In today’s tech-based world, where everything from studies to commerce is managed digitally, a slow-running computer is not acceptable. A mere lag of a few seconds can hugely affect your productivity and make you frustrated. Microsoft Windows is the most popular PC operating system used by students, businesses, and government organizations worldwide. Although Windows is flexible and easy to use, it needs some timely maintenance to run smoothly. If you think that your Windows computer is running slower than its potential, here are seven easy solutions that can make it run smoothly.
Restrict Programs from Starting in the Background When You Sign in to Windows
Your computer may come with several unnecessary inbuilt programs that start automatically every time you power on your Windows PC. Most of these programs come bundled with Windows, your computer’s components like graphics card, or other programs like browsers and anti-virus software. While running in the background, these programs utilize your PC’s memory and processing power and make your system slow.
While you should let essential startup programs like firewall, Windows Defender, audio, and input software run, you can disable all redundant programs. You can do so by going to the Windows Task Manager and selecting the ‘Startup’ option. Besides speeding up your Windows computer, this will also reduce your computer’s boot time.
- Delete Unnecessary Files and Programs
Most of the Windows computers out there contain more programs than the average user requires. This is because most Windows computers are built for multiple purposes. They provide many additional programs (like DVD burner, cloud storage, maps, gaming suits, AI, productivity tools, etc.) that ordinary users may not need.
While you can keep the odd video calling app, you should uninstall most of these unnecessary apps to keep Windows run smoothly. But when you install new hardware or download a new browser or anti-virus, it is often seen that they also bring along additional redundant programs. You can skip the trouble of frequently searching for such unwanted programs and cache files by installing Best Cleaner One Pro for Windows.
Protect Your PC from Viruses by Installing Anti-Malware Programs
Viruses and bugs trigger processes on their own and put a burden on your computer’s resources. Sometimes, they can intervene in your computer’s activities and do acts like restarting your computer, closing apps, deleting files, etc.
While many antivirus programs provide perfect protection for a fortune, you can go for free options as well. If your PC manufacturer hasn’t installed one, you can go for Microsoft Defender Antivirus. It is a free anti-malware program that provides real-time protection against both online and offline threats. To get the best out of the program, you need to keep both the Antivirus and your Windows updated.
Along with these, be sensible and don’t install programs from unlikely sources. When you are online, always check the validity of the website before clicking.
- Clean up Your Hard Drive
Whether you surf the internet through browsers or use various native programs on your PC, all of them create some temporary files on your hard drive, which are also known as a cache. You need to clean up such files so that there is enough free space in your hard drive for it to function correctly.
Although SSDs are much faster than mechanical hard drives, lack of free space in C drives reduces your Windows computer’s speed across systems. Therefore, deleting unnecessary files, duplicate media, and exporting data to another drive can hugely help speed up your PC. All Windows PCs come with the default Disk Cleanup app, which helps clean up such temporary and unnecessary files.
Tweak the Settings of Your Windows Computer
Windows computers’ default settings do not always favor performance, and you need to manually change some of them to bring the best out of your system. For example, Windows has three power options: balanced, high performance, and power saver. While high performance will give you the best performance, the power saver mode saves energy and compromises performance. Similarly, there are other options through which you can stop or pause Windows animations, location services, desktop slideshows, automatic updates, and feedback. These tweaks can help boost your PC’s performance immensely.
Make Sure Your Windows PC Has Capable Hardware
Before you taste the goodness of Windows, it is crucial to find out if your computer has capable hardware to run windows. Since Microsoft has discontinued technical support for all older Windows versions, Windows 10 is probably the only option you have right now. Unlike older versions like Windows XP, Windows 10 has some serious systems requirements to run smoothly.
If you possess a decade-old PC with very humble system specifications and try to install Windows 10 on it, then it is evident that your system will lag no matter how much you optimize it. In such cases, you should consider upgrading your processor, ram, and hard drive to match the requirements suggested by Microsoft.
Update Your PC’s Software
OS update plays a significant role in the performance of your Windows computer. Microsoft releases regular updates to fix bugs and enhance Windows’ performance. If you don’t install these updates, you may miss these improvements. Besides OS, you also need to regularly update anti-virus software, graphics software (generally released by the graphics card manufacturer), and browsers.
When you replace or reinstall your PC’s hardware components, you also need to install or update related software so that they run smoothly. But before every update, go through the release notes and confirm that the updates will not destabilize your system.
Final Words
A slowly running Windows PC does not mean that you need a new PC or expensive repair works. As soon as your Windows computer starts to lag, you should try these cool tips before losing your calm. Other than the tips mentioned above, physically clean the hardware components by opening up your PC. Take a gentle brush and clean the dust from inside, especially the fan and the air vents. A clean and cool PC will work much smoother than one that is not cleaned regularly.
