That sluggish computer driving you mental? You’re not alone. Nobody wants to wait ages for programs to load or watch their PC crawl through basic tasks. Frustrating. That’s why Nimble Nerds is here to teach you how to speed up your computer.
The good news is you don’t need to fork out for expensive upgrades straight away. Most slowdowns come from software issues we can sort without opening your wallet.
How to speed up computer? First things first, your computer probably launches too many programs at startup. This clogs memory right from the get go. Disable the ones you don’t immediately need.
Background apps are massive performance killers. They sit there chewing up resources when you’re not even using them. Turn off what you don’t need.
Your hard drive needs breathing room. Free up storage by:
- Removing temporary files and downloads
- Uninstalling unused programs
- Moving photos and videos to external storage
But don’t just delete randomly. Windows actually has decent built in cleanup tools if you know where to look.
At Nimble Nerds, we see unnecessarily slow machines every day. Sometimes the fix takes just minutes. We help folks across Sydney get their computers running properly again without pushing for hardware upgrades you might not need.
Key Takeaways- How to Speed Up A Computer
- Optimise startup & background apps for faster boot time
- Free up storage & clean junk files slowing performance
- Use built in tools & expert help for best results
Upgrade Hardware for Faster Performance
When your computer crawls like a snail in treacle, sometimes software tweaks just won’t cut it. Proper hardware upgrades make massive differences.
Nothing transforms an old PC faster than swapping that clunky mechanical hard drive for an SSD. Boot times drop from painful minutes to mere seconds. Programs launch instantly. The whole system feels brand new. Dead set amazing difference.
Got multiple chrome tabs crashing your machine? RAM upgrades solve that drama. For basic users, 8GB keeps things ticking. Moreover, power users editing videos or gaming should aim for 16GB minimum. More memory means smoother multitasking.
Not all upgrades cost a fortune either. Even smaller improvements help to speed up your computer:
- External SSD for extra storage without opening the case
- USB 3.0 flash drives for quick file transfers
- Additional cooling fans if overheating causes slowdowns
CPU upgrades give bigger performance jumps but they’re trickier. Not all processors can be swapped easily. Desktop owners have more options than laptop users. An Intel Core i7 or Ryzen 7 makes resource hungry programs fly.
We see so many customers at Nimble Nerds trying software fixes when their hardware is the real bottleneck. Sometimes a $100 upgrade saves buying a whole new system. Smart investment really.
Speed Up Your Computer- Remove Unnecessary Files & Programs
Your computer’s probably full of digital rubbish you don’t even know about. Additionally, all that junk slows everything down something shocking.
Start with the Recycle Bin. Empty it! Those deleted files still take up valuable space until properly cleared. Many folks forget this simple step.
Next, attack those unused programs gathering virtual dust. They’re often running secret background processes hogging your resources. Open Control Panel and uninstall anything you haven’t touched in months. Brutal but necessary.
Moreover, the Downloads folder becomes a graveyard of installers and random files. That is why, it’s important to clear it out. Those setup files served their purpose already, no need to keep them forever.
Windows has brilliant built in cleanup tools many people overlook. Disk Cleanup removes temporary files, cached internet data, and old Windows updates that pile up over time. Serious storage hogs these ones.
- Check temporary internet files
- Remove system logs and error reports
- Delete previous Windows installations
- Clear thumbnail caches
But don’t just delete randomly. Some system files look useless but actually matter.
Your computer breathes easier with free space. Think of it like cleaning your house. Everything runs smoother when the clutter disappears. Makes perfect sense when you think about it.
Speed Up Your Computer- Optimise Startup & Background Processes
Your computer’s taking forever to start up? Bet you’ve got dozens of programs fighting to launch first. What a headache.
The Task Manager is your ally here. Start by right-clicking on your Taskbar to open it up, then click the Startup tab. You’ll probably be shocked at what you find. All these programs think they’re dead important. They’re not.
Now, you have to disable the obvious space hogs first. For instance, Spotify, Steam, and Adobe Creative Cloud can be disabled when you don’t need them. These apps will only take up the memory you need.
Moreover, those sneaky background apps are even worse. They sit there munching resources while you’re none the wiser. Here’s what you can do to help speed up your device:
- Check Settings, then Privacy, then Background Apps
- Switch off anything not essential
- Leave system security tools running though
However, some days, your computer may feel sluggish for no reason. You can fix this by sorting the processes tab by CPU or memory usage, so you can catch what’s hogging your resources. You might find that a single program is the reason behind the whole problem.
Most folks don’t realise how much faster their machine could be running with proper startup management. This step makes a huge difference to the daily use of your device.
Speed Up Your Computer- Adjust System Settings for Best Performance
Although you like how Windows looks flashy and cool with fancy animations and visual effects, these factors are actually affecting the speed of your computer. Moreover, these can be useless if it only slows down your computer.
