Upgrading Your Slow Laptop

Your slow laptop doesn’t mean you need a new one. Laptops collect data, programs, and dust as they are used. Software upgrades will become more complex as components age. Don’t worry—we’ll speed things up. Before buying a new workstation, attempt several hardware and software fixes. A screwdriver and perseverance can restore your laptop to factory condition.

Mac users who want to sell or donate their laptop or start over due to performance issues will find the Erase Assistant helpful. If you’re going to resell an old Macbook, you may wonder, ‘Why can’t I erase my Mac?’ You may be annoyed that you can’t erase all content and settings, or you noticed “Erase Assistant is not available on this Mac.” when trying to wipe old Macs. Multidisciplinary approaches can solve this problem. These instructions will securely erase our data from the Mac and ready it for future use.

How To Increase Laptop Speed

In this section, we will analyze the different methods to improve laptop speed and make laptops faster

Close system tray programs

If your computer is slow to boot up, you may have too many apps loading alongside Windows. System tray items frequently run upon system boot and remain active throughout everyday computer use.

The up arrow on the right side of your taskbar grants access to these features. Right-click on any unnecessary apps you have open and select “Close.”

Update Windows, driver, and software

Software updates are recommended for security. Yes, and it increases efficiency. Windows alerts you to updates automatically. Avoid procrastination.

If you think you missed an update, double-check. Start and Settings. Proceed to Windows Update (or Updates & Security > Windows Update in prior versions).

Update Windows, drivers, and applications. Safety and efficiency win again. A quick Internet search should help you choose a version.

Remove any unused files

If not organized, computers can become a mess like our houses. Even though you can’t see it, it may slow your computer. This is vital if you routinely work with huge files like high-resolution photographs, audio, and movies.

Delete files and clear your recycle bin regularly to clean up your computer. Regular practice will help you avoid accidentally deleting essential files.

Upgrade your hard drive to an SSD

A solid-state drive (SSD) is the best laptop speed increase. This accelerates booting, shutting down, and opening apps compared to conventional hard drives. Some recent laptops don’t have SSDs. Disassemble your old notebook and add a standard hard drive to boost performance cheaply.

Upgrade Your RAM

Laptops should have 8 GB RAM. Since more companies are soldering RAM to the motherboard, it’s best to buy a computer with that much RAM already installed. RAM is cheap, and some machines can be accessed. There’s no reason to continue with 4GB when 8GB costs less than $25. Your laptop may support 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB RAM expansion.

Modify Windows’ on/off settings

If there are any Windows features you don’t use, you can disable them from the Programs and Features screen. Select the Turn Windows features on or off option to view a list of these options.

Be wary of switching off any systems that you might need later on. Searching for something of which you are dubious is, thus, a good idea.

Do a disk cleanup

Windows can remove temporary and unneeded files. Windows Tools in the Control Panel’s System and Security section offers Disk Cleanup. In older Windows versions, it’s in the Control Panel under “Administrative Tools.”

To delete specific files, check the boxes and press OK. After selecting system files to delete, click “Clean up system files.”

It can be done automatically with software. Iolo System Mechanic can automatically scan and eliminate unnecessary files as they accumulate.

It defragments, deletes browser history, optimizes application processes, and more.

Modify or turn off the visual effects and transitions

Recent versions of Windows feature elaborate visuals with animations like fade-ins and fly-outs. These add to the overall quality of the application by making it look more polished and professional. However, they also have the potential to decrease your computer’s performance.

Fortunately, tweaking these values can hopefully free up some CPU time. System and Security > System > Advanced System Settings are in the Control Panel. Then, go to the Settings button in the Performance menu to access the complete configuration choices. 

You can turn off all visual effects at once by selecting Adjust for optimal performance or disable them individually. Fade, and shadow effects are a matter of taste, although you could do without them.

In Windows 7, go to the Search box and type “Performance Information and Tools.” From the results, choose “Adjust visual effects.”

Disable web results

When you run a search in Windows 10, Cortana will go through both your local files and the internet. This can drain your system’s resources and takes a while to download. Windows 10 makes it simple to disable web results from appearing in the Cortana box if you want to search for local files and apps.

Disable Cortana

Microsoft’s digital assistant, Cortana, is helpful yet flawed. Disabling Cortana was accessible on prior Windows versions but may be more challenging in newer ones. You can do this by editing your computer’s registry.

Conclusion

It is really frustrating to have to wait on a computer that is moving at a slow pace, especially because all of that waiting time adds up. It is not necessary to make significant adjustments in order to speed up a sluggish laptop. Fixing only a few modest issues can produce results that are both immediate and long-lasting.

If the procedures in this tutorial haven’t helped you speed up your laptop, it may be worthwhile to speak to a professional or contemplate replacement, but you should save these options for the absolute last resort.