Nothing kills productivity faster than a slow computer or laptop. If you’ve ever felt like tossing your device out the window because it’s unbearably slow, we get it!
Just because your grandparents managed with sluggish technology, doesn’t mean you have to—especially in today’s fast-paced world.
Luckily, Mobile PC Pro is here to help! In this article, our experts share their top tips for fixing a slow computer at home.
If you’re wondering why your computer suddenly feels sluggish, there could be a variety of reasons behind it. Slow-loading computers are one of the most common issues PC repair technicians deal with.
Here are some of the typical causes of a slow computer or laptop:
If you think any of these issues might be affecting your computer, follow these steps to start fixing your slow device.
The best way to speed up your computer depends on the underlying cause of the slowdown. However, here are some quick and easy fixes you can try at home to help diagnose the issue.
If these methods don’t resolve the problem, it’s a good idea to consult a professional. For those in the Gold Coast area, feel free to give our friendly team at Mobile PC Pro a call—we’re here to help!
The quickest and easiest way to speed up your computer is simply to restart it. While this might not be a universal fix, it’s incredibly effective for most cases.
The main benefit of a restart is freeing up RAM. Your computer’s operating system allocates random access memory to various programs as they run. Over time, the available RAM fills up, which can cause your computer to slow down.
When your RAM reaches its limit, your computer will rely on other, slower resources, which is why you may notice it freezing or lagging unexpectedly.
While closing all open programs can help, a full restart refreshes the RAM, ensuring that no memory is being used by hidden background processes either.
A full hard drive can also cause your computer to slow down. When your hard disk is nearly full, it can interfere with the operating system’s performance. Operating systems rely on disk space for several functions:
It’s recommended to keep at least 500 megabytes (MB) of free space for these tasks. If you’re running low on disk space, try these steps:
As you free up space on your computer, you might not see the performance improvements you expect. This can happen because your hard drive creates fragments—small isolated pockets—where deleted data used to be.
Over time, your hard disk fills up with these fragments, causing your computer to load documents and run programs from multiple locations instead of a single, efficient spot. As a result, your computer may not experience the desired speed boost, as it takes longer to access files on a fragmented disk.
Defragmenting (or “defragging”) your hard drive helps organize the disk. This process groups the fragmented free space together, making files more accessible and improving your computer’s overall performance.
A common reason for computers slowing down is having too many programs running at once. Computers and laptops have limited resources, and they perform much better when those resources are focused on one task at a time.
Of course, most people don’t use their computers that way, so it’s a good habit to regularly check for unnecessary background programs that may be using up valuable resources.
If you’re using a Windows PC, check the Task Manager. For Mac users, the Activity Monitor is where you can see which programs are running and how much of your system’s resources they’re consuming.
You can also force quit any programs you don’t need for the task at hand, freeing up resources to improve performance.
If you notice that your computer is not only slowing down but also taking longer to start up, the issue might be too many programs trying to launch at once.
Many programs are set to automatically start when you boot up your computer. While this is convenient for programs you use regularly, it can be unnecessary for others, slowing down both your startup time and overall performance.
On a Windows computer, go to the Task Manager and check the Startup tab. From there, you can disable programs that don’t need to run at startup, helping your computer boot up faster and run more efficiently with fewer background tasks.
Keeping your computer or laptop up to date with the latest software can significantly improve its performance.
Operating system updates and driver updates are designed to enhance performance and fix any bugs from previous versions.
Neglecting these important updates can lead to your computer slowing down over time. If you think your machine might be missing some updates, check the Settings area and look for any notifications about available updates.
If your computer is still using a traditional hard drive, upgrading to a solid-state drive (SSD) can significantly improve its performance.
Hard drives rely on a moving disk that spins to extract data, which can cause delays in accessing information—especially when booting up. On the other hand, an SSD has no moving parts and uses technology that can access data much faster, even during startup.
Upgrading to an SSD is generally easier for a PC than for a laptop, but no matter your device, our experts can help you choose the best drive for your system and install it, so you can enjoy the full boost in performance.
Your computer’s memory, or RAM, stores data that’s actively being used. It allows your computer to quickly retrieve the information it needs, acting as a pool of resources to keep things running smoothly.
Adding more RAM lets you do more without slowing your computer down. For example, any time you do the following, you’re using RAM:
Since most people are doing many of these things simultaneously, upgrading your RAM can significantly improve your computer’s performance.
Antivirus software is often a common culprit for sudden slowdowns on your computer. It’s worth checking your antivirus settings to see if it’s running scans at inconvenient times.
If it’s set to scan randomly or whenever it detects something, consider adjusting the schedule to run scans when you’re not actively using your computer—like overnight or during your lunch break. This way, it won’t interfere with your productivity and performance.
The reason why your computer is running so slow suddenly can be difficult to diagnose on your own. Always start by checking the Task Manager or Activity Monitor panel to see what programs are taking up the most resources.
If you have tried all the methods in the list above, there may be something else affecting your computer’s performance. Typically, the age of your machine and its parts will also impact its operating speed.
If you’ve tried everything you can to fix your slow computer at home, give our team a call. If we can’t fix it either, you won’t pay us a cent!
If you are using a Windows computer, you can go to File Explorer > Right-click “C” drive > Properties > Disk Cleanup.
You can select all items under “Files to Delete” that you no longer need and then click “OK”. You can also repeat the same process and delete all unnecessary system files too.
If you run a Mac, check out the instructions from Apple on how to clean up and optimise your storage.
To make sure your computer is running at its best, make sure you actively maintain it on a frequent basis. Check for updates to the operating system and its drivers as often as you can. Also, make it a habit to defragment your hard disk weekly.
Investing in an SSD with more storage can go a long way too. All in all, getting the best performance out of your computer is easier done when you take good care of it in the first place.
If you want to make an old laptop run like new, it will depend on the age of your laptop and how well you’ve taken care of it over the years. In many cases, a simple replacement of parts that are no longer performing can do the trick. In other cases, you may be better off buying a new laptop altogether. In any case, a professional IT technician can help you figure out the best course of action for your laptop.
If you’ve tried everything listed above to improve your slow laptop or computer and it’s still not working, it’s time to take it to a professional.
At Mobile PC Pro, we offer a “no fix, no fee” guarantee for all our clients so you don’t need to worry about paying someone to take a look if they can’t fix it either! We’ll tell you straight up if you’re better off buying a new computer or if a simple part replacement will do the trick.