One way to fix this is through a settings change. you can do this by going to System> Advanced Settings< then, Performance Options. Now, select “Adjust for Best Performance” and watch your computer speed up.
Additionally, storage space also plays an important part in your device’s speed. Try enabling Storage Sense in your Settings menu for an automatic schedule of cleaning up your temporary files. With this scheduled cleanup, you won’t have to worry about manual cleanup again.
Furthermore, most laptops today are automatically set to balanced power mode. This mode is designed to limit your laptop’s performance to save battery. However, this mode can be wasteful especially if your device is plugged in most of the time. In this case, change to a High-Performance power plan for desktop replacements.
- Turn off animations and transitions
- Enable automatic disk cleanup
- Set your device to maximum performance mode when it is plugged in
- Disable fancy visual effects
We understand it- Windows is trying its best to be all things for all people. However, your needs aren’t the same as everyone else’s. That is why, customising your settings to suit your needs properly is what you need to do.
What about those shadow effects under Windows? Well, they can be a waste of processing power. Your computer should be running your necessary programs and not showing off with unnecessary tricks and stuff. Remember, with your computer, a practical approach works best.
Speed Up Your Computer- Maintain System Health & Security
Here’s the thing: your computer might be fighting battles with malware inside your device. These malware lurk in your background and can slow down your device. But with regular scans with Windows Defender, these problems can be caught. Moreover, with the more stubborn and sneaky ones, you can use Malwarebytes to do the job for you.
Software updates seem annoying when you’re busy. Postponing them feels tempting but outdated programs create security holes and performance problems. Bit of patience now saves massive headaches later.
Drivers need attention too. Your graphics card might be using ancient software that doesn’t play nice with newer programs. Same goes for network adapters, sound cards, the lot. Worth checking occasionally.
Those system restore points pile up over time. They’re meant to save your bacon when something goes wrong, but they hog serious disk space. Check your System Protection settings and clean out the old ones you don’t need anymore.
- Run malware scans weekly
- Update Windows and programs regularly
- Check for driver updates quarterly
- Clean up restore points every few months
At Nimble Nerds, we often discover mysterious slowdowns stemming from security issues our clients didn’t even know existed. Regular maintenance prevents most of these dramas. Prevention beats cure every time. Keeping your system healthy is like servicing your car. Ignore it too long and something expensive will break. Basic stuff really.
Speed Up Your Computer- Improve Internet & Browsing Speed
Ever notice your computer seems perfectly fine until you open Chrome? Your browser might be the culprit, not your actual PC. Over time browsers accumulate mountains of cached files that slow everything down.
Clearing your browser cache takes seconds but makes a massive difference. In Chrome, hit the three dots, then Settings, then Privacy and Security. Clear all that accumulated junk. Feels like a weight lifted off.
Those fancy browser extensions add functionality but each one demands resources. Be ruthless. If you haven’t used an extension in months, bin it. Twenty extensions will absolutely hammer your performance.
Your internet connection itself might need sorting too. Check your router isn’t tucked away behind thick walls or metal objects. Proper positioning matters.
Sometimes the simplest fix works best. Turn it off and on again actually helps with routers. Clears the memory and reestablishes connections properly.
- Remove unused browser extensions
- Clear cache files weekly
- Check Wi-Fi signal strength
- Position router centrally when possible
And those flash websites with autoplay videos and fancy animations? They’ll crawl on slower connections no matter how powerful your computer. Sometimes a content blocker improves browsing speed dramatically. Makes sense when you think about it. Less stuff to load equals faster pages.
Speed Up Your Computer- Use Built-in Windows Optimisation Tools
Windows actually comes with heaps of tools for boosting your computer’s performance without downloading anything extra. Bloody brilliant. The Optimise Drives tool can work wonders if you’re using a traditional hard drive by sorting out fragmented files. SSD users can skip this one though since these drives work differently.
Ever wondered where all your storage went? Just open File Explorer and check out This PC then Storage. You might be shocked. Old downloads, forgotten backups, and massive video files could be chewing through your space. Chuck ’em out.
Control Panel has some ripper options for tweaking system settings:
- Adjust visual effects for better performance
- Modify power settings for desktops and laptops
- Change startup programs that slow your boot time
Most people overlook these built-in tools and waste money on fancy software that does the same thing. The performance improvement can be pretty significant too. Give them a burl before trying anything more drastic. And sometimes just turning off unnecessary visual effects makes your computer feel snappier without any complicated fixes.
Advanced Fixes & Professional Help
When basic fixes aren’t cutting it, you might need to take more serious action. Factory resets can work absolute wonders. Reinstalling Windows completely wipes years of digital gunk, giving your computer a fresh start. It’s a bit of a hassle backing everything up first. Worth it though.
Some folks prefer automated solutions like Iolo System Mechanic. It handles all the technical bits for you. Not free, but saves you the headache when you just want things sorted with minimal fuss.
