10 effective ways to speed up your PC

Whether you’ve been using a smartphone, desktop, laptop or tablet, there comes a time when it begins to lag. Of course, there are a lot of reasons that could be contributing to its slowdown. That said, it is important to have the right amount of space on your PC to ensure it can install crucial updates, store files, and run in the best possible way. But if you’re wondering where to begin, we have a 10-step checklist to help you get started.

10 ways to fix a laggy PC

No one likes it when you have to battle with a slow PC, especially when you have tasks piling up on your plate. Here are 10 things you can try before ringing the service centre for an appointment. Check them out below: 

1. Reboot your PC

There’s no reason why you shouldn’t give the old ‘Have you tried restarting your PC?’ a try. If you’re like us, you probably need a reminder to shut your laptop or restart it every now and then.

Plenty of times, restarting your device can get rid of background tasks accumulated over time and could help it run faster. While this may not always solve a problem, it is never a bad idea to begin with this step. 

2. Delete unnecessary files

If you’ve been using your computer for a while, it probably has a build-up of unnecessary files, both intentionally or unintentionally created by you. Deleting or clearing them occasionally could free up space and considerably speed up the performance of your device. 

The best place to start is to begin scouring your Downloads folder. Sort your files according to date or size to view the oldest or heaviest files in the folder. You could also use Disk Cleanup which can be currently found within the Settings app on Windows 11. This step can help you get rid of any temporary files created by your system. Alternatively, you can also resort to third-party cleaner apps that offer their own solutions to free up space. 

3. Run a malware scan

Malware or viruses can definitely slow down your laptop, and running a simple malware scan can highlight any problem areas on your system. Whether you’re using multiple hard disks or have been downloading files from the internet, there are several ways for a virus to infect your system.

Windows 11 also comes with a built-in security app known as Windows Defender, which is quick to detect and quarantine any malware found on your PC. Alternatively, you can also use third-party anti-virus software that essentially give you the same results, or even better, depending on their features.

4. Check for updates

Sometimes, outdated software can cause your laptop to slow down. Windows constantly introduces updates with bug fixes to rule out any malfunction and keep your system running smoothly.

While these updates are more or less automatic, there’s no harm in checking for any improvements that may have been introduced. Open Settings on your computer and navigate to Windows Update. Within this, you can check for new updates or even see what the current version is running on your system.

5. Close power-consuming apps

Those who are constantly juggling with heavy-duty apps like Adobe Photoshop or Premiere Pro already know how they tend to slow your PC down. But if you find the problem persisting even after you’ve exited them, you might just want to check your task manager to see if they are still running in the background.

ALSO READ: How to take good care of your laptop

To check this, right-click on the taskbar and click on Task Manager. Click on CPU usage to see which apps are consuming the most memory, and then close them one after the other by clicking on End Task.

6. Uninstall heavy apps

How many times have we installed an app but have failed to remove it once it reached redundancy? Too many times if you ask us!

Revisiting your previously installed apps to delete the ones that you no longer use can help you free up memory and space both, in turn making your PC run faster. This could be a game that you no longer play or an old printer app that is not useful to you anymore.

7. Disable visual effects

Heavy visual effects can cause a low-end PC to lag. However, turning some of them off can help you speed it up effectively. You can begin with the transparency effects, but there are several other options you can toggle off.

Within Settings, click on Personalisation. In the colours tab, you can adjust the appearance of your Windows as well. The number of steps, however, will differ based on the Windows version you’re using.

8. Disable startup tasks

Startup tasks instantly begin to run the moment you switch on your laptop or computer. These can hog your resources and will continue at it until you manually disable them. Some examples of these include OneDrive and Microsoft Teams, among others.

To disable them, right-click on the taskbar and click on Task Manager. Within this, you will find a tab marked as Startup. On disabling these apps, you might find your PC to be snappier and more responsive.

9. Defragment an HDD

If you’re still using a PC that comes with an HDD (hard disk drive) over an SSD (state solid drive), you might also want to defragment it to ensure faster performance of your laptop.

Defragmentation organises your files, giving you improved hard disk speed. It frees up any unused space and also creates more space if any deleted files leave behind bits of data. 

10. Reinstall or reset Windows

If you’ve tried just about anything but nothing seems to work, reinstalling Windows on your laptop could act as a final measure to free up memory. While this is mostly always effective, it also is an extreme measure that shouldn’t be considered unless you have all your data backed up and in one place.

You can find the option to reset Windows in your Settings app. Click on System and then on Recovery. Once you’re through, you can install the latest version of Windows again by downloading an ISO file. However, it is not recommended to do this step on your own, and you might want to have expert assistance to ensure it is done well.

While there are several other steps to speed up your system (like upgrading your RAM, GPU or CPU), there is no harm in investing in a new PC or laptop if the problem seems to be larger than the replacement cost.