A slow computer is frustrating — but it doesn't always mean you need a new one. In many cases, a few simple changes can make a years-old PC feel significantly faster. Here's what to try first.
1. Disable Startup Programs
This is the single most impactful thing most people can do. Every program that launches at startup slows down your boot time and uses memory even when you're not using it.
How to do it:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
- Click the Startup tab
- Right-click anything you don't need at startup and select Disable
Good candidates to disable: Spotify, Skype, Dropbox, OneDrive (unless you actively use it), Teams, Discord, and any software that came with your printer or camera.
2. Check for Malware
A computer infected with malware is almost always slow. Malware runs in the background, consuming your processor and memory 24/7.
Run a free scan with Malwarebytes (malwarebytes.com) — the free version is excellent for one-time cleanups. If it finds something, follow the removal steps and restart your computer.
Note: Windows Defender (built into Windows 10 and 11) is decent for prevention, but Malwarebytes is better at finding things that have already snuck through.
3. Free Up Disk Space
Windows slows down when your hard drive gets too full — especially if it drops below 10–15% free space. Here's how to reclaim some:
- Empty your Recycle Bin
- Run Disk Cleanup: Search for "Disk Cleanup" in the Start menu, run it on your C: drive, and also click "Clean up system files"
- Uninstall programs you don't use: Go to Settings → Apps and sort by size to find the big ones
- Move photos and videos to an external drive or cloud storage
4. Restart More Often
Many people leave their computer in sleep mode for days or weeks at a time. Windows needs a full restart to clear memory, install updates, and start fresh. Aim to restart at least once a week.
5. Check for Windows Updates
Outdated Windows installations can have performance and security issues. Go to Settings → Windows Update and make sure everything is installed and up to date.
6. Check Your Power Plan
If you're on a laptop, make sure you're not accidentally on the "Power Saver" plan, which throttles your processor to save battery.
Search "Power plan" in the Start menu → Choose a power plan → Select Balanced or High Performance.
7. Consider Adding RAM or Switching to an SSD
If you've tried everything above and your PC is still struggling, it might be a hardware limitation.
- Adding RAM (memory) is relatively inexpensive and can make a big difference on older machines
- Replacing a hard drive with an SSD is the single biggest performance upgrade you can make to an older PC — boot times go from 2 minutes to under 20 seconds
These are affordable upgrades that don't require buying a whole new computer. We can help advise whether it's worth it for your specific machine — just reach out.