Sometimes the problem is deeper than software can fix. At Nimble Nerds, we’ve seen countless mysterious performance issues that resist simple solutions. We diagnose problems ranging from:
- Failing hardware components
- Driver conflicts
- Thermal throttling issues
- Motherboard or RAM problems
Our team can determine if you need hardware upgrades or if there’s something more technical happening. Computers often respond well to basic maintenance, but occasionally they need expert eyes. Try the DIY approaches first though. No point spending money if you don’t have to.
Conclusion
Before you bin that slow computer, try some simple fixes. They work a treat. Your sluggish machine might just need a good clean out rather than a complete replacement.
Most performance dramas come from:
- Too many startup programs clogging things up
- Not enough RAM for what you’re doing
- Hard drives chockers with unnecessary files
- Outdated drivers causing conflicts
Give these fixes a crack first. Adding more RAM or swapping to an SSD makes a massive difference, and it’s heaps cheaper than buying a new system.
Been there, tried everything, still slow as molasses? We at Nimble Nerds see this all the time. Sometimes computers need expert diagnostics to find the weird issues causing grief.
But most computers just need basic maintenance. Like your car needs regular servicing. And trust me, the effort pays off when your computer runs smoothly again without costing an arm and a leg for a replacement. Worth it.
If you need advanced maintenance to ensure your computer performance top notch, ring us a bell at Nimble Nerds, and we will take a look.
FAQs
Why does my computer feel slower at night?
Ever noticed your PC’s performance gets worse after dinner? Heaps of people have this drama. Your internet settings cop a hiding when everyone in the neighbourhood jumps online at night. Web browsers struggle to load pages during peak times. The desktop tower also builds up heat after running all day which affects system resources. Those unnecessary startup programs you left going since brekkie are still chewing up memory too.
To increase computer speed in the evenings, shut down what you’re not using. All the programs running together slow things down something chronic. Clean up system files that pile up during the day for a performance boost. Some blokes swear their computer faster in the morning after a good restart. If your slow internet is the problem not the PC’s speed, try resetting your router. Your operating systems need breaks just like you do.
How does my file organisation impact my PC’s speed?
Messy files are a proper nightmare for your overall system performance! When your storage usage is all over the shop, your computer wastes system resources trying to sort through the chaos. The search bar takes ages to find anything. That is why, to improve performance, chuck similar file types into proper folders. Get rid of downloaded program files you don’t need anymore. Configure Storage Sense to automatically clean up temporary stuff.
And empty that recycle bin icon regularly, it’s not a second home for your deleted files! Some people never bother with this. Type disk cleanup in the start button search box to find more junk to remove. Your personal files will be easier to find and your PC’s performance will thank you. A good clean out works wonders for optimal performance.
Could my browser be the real culprit behind my slow computer?
Crikey, web browsers can absolutely destroy your system performance! Moreover, each open tab gobbles up memory, and unnecessary extensions make it even worse. So, to speed up your PC, start by having a proper look at your browser setup. In addition, remove unnecessary extensions that run automatically in the background. Those fancy weather widgets and shopping helpers? They’re killing your PC’s speed. Check how many tabs you’ve got open.
Thirty? No wonder everything’s crawling! The latest device drivers for your graphics card help with browser performance too. In addition, another trick is clearing your cache, which gets rid of temporary internet files. Some browsers handle system resources better than others. If Chrome’s making your computer chug, maybe try Firefox or Edge. The on screen instructions for clearing browser data are usually pretty straightforward. Worth a shot!
Why does my antivirus slow everything down at random times?
Anti malware software is dead important but strewth, it can make your installed programs run like they’re stuck in mud! This happens because your security software randomly decides to scan everything using loads of system resources.
Open the settings window of your anti-malware program and tell it when to do its heavy lifting. Schedule scans for when you’re having a cuppa or gone to bed. Make sure it’s not scanning your USB flash drive every time you plug it in too.
Some security programs offer a gaming mode that postpones background activities when the computer detects you’re using it. Updating to the best performance settings can make a massive difference. The updated task manager can show you exactly when your antivirus is hogging resources. Sometimes the simplest fix is just scheduling things properly.
How can disk maintenance improve an older computer when nothing else works?
When you’ve tried everything under the sun to increase your computer speed, proper disk maintenance might be your last hope! The optimize drives tool should be your new best mate. For older computers with traditional hard drives, disk defragmentation rearranges all your scattered data so the system doesn’t waste time hunting for bits and pieces.
Follow the on screen instructions carefully. Check your storage usage by right-clicking the start button search box and looking at your drives. Full drives run slower, so delete unnecessary startup programs and old downloads. Clean up system files using the recycle bin icon and built-in tools. SSD drives work differently but still need occasional TLC.
Sometimes just removing all the programs you rarely use gives your operating systems room to breathe. An old computer with good maintenance can still provide decent performance. But sometimes your PC’s performance issues mean it’s time to consider an upgrade.
References
https://www.wikihow.com/Clear-up-Unnecessary-Files-on-Your-PC
