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Speed Up Your Laptop

Why Is My Laptop So Slow: Fix It for FREE in 15 Easy Ways

There’s nothing more frustrating than when your computer can’t keep up with your requests. But what’s more, it’s also frightening because it’s a sign that there’s a deeper problem with its inner workings. For many, their laptop is necessary for work and communication with the people in their lives. That makes asking the question, “why is my laptop so slow?” a dreadful one.

If you’re here, it means you’re shuddering to think about what the bills will be to repair your device, plus how you’ll make adjustments for the time you’ll be without it.

But what if you could avoid that situation altogether? Today, we’ll teach you how to fix a slow laptop with almost minimal effort. 

Why is My Computer So Slow?

There are a few reasons you’re experiencing such a slow connection. These include, but aren’t limited to your computer: 

  • Running out of storage space.
  • Has been infected with malware.
  • Features aren’t up-to-date.
  • Damage to the hard drive.

What Causes the Laptop to be Slow?

If your laptop is very slow, it may be due to one of these reasons: 

  • Visual special effects are turned up too high.
  • Too many programs are running at once.
  • Too many browsing tabs are open.
  • The device is older.

How to Fix a Laptop That is Slow

Here are the most common sources of performance problems. If all of these measures fail and the problem persists, it’s time to start planning for the expense of a new laptop

1. Adjust Your Power Options

Adjust Your Power Options

Your device might not be on the correct power option for its performance. While there’s certainly a time and place for power saving mode, it can hinder your laptop’s speed significantly. 

2. Uninstall Programs You Don’t Use

Think about when you’ve had to carry something heavy for a long time. That’s what computers go through when they’re expected to hold too much data. 

Start with that game you tried out but didn’t like, or an app you once liked but haven’t touched in years. A cleanout like this will quickly free up a lot of space. 

3. Adjust or disable graphics and animations

A bonus feature should be just that, a bonus. If it’s taking away from your browsing experience, it has to go. 

4. Additional Speed Issues with Windows 10 & 11

Windows 10 & 11 come with a lot of extra features that can be convenient, but aren’t needed when it comes to speeding up your device’s performance. 

5. Try a Different Antivirus Program

Different Antivirus Program

Slow performance often correlates with a lack of antivirus protection. If you have a program installed and still have these problems, the program is not doing its job and needs to be replaced. 

6. Stop Programs Running on Startup

Stop Programs Running on Startup

There are programs on your device that will automatically start running the second you turn it on. This leaves you starting at a disadvantage, because the computer is already working hard before you even begin your day. 

7. Run a disk cleanup

This will clean out junk files that are only taking up space. It will automatically discern what to keep and what to get rid of. Then you won’t have to worry about accidentally deleting something important. 

8. Delete Unnecessary Files

Say, for instance, you still have a large document for a presentation you did 10 years ago at a company you no longer work for. If you wish to keep it, you can always store it on an external drive, but on your laptop, it’s just taking up space. 

9. Check for Malware

Sometimes, viruses can get into our system despite our best efforts and without our knowledge. If that is the problem, the sooner it’s detected, the better.  

10. Restart your Browser

This alone works more often than not, especially when you have a lot of tabs open, each containing a lot of data. After you close your browser, wait for a minute, and then open it back up. 

11. Update Windows Drivers and Apps

Update Drivers With Windows Update

If you’re wondering “why is my laptop so slow?”, make sure your computer has all the proper updates installed. If you don’t, your device will be prone to slowing down or even freezing up.

12. Find Programs that Eat up Resources

When you’re trying to keep an older device running at a regular speed, you’re going to have to stick with what’s necessary. If a program is not needed to keep the laptop functioning properly, and it just consumes data, it’s time to get rid of it. 

13. Close System Tray Programs

System tray programs can make it easy to access your most used apps. However, they also put extra strain on your computer. 

14. Close Your Browser Tabs

It’s easy to have a million tabs open by the time your day is over. We completely get it. However, this will take a toll on not only your device, but on your ability to concentrate.

To combat this, go through your tabs every hour or so. If you no longer need one, close it out. 

15. Disable Cortana

While helpful in many ways, Cortana is also extremely expensive in terms of data. Many people have found a link between this system and the reason why their laptop is very slow. 

Fortunately, you can disable Cortana and still have a perfectly functioning device. 

FAQs

Why Is Windows 10 So Slow?

When your Windows 10 device needs updates, its running speed will become extremely slow. It can be tough to keep up with updates as it isn’t always obvious when a new update arrives. To avoid this in the future, you can schedule to have them automatically installed as they come. 

Why Is My Laptop So Laggy And Slow?

The most common reason is that it runs too many programs at once, or it’s coming to the end of its memory capacity. You can check how much data is being used and how much you have left on your File Explorer app under Devices and Drives. 

What Makes A Laptop Fast?

make a laptop fast

A device runs fast when it has a decent amount of storage still available, is up-to-date with its features, is free of viruses, and doesn’t have excess or unnecessary files bogging it down.

Why Is My Laptop Lagging?

As a device gets older, it will naturally run a little slower than it did when you first got it. That being said, if your laptop is very slow to the point of not functioning, that’s not normal. If you’ve tried these tricks, and it’s still lagging, you might have to resort to repairing or replacing your computer. 

A Quick and Easy Solution 

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone whose livelihood is not at least somewhat reliant on their computer. That’s why it’s so important to know these steps and use them when you’ve run into a problem. Knowing how to fix a slow laptop at home will save you time, money, peace of mind, and precious data. 

It’s only natural to jump to the worst-case scenario when you’re trying to figure out, “why is my laptop so slow?” Most of the time, though, it’s simply a matter of the laptop having to overperform or needing more space. Combine these measures with keeping vigilant about its protection while browsing, and you’ll be doing everything right. 

Nothing you tried yet fixed your laptop lags? It maybe time to buy a new laptop. Checkout PC International’s Laptop specials and get your favourite laptops at the Best Prices in South Africa.

Get in touch with us today!

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