10 tips to speed up your PC's performance

Have you been having issues with your PC moving at a snail's pace lately? Don't panic; it happens to everyone. Before you decide to invest in a new PC or take your computer into a repair shop, there are a few things that you can do first to help your computer get back up to speed.

Here are 10 tips to help you get that slow-moving PC moving quickly again. If you have a Mac, you'll want to check out our 8 tips to speed up your Mac's performance.

Before doing anything, give your PC a quick restart. When you restart your PC, Windows will close all your applications, which may resolve some slow-down issues.

Make sure you are keeping your Windows OS up to date. Microsoft continuously rolls out improvements for bugs that may slow your PC down. Here's what you need to do:

Check which programs open automatically at start-up.

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Cleaning your disk with the Windows "Disk Cleanup" tool is an easy way to delete old temporary files and old system data stored on your hard drive, which can slow down your PC's performance.

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If none of the above steps helped speed up your PC, you may need to follow these slightly more advanced steps.

Depending on which PC you bought, there's a good chance you have a few pre-installed programs on it that you don't use. Reviewing your applications list and deleting programs you no longer use or were pre-installed on your system is a good idea.

To do this:

Using the Windows Command Center, you can find applications running in the background and close them. This will free up processing power and memory and help speed up your PC. To do this:

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You can turn off visual effects to free up additional memory and processing power.

To do this:

If everything else has failed to speed up your PC's performance, you can try these next steps. These steps will require a bit of technical know-how, such as how to open and replace components within your PC, so you may have to seek professional help.

One of the most common issues that causes PCs to slow down is insufficient RAM for all your applications. While 8GB of RAM should be OK for most users, if you notice your PC is slow with 8GB of RAM, it's worth upgrading to 16GB. Most computer stores can help you with this for a fee. 

Solid State Drives (SSDs) can greatly enhance your PC’s speed. They offer faster data transfer rates, improved boot and load times, and higher bandwidth compared to traditional Hard Disk Drives. By installing an SSD and moving your operating system and crucial applications to it, you can achieve faster boot, loading and read/write times. 

You have two options when it comes to installing an SSD: doing it yourself or consulting with a professional. If you’re tech-savvy and comfortable with handling computer hardware, you can install the SSD yourself. This involves replacing or supplementing the existing HDD with the SSD and transferring your operating system and files. 

However, most people will want to consult with a professional. They can handle the installation and data transfer for you. Regardless of the method you choose, it’s crucial to back up your data beforehand and ensure your computer is compatible with the SSD you’ve chosen.

This should only be attempted by people who are comfortable installing and re-installing operating systems. Otherwise, we recommend getting your PC into a repair shop. If you want to perform a clean install of Windows 11 or 10, simply head to Microsoft's website and head over to the "Reinstall Windows" page.

It's never fun when your computer is running slow, and we hope these 10 tips can help you bring your PC back up to speed. The first four steps will be enough for most users, but if you are comfortable and have a good deal of technical experience, you can attempt steps four through 10 or seek professional help to complete them.

Have you encountered any unique challenges while trying to improve your computer’s performance? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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