Sluggish computers are a major headache for anyone who frequently uses their PC. That’s especially so if you are a college student, a business owner, or even a professional such as an engineer or architect. The available options might involve expanding on your RAM, and internal memory, installing a graphics card, or even buying a new PC altogether. But all that will cost you something, and still might not fix your problem.
However, there are simple tricks that you can first try out before breaking the bank for any extras. The exact solution depends on your problem. However, you can try out several software and application-based tweaks and maintenance techniques to boost your PC’s performance.
Let’s get right into it!
Declutter Your PC and Free Up Disk Space
Over time, your computer accumulates a surprising amount of digital clutter. These include temporary files, leftover program installations, and forgotten downloads. All this digital debris not only eats up valuable storage space, but it can also fragment your hard drive, slowing down read and write speeds. Thankfully, most operating systems come with built-in tools to help you clean up your PC.
If you’re using a Windows PC, you can utilize Disk Cleanup to identify and remove temporary files, internet cache, and leftover program files. For macOS, you can fire up Disk Utility to identify and erase unnecessary files and optimize your storage usage.
Clear Cache and Cookies on Your Browser
Every time you visit a website, your browser stores bits of data like cache and cookies that help to improve the user experience. A cached site will generally load faster on subsequent visits. For instance, if you feel MasterPapers.com is the best paper writer website you may want to cache the website by storing cookies. That improves your browser experience the next time you visit the website.
While this can be helpful, accumulated cache and cookies can and will eventually slow down your browsing experience. Thus, ensure that you regularly clear your browser’s cache and cookies to improve your browsing speed and privacy.
Manage Startup Programs
Many programs love to set themselves to launch automatically when you boot up your computer. That may seem convenient for frequently used applications, but it can significantly slow down your startup time and consume valuable system resources. therefore, you should take control by disabling unnecessary startup programs.
For Windows, you can open Task Manager and navigate to the Startup tab. Here, you can disable programs that you don’t need immediately upon startup.
For macOS, head over to System Preferences and then Users & Groups. Select your user account and then click on Login Items. This section allows you to manage which programs launch automatically at startup.
Update Regularly for Optimal Performance
Keeping your operating system and software applications up-to-date is one of the most essential tricks for maintaining the optimal performance of your computer. Updates often include bug fixes, security patches, and performance enhancements.
These updates can significantly improve your PC’s speed, stability, and security. For example, if new viruses and malicious programs have been released on the internet, you can quickly catch them. Make it a habit to check for updates regularly and install them promptly.
Optimize Power Settings
Several operations in a PC may be pegged to the power consumption, hence it is necessary to find a proper balance between power and usage. For example, Windows PCs will generally offer power plans that prioritize either performance or battery life.
High performance equals higher processing speed but also higher power consumption for laptops. Thus, if you are running applications like gaming, video editing, or even an intensive design application, choose the high-performance power plan.
On the other hand, lower power consumption will lead to reduced performance. By adjusting the power settings, you can ensure your PC is running at its best performance
For macOS, you can adjust energy-saving settings to prioritize performance when plugged into a power source.
Managing Browser Extensions
Browser extensions can add functionality and convenience to your web browsing experience. However, they can also be resource hogs. Too many extensions can slow down your browsing and eat up system memory.
Ensure to review regularly your installed extensions and remove any that you don’t frequently use, or any that seem to be impacting performance.
- Disk Defrag for Faster Access in Windows
On traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), files can become fragmented over time. That means that are scattered over time across different sectors of the drive. This fragmentation can lead to slower read and write speeds.
With Windows, you can use the built-in Disk Defragmenter tool that can help reorganize your files and improve access times. That will also improve your overall performance.
If you are using a Solid-State Drive (SSD) then this doesn’t apply to you as these don’t experience fragmentation.
Disable Visual Effects
If you’re using a more recent OS then you might be running some flashy visual effects such as animated windows, transparency, and shadows. Sure, these make your desktop look cool and all, but they might also be consuming valuable system, resources.
Disable these especially if you are running them on older computers with less RAM or those without a graphics card. Try staying as minimalist as possible and you’ll see your PC’s performance improve.
Optimize Virtual Memory Management
Virtual memory, also known as the paging file, acts as an extension of your RAM. That means that when your physical RAM becomes full, the switch is made to virtual memory to store/retrieve data. When your physical RAM becomes full, your system uses virtual memory on your hard drive to store and retrieve data.
While adjusting virtual memory settings can potentially improve performance, it is important to be cautious and consult your OS documentation if you’re unsure.
Schedule Regular Maintenance
Just like a car needs regular maintenance to run smoothly, so does your PC benefit from routine care. Schedule regular maintenance checks to perform tasks including software updates, disk cleanup, and virus or malware scans. Ensure that all your drivers are up-to-date and that any security vulnerabilities are addressed.
Conclusion
With these proactive steps, you can take care of your PC or Mac and keep it from slowing down without breaking the bank. As is clear, Windows provides a bit more flexibility on how to improve your computer’s speed. However, there are also several available options for macOS.
Remember to optimize your power, regularly check your OS vendor for updates, and declutter your machine and browser for a more improved performance.
