Saver," Windows deliberately throttles performance. Change it to Balanced or High Performance: go to Control Panel → Power Options and select your preferred plan.
5. Update Windows and Drivers
Pending updates — especially graphics and chipset driver updates — can cause sluggishness. Go to Settings → Windows Update and install anything pending. For drivers, check Device Manager or visit your PC manufacturer's website.
6. Free Up Storage Space
Windows slows down noticeably when your main drive (usually C:) is nearly full. Aim to keep at least 10–15% of your drive free. Use Storage Sense in Settings to automatically delete old temp files, or manually uninstall programs you no longer use via Settings → Apps.
7. Increase Virtual Memory (Advanced)
If you're frequently running out of RAM, you can allocate more virtual memory (using disk space as a RAM substitute). Search for "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows", click the Advanced tab, then Change under Virtual Memory. This helps if you have under 8 GB of RAM.
8. Turn Off Visual Effects
Windows animations and transparency effects look nice but use resources. To disable them: search "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows" and select "Adjust for best performance" — or manually uncheck specific effects.
9. Restart Regularly
This one sounds obvious, but many people leave their computers on for days or weeks. Restarting clears RAM, applies updates, and resets background processes. A weekly restart is a good habit for keeping performance consistent.
10. Check for Background Resource Hogs
Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and click the CPU or Memory column to sort by usage. If you see an unfamiliar process consuming large amounts of resources, search for its name online to determine whether it's legitimate or can be safely ended/uninstalled.
When These Steps Aren't Enough
If you've tried all of the above and your PC is still noticeably slow, the bottleneck may be hardware — typically insufficient RAM (less than 8 GB for modern usage) or an old mechanical hard drive. Upgrading to an SSD is often the single most impactful hardware upgrade you can make for speed, and it's relatively affordable.