10 Tips to Boost Your PC’s Speed

In today’s fast-paced life, we all want our devices to be swift and efficient, especially the one we use the most- our PC. It can be frustrating when a sluggish device slows you down in completing your tasks. However, before you go ahead and purchase a new, faster computer, try these tips to make your PC run smoother and faster.

First, you need to identify the root causes that are slowing down your computer. There could be numerous reasons for slow PC performance, such as a fragmented hard drive, too many programs running in the background, malware infections, or too many browser extensions. Once you identify the cause, you can take specific steps to improve the performance of your device. This article will guide you through some easy-to-follow steps that will help you speed up your PC and boost its overall performance.

Improving Performance through Software Optimization

Uninstall Unnecessary Programs and Apps

One of the easiest and quickest ways to free up resources and make your computer faster is to uninstall programs and apps that you no longer use. Even if you have not run them in a while, your system still will allocate resources to these apps, causing slowdowns. Go through your programs and apps and remove those that are not important to you. This can be done through the Control Panel in Windows. Once you have uninstalled these unnecessary programs and apps, restart your computer so that the changes take effect.

Disable Startup Programs

When you start your computer, there are many programs that automatically launch along with the operating system. Some of these programs are useful, but there are many that are not critical to daily computing. Startup programs slow down the boot-up process, and they also consume system resources, making the computer run slower. To disable startup programs, type “msconfig” in the Windows search bar, and this will open System Configuration. From there, go to the Startup tab and deselect any programs that you don’t want to start automatically.

Use a Solid Antivirus and Anti-Malware Software

Running antivirus and anti-malware software ensures that you do not have any harmful viruses, spyware, or adware on your computer. These malicious programs consume system resources and slow down your computer’s performance. It is critical to select a reliable antivirus software program because many of the free options available online may compromise your computer’s security. A reputable antivirus software program should actively protect your system in the background without hogging up system resources.

Regularly Clean Up Your System

Over time, your computer accumulates temporary files, system logs, and application caches that take up space on your hard disk, affecting its performance. To avoid this, you should regularly conduct file cleanups using the built-in Windows Disk Cleanup tool. This eliminates unnecessary files and helps free up space to boost your system’s performance. If you are looking for more advanced cleaning options, you can try third-party cleaner tools like CCleaner which is trusted and widely used.

Remove Dust from Your CPU

Overheating of the CPU can affect your system’s performance, and this is usually due to the accumulation of dust and debris in the CPU fans and heatsinks. Dust prevents the fans from spinning correctly, which leads to overheating. Overheating causes the CPU to slow down to avoid damage, leading to sluggish performance. To avoid this, you need to regularly clean the inside of your computer. Use canned air to remove dust and debris from the fans, vents, and heatsinks, and this will improve your computer’s airflow and cooling performance significantly.

Disable Animation and Visual Effects

Windows operating system uses visual effects like animations and shadows for aesthetics. However, these effects take up system resources, affecting your computer’s performance. To disable visual effects, right-click on the My Computer icon on your desktop and select Properties. Under the Advanced System Settings page, click on the Performance Settings button. From here, select “Adjust for best performance” and click on Apply.

Reduce Browser Extensions

Browser extensions are often used to enhance the user experience when browsing, but as they accumulate, they significantly impact your internet browser’s performance. All extensions are running in the background, using system resources. Therefore, it is best to limit the number of browser extensions you use. If some of your extensions are not in use, then it is best to remove them completely. This will make your browsing experience quicker and more efficient.

Disable Window Animations

One of the ways to make your PC run faster is by disabling window animations. This will accelerate the speed at which your PC responds to each user request. To disable window animations, you need to open your Control Panel, select the “System and Security” category, then click on the System tab. Here, click on the “Advanced system settings” link, then go to Settings under the “Performance” section. In the Visual Effects tab of the Performance Options window, select “Adjust for best performance” and deselect the option for “Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing.”

Keep Your Operating System Up-to-Date

Operating system updates often include bug fixes, security patches, and performance enhancements. When you ignore these updates, your computer’s performance may suffer, and you may open yourself up to security vulnerabilities. To ensure that your operating system is up-to-date, go to your Windows settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and update your operating system if necessary.

Defragment Your Hard Disk Regularly

Over time, files on your computer become fragmented, and this may lead to a slower system performance. Fragmentation occurs when different sectors of a file are saved in separate physical locations on your hard disk. Defragmentation rearranges files and folders on your hard disk so that they are organized in a contiguous sequence, making it easier for your computer to access them. To defragment your hard disk, right-click on the hard drive you want to defragment, select Properties > Tools, then click Defragment Now.

Following these tips should help to optimize your computer’s performance, making it run faster, and giving you a better computing experience.

