The Frustration of a Slow Computer
You don’t need to throw the whole computer away – I’ll walk you through some easy ways to get your PC back in shape. There’s nothing more frustrating than a sluggish computer. Whether you’re using your PC to get work done or have fun, a slow computer can make life way more frustrating than it needs to be. Laggy performance speed can render your computer pretty much useless – especially when you can barely open a window, load a website, or even start up your system.
If you’ve been suffering lately, now’s the perfect time to take a few minutes to go through some of the tried-and-true troubleshooting steps. You can make it so much easier to use your PC. You can give yourself a temporary reprieve from saying bad things about your computer under your breath. Better yet, you can do all of it for free. I promise it’s doable on your own.
Well, technically on your own – I’ll walk you through how to fix your computer’s sluggish performance by digging into Task Manager, controlling how many apps open at startup, and a few other tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way. And if you do end up needing to purchase a whole new computer, I’ve got you covered with the best desktop PCs for 2022 and the best laptops for 2022.
Peeking into Your PC’s Health
Think of Task Manager as a window into your PC’s health. The app gives you insight into what’s taxing the processor, how much memory something is taking up, and even how much network data a program has used.
An easy way to open Task Manager in Windows 10 is to right-click on the Taskbar and select “Task Manager” from the list of options. In Windows 11, click on the magnifying glass on the Taskbar and search for “Task Manager.” Task Manager’s default view doesn’t show a lot of information beyond which apps are currently running – handy if you already know if you want to close one out.
To view what really matters, click “More Details” in the bottom left corner. Use Task Manager to monitor your system. By default, this list is broken down into “Apps” and “Background Processes.” It’s refreshed constantly, with the various columns constantly updating.
My advice is to let Task Manager run for a few minutes and watch it. Watch for apps that shoot up to the top of the list, then disappear a few seconds later. Look for processes that stay at the top of the list with high memory or CPU use. Not sure what a process is? Google its name to find out more.
To close an app or process that you suspect may be partly responsible for slow performance, click on the listing, then click “End Task.”
Identifying the Culprits
There are far too many apps and services to create a succinct list of what’s likely slowing down a PC, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t likely culprits. Here are some of the top issues that we all experience on a PC:
Antivirus Software
After watching your system running slow with Task Manager open, you may have noticed that your antivirus software is routinely near the top of the list. Antivirus software can slow down your system while it’s actively scanning your computer for malware and viruses.
Instead of letting your antivirus program scan whenever it sees fit, schedule it to run at times when you’re not likely to be using your PC, such as overnight or during your lunch hour. Changing the schedule for scans will depend on the program you use, but generally, you can open the app and go to the settings pane.
Startup Apps
If your PC takes forever to be responsive after you log into your Windows account, then you probably have far too many apps trying to run at startup. You can edit the list of apps and services that begin running when you log in to your computer by opening Task Manager and clicking on the “Startup” tab.
Go through the list and remove anything that you don’t need to have loaded and ready the moment your PC turns on by clicking the app name followed by “Disable.”
Browser Tabs and Extensions
Your web browser could be the culprit, especially if you’ve lost count of the number of windows and tabs you have open. Each browser window and tab takes up memory and processing power, and over time, that will begin to slow down your PC.
You can view a breakdown of extensions and tabs that could be to blame in Task Manager by clicking on the arrow next to your browser’s name. Alternatively, if you use Chrome, it has a built-in task manager of its own. Launch it by pressing Shift+Esc while using Chrome or click on the menu button > “More Tools” > “Task manager.”
If you find that your browser is often causing your PC to slow to a crawl, try a different browser or keep an eye on how many tabs or windows you have open at a given time.
Other Optimization Tips
There are a wide range of methods available for troubleshooting and speeding up your PC. Below are some steps to take that should, at the very least, temporarily speed up your slow computer:
- Pause OneDrive sync to free up system resources
- Reduce animations and visual effects in Windows
- Defragment your hard drive to optimize file access
- Consider upgrading to a solid-state drive (SSD) for faster performance
- Regularly maintain your system by updating software and running disk checks
Remember, if none of the above suggestions speed up your computer to a level that you’re happy with, you can always reach out to the team at ITFix.org.uk for professional assistance. We’re here to help get your PC back in tip-top shape.
