Sometimes you can improve system performance by changing your computing behavior. Running four or more programs while leaving multiple browser windows and email messages open may be more than your device can handle.
If you find your device slowing down, decide whether you really need to keep all of your programs and windows open at the same time. Also, find a way to remind yourself to reply to email messages later instead of keeping them open until you reply.
[Extra speed] windows 8
ReadyBoost can speed up your device by using storage space on flash memory cards and USB flash drives. If you have a storage device that will work with ReadyBoost, you'll see an option to use ReadyBoost when you plug it into your device. If you select this option, you can select how much memory to use.
Fragmentation makes your hard disk do extra work that can slow down your computer. Removable storage devices such as USB flash drives can also become fragmented. Disk Defragmenter in Windows rearranges fragmented data so your disks and drives can work more efficiently. Disk Defragmenter runs on a schedule, but you can also analyze and defragment your disks and drives manually. To do this, follow these steps:
As PC hardware continues to speed up, so does software, and the Windows operating system is no exception. This is especially true of startup time. Once you're up and running, however, there are other performance factors to consider. Even the most current version of Windows isn't immune to slowdowns, and not everyone is ready to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 yet. These tips for speeding up Windows work just as well whether you're running version 10 or 11.
The problem with a lot of articles that tell you how to speed up Windows is that they tell you to turn off some of the operating system's more fun features, such as visual animations. Most of our tips show you ways to speed up your Windows system without compromising its appearance and functionality. Most of the tips can be done for free, but some involve spending a little cash on software or hardware. For people with older, low-power machines who want a speed boost but don't care about extra goodies, a couple of the tips that you'll find toward the end of this list do boost system performance at the expense of visual bling.
There are a few third-party system cleanup utilities for Windows 10 that may speed up your computer, but this category of software isn't as popular as it once was. Most of these utilities do boost PC performance, but sometimes only by a modest amount. There are plenty of malicious downloads out there claiming to speed up your PC, so be sure to stick with a product that has been tested and vetted. Iolo System Mechanic is a good option, for example.
Both Windows 10 and 11 manage memory more efficiently than earlier versions of the OS, but more memory always can potentially speed up PC operations. If you still use a desktop tower, this article can show you how to add RAM. The bigger RAM makers' (Crucial, Kingston, Corsair) websites all offer product finders that show you which type of RAM your PC takes, and prices are pretty reasonable. You can get 8GB high-performance DDR4 RAM for less than $50.
If $50 or so is too much and your computer is old, has a hard drive rather than an SSD (see below), and has little RAM, you could try using ReadyBoost with a USB stick. It caches data on the portable storage device's storage to speed up memory access that would be slower with a spinning hard drive. Just go to the USB key's File Explorer entry, right-click to open Properties, and switch to the ReadyBoost tab to get going. For most up-to-date systems, this feature won't be available and would provide no performance boost.
For system speedup, it makes sense to replace your internal startup hard drive, and if you use a laptop, this may also be an option. But an external SSD with a USB 3.0 connection can also give you a speed boost in applications that use a lot of storage. For help in choosing which device to install, check out PCMag's list of the best SSDs.
If you want to save electricity, changing the power setting on your PC to high performance isn't ideal, but it could boost computing speed. Head to the Settings app's System > Power & Sleep option and then click the Additional Power Settings link. From here, click the dropdown arrow on the right side to Show Additional Plans and then choose High Performance.
Changing the appearance in the performance options might help speed up an older PC. You can easily get to this setting in either Windows 10 or Windows 11 by typing adjust appearance in the Start menu's search box.
If you leave search indexing on but find that it occasionally slows down your PC, you can stop its process temporarily when you need extra speed. Right-click This PC on the desktop (or type Computer in the Search box), and choose Manage. (You may want to display the This PC icon by going into Settings > Personalization > Themes > Desktop icon settings.) Then, double-click Services and Applications, and select Services.
