The Top 7 Methods for Increasing Computer Speed

It’s possible to discover that your computer is operating slower than when you first purchased it after using it for some time. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to speed up your computer and restore its original appearance.

not: This article’s instructions are applicable to Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11.

Why Is My Computer So Slow?

As a result of everything you do on your computer—download files, surf the web, uninstall programs, leave open apps, and pretty much do anything else—it gradually accumulates rubbish and develops issues that aren’t necessarily immediately apparent.

Disk fragmentation is a major offender. Thus, too, are the build-up of web browser cache files, a disorganized desktop, an overfull hard disk, sluggish hardware, and several other problems.

It’s possible that your PC isn’t sluggish at all. It’s possible that a malfunctioning router, a poor connection, or the restricted speed that your ISP offers are the only reasons for your sluggish internet connection. In any event, your internet connection speed may just need to be accelerated.

Clean up Junk Files and Programs

Eliminating superfluous files, applications, and other “junk” is a practical method for accelerating any computer.

To get rid of unneeded junk files from the Windows operating system, the Windows Registry, and third-party apps like your web browsers that tend to gather cache files, use a free system cleanser like CCleaner.

These transient internet files and other pointless objects may eat up important hard disk space in addition to causing applications to stall and become unresponsive and slow if they persist for an extended period of time.

If your desktop is crowded, tidy it up. Requiring File Explorer to load those files and icons every time the desktop refreshes may cause your hardware to overwork, depleting system resources that might be put to better use.

Get rid of any undesirable apps that are still present on your computer. In addition to using disk space, they may open immediately when Windows launches and operate continuously in the background, draining the CPU and memory. This is very simple to do with the many free uninstaller programs available.

Anything you simply no longer desire or utilize is also regarded as rubbish file. Thus, get rid of those outdated video files you downloaded a year ago and make a backup of all the information you don’t often need, such as holiday photos.

You should have more free hard disk space for more significant items after your computer is clear of needless temporary and garbage files. Performance is also improved by the hard drive’s more free space.

Defrag Your Hard Drive

The process of consolidating all the empty spaces you make in the file system structure when you add and delete files is known as defragmenting your hard drive. Your hard drive will operate more slowly as a result of these empty areas, which will slow down the opening of files, directories, and applications.

There are several free defragmentation programs available for this purpose, but you may also use the one that comes with Windows.

Remove Viruses, Malware, Spyware, Adware, etc

Malware may infect any Windows machine, but if you use anti-malware software on a regular basis, your chances of becoming infected are reduced.

Upon entering the computer, the virus often stores itself in the system memory, causing the system to operate slowly. Even more reasons to delete them are the malicious apps that display pop-ups or lure you into purchasing their “antivirus program.”

It’s advisable to regularly check your computer for viruses in order to eliminate these bothersome memory wasters.

Fix Windows System Errors

Errors in the Windows system files may be caused by a number of factors, including installing and uninstalling programs, updating Windows, causing an abrupt shutdown of your computer, and restarting your system while an update is running.

These problems may stop software installations and upgrades from happening, make things freeze up, and overall make it difficult to operate a computer smoothly. Utilize a utility like as SFC /Scannow to fix your system files.

Adjust Visual Effects

Windows offers a plethora of captivating visual features, such as fading menus and animated windows. Generally speaking, it’s okay to have these features enabled, but only if your system memory is sufficient will they be beneficial.

To make things go a little faster, you may disable these visual effects.

Clean, Replace or Upgrade Your Hardware

You can only solve software issues to a certain extent before you have to deal with hardware issues. Software issues are the root cause of many sluggish computers.

For instance, you could have a low quantity of RAM or an out-of-date or malfunctioning video card if your computer won’t allow you run more than a few apps at once or play HD movies. It might possibly be that your hardware is unclean.

It’s a good idea to regularly clean your hardware components. Fans and other components under the casing may accumulate hair or dirt clumps over time, particularly as a result of certain environmental factors. This causes the components to have to work harder merely to operate correctly. Before you purchase new hardware, make sure everything is clean. It’s conceivable that they are just too filthy.

To examine your hardware specifications, utilize a free system information tool. If you want to replace some hardware and avoid opening your computer to check on things, these tools come in handy.

For instance, you may use a system information tool to verify the sort and quantity of RAM you now have so you can purchase the appropriate amount if you want to increase it.

Reinstall the Entire Windows Operating System

Removing every piece of software and data from your computer, along with the whole Windows operating system, is the most severe way to speed it up. This may be accomplished with a fresh Windows installation.

The best part about doing this is that it’s like having a brand-new computer, free of years’ worth of program modifications, registry problems, and changes that you were unaware you had. This is one of the final things you can do to speed up your computer, so you should really give it some serious thought before proceeding.

How do I speed up a video on my computer?

Windows Media Player allows you to adjust the playing speed of both audio and video files. A movie edited in Adobe Premiere Pro or a comparable tool may have its speed permanently increased.

What is a fast processor speed for a computer?