Section 2: Software Optimization

1. Uninstall Unnecessary Programs

One of the easiest ways to make your PC run faster is to remove all the bloatware and unused programs. These programs not only take up valuable space but also use a chunk of your system resources. Go to Control Panel from the Start menu and choose Programs and Features. Once there, sort the programs by installed date, and uninstall any programs you no longer use.

2. Disable Startup Programs

Every time you turn on your PC, several programs launch automatically and run in the background, eating up your RAM and CPU resources. This slows down your system at the startup itself. You can identify the programs running at startup and disable those you don’t need. To do this, open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), go to the Startup tab, and disable the unnecessary programs.

3. Clear Out Unused Services

Services running in the background are designed to provide operating system functionality, but many of these are unnecessary and consume memory and processor resources. To access the Services management console, press Win+R and type “services.msc.” Scroll down the list, and disable services you don’t need or use. Be careful not to disable a necessary service, or it could create issues.

4. Delete Temporary Files and Folders

Temporary files and folders are created by Windows and installed programs. These files accumulate over time and consume valuable disk space and system resources. To get rid of them, press Win+R and type “%temp%,” then hit enter. This opens the temporary files folder, select all files and delete them.

5. Use Disk Cleanup Tool

Disk Cleanup is a built-in tool that removes temporary files, empty the recycle bin, and other system-generated files. To use it, search for Disk Cleanup in the search box and run the tool. The tool prompts you to select the files you want to delete. Select the files and hit OK. This frees up space on your hard drive, making your PC run faster.

6. Defragment Your Hard Drive

Defragmentation is the built-in Windows tool that reorganizes the data on your hard drive for faster access. Over time, data gets scattered across the hard drive, making the read-write operations slow. To defrag your hard drive, search for Disk Defragmenter in the search box and run the tool. Select the hard drive you want to defrag, and click on the “Analyze” button. After the analysis is complete, click on “Optimize” button to defrag the drive.

7. Perform Regular System Updates

It’s essential to keep your operating system and installed programs up to date. Regular system updates not only delivers the latest security patches but also improves the performance and functionality of the system. To update your PC, go to Settings -> Update & Security, and then click on “Check for Updates”.

8. Disable Visual Effects

Visual effects such as transparency, animations, and shadows might look pleasing, but these effects consume a considerable amount of system resources. Disabling these effects can significantly improve your PC’s performance. To do this, go to Control Panel -> System -> Advanced System Settings -> Advanced Tab -> Settings. Select “Adjust for best performance,” and click on Apply.

9. Remove Browser Extensions and Plugins

Browser extensions and plugins are designed to enhance your browsing experience, but they can significantly slow down your system if you have too many of them installed. Remove the plugins and extensions that you don’t use or require.

10. Use Antivirus Software

Malware and viruses can slow down your PC significantly, cause crashes, and steal your data. It’s essential to use a reliable antivirus program to protect your PC from these threats. Regularly scan your PC for viruses and remove anything suspicious. A good antivirus program not only detects but also removes the malware, protecting your PC from potential threats.

III. Clearing Out Unnecessary Programs and Files

1. Remove Unwanted Applications: Over time, you may forget about the software you’ve installed on your PC and it may no longer be useful to you. Consider uninstalling the programs you no longer use to free up space on your hard drive. To remove an application, go to the Start menu and select Control Panel. From there, choose Programs and Features and select the program you’d like to uninstall. Follow the prompts to complete the uninstall process and repeat as necessary.

2. Use Disk Cleanup: Disk Cleanup is a built-in tool in Windows that helps you delete files you no longer need. You’ll be able to clear out temporary files, recycle bin contents, and other items you no longer need. To access Disk Cleanup, go to the Start menu and search for “Disk Cleanup”. Click on the program and select which files you’d like to delete. Then, click “Ok” to complete the process.

3. Disable Startup Programs: If your PC is taking a long time to boot up, it could be due to too many programs starting up automatically. You can disable these programs to speed things up. To do this, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the Task Manager. Click on the Startup tab and choose which programs you’d like to disable by right-clicking on them and selecting “Disable”.

4. Clear Your Browser Cache: If you use the internet a lot, your web browser’s cache can slow down your PC. Clearing your cache can speed up browsing and free up some space on your hard drive. To clear your cache, open your browser and go to the settings menu. From there, select “History” and then “Clear browsing data”. Choose which data you’d like to clear and click on “Clear data”.

5. Use External Hard Drives or Cloud Storage: If you’ve tried everything and your PC is still running slow, you may have too many files stored on your hard drive. Consider storing some large files on an external hard drive or cloud storage. This will free up space on your hard drive and speed up your PC. You can find affordable external hard drives online or consider using a cloud storage service like Dropbox or Google Drive.

Wrapping it up

And that’s all there is to it! By performing these simple steps, you can improve your PC’s performance with ease. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this guide — I hope you found it helpful. Feel free to visit again later for even more tips and tricks on optimizing your computer. Happy computing!