Simply open the Settings app's Notifications page to change the notification settings. You can simply turn all notifications off with a switch at the top but you'll also see a list of individual apps that can send notifications; uncheck those you don't want to hear from. If you have a lot of these, too, go through the list and you're bound to find sources from which you have no need to be notified. The distraction savings alone can speed up your PC use, if only in terms of your perception of computing speed. An easy way to pause notifications is to tap the Focus Assist button in the Action Center. It also makes it easier to re-enable them later.
The answer to this question is yes. Unfortunately, not all VPNs are fast and if you are using a substandard service with slow servers and inferior apps, it could cause your internet speeds to come to a grinding halt. VPNs require system resources to encrypt and decrypt data coming and going from your PC.\nOf course, when pages start loading slowly, and it becomes impossible to use the internet, it is easy to simply blame your computer or assume you have become infected with a virus.\nIn reality, it is worth checking to see how your VPN is affecting your internet speeds. Some VPNs have been known to slow down their user's internet by 95 percent. Understandably, that makes the computer feel like it is broken.\nIf you find that your VPN is severely slowing down your internet, you may want to try a different VPN protocol. And failing that, it may be time to quit your current VPN and get a subscription with one of the world's fastest VPNs instead.","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Aimee O'Driscoll","description":"Aimee is a tech and cybersecurity editor with a focus on consumer privacy and security. She has written for a number of security and tech publications including Security Today and IoT for All. At Comparitech, Aimee covers a range of topics, including digital privacy, online security, VPNs, security software, and cybersecurity education and careers. She is dedicated to providing thorough yet easily digestible information that resonates with fellow lovers of everything digital.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/aimee\/"}},"@type":"Question","name":"My laptop is still slow after trying all of the tips in this guide. What else can I do?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":"@type":"Answer","text":"If your laptop is still slow after trying the above tips, you may need to take more drastic measures. Some potential options include:\nReinstall your operating system: This will erase all of your files, programs, and settings. It should only be considered as a last resort.\nReplace your laptop: If your laptop is old or underpowered, it may be time for an upgrade. A new laptop can significantly improve performance.","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Aimee O'Driscoll","description":"Aimee is a tech and cybersecurity editor with a focus on consumer privacy and security. She has written for a number of security and tech publications including Security Today and IoT for All. At Comparitech, Aimee covers a range of topics, including digital privacy, online security, VPNs, security software, and cybersecurity education and careers. She is dedicated to providing thorough yet easily digestible information that resonates with fellow lovers of everything digital.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/aimee\/","@type":"Question","name":"Will Windows 11 slow down my laptop?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":"@type":"Answer","text":"No, Windows 11 will not slow down your laptop. Microsoft has designed the OS to be as efficient and lightweight as possible, ensuring it requires minimal resources while providing a great user experience. Additionally, Windows 11 includes many performance-enhancing features, such as improved startup times and enhanced memory management, that should make your laptop run faster than before. So don't worry\u2014upgrading to Windows 11 shouldn't cause any slowdown on your device.","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Aimee O'Driscoll","description":"Aimee is a tech and cybersecurity editor with a focus on consumer privacy and security. She has written for a number of security and tech publications including Security Today and IoT for All. At Comparitech, Aimee covers a range of topics, including digital privacy, online security, VPNs, security software, and cybersecurity education and careers. She is dedicated to providing thorough yet easily digestible information that resonates with fellow lovers of everything digital.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/aimee\/"]} "@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":["@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/","@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Utilities","item":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/utilities\/","@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Slow laptop? How to make it faster (for free)","item":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/utilities\/speed-up-slow-laptop-or-pc-windows-10-8-or-7\/"]UtilitiesSlow laptop? How to make it faster (for free) We are funded by our readers and may receive a commission when you buy using links on our site. Slow laptop? How to make it faster (for free) Looking to speed up a slow laptop or PC? We reveal the key simple and free steps that anyone can take make a laptop running Windows 10, 8, or 7 faster. Aimee O'Driscoll VPN AND CYBERSECURITY EXPERT UPDATED: December 13, 2022 2ff7e9595c
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