Have you ever felt like your shiny new Windows 10 computer has lost its spring in its step? I’ve been there, my friend. It’s like trying to run a marathon in lead boots – frustrating, slow, and makes you want to throw your hands up in defeat.
But fear not! I’ve got your back. As a computer repair technician who’s seen it all, I’m here to share my top tricks for getting your Windows 10 machine back to lightning-fast speeds. No need to call in the experts (well, not yet anyway) – with a little elbow grease and my insider knowledge, you’ll be zipping through tasks like a seasoned hacker in no time.
Update Windows and Drivers
One of the best ways to get the most out of your PC is to make sure you have the latest version of Windows 10 installed. When you check for updates, your computer will also search for the latest device drivers, which can make a huge difference in performance [1].
To check for updates, simply head to the Start menu, then go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates. If there are any updates available, download and install them. Once your computer restarts, see if things are running a bit smoother.
Close Unnecessary Programs and Tabs
Have you ever noticed how your computer starts to chug along when you’ve got a million different apps and browser tabs open? That’s because each one is gobbling up precious system resources, leaving your poor Windows 10 machine feeling sluggish and overworked.
The solution? Be ruthless! Take a look at what’s running in the background and close anything you’re not actively using. And for those internet browsing sessions, resist the urge to have 50 tabs open – that’s a surefire way to bring your computer to its knees. Close out the ones you’re done with, and watch as your Windows 10 performance skyrockets.
Compatibility Troubleshooter to the Rescue
Sometimes, older programs that were designed for earlier versions of Windows can cause serious slowdowns when running on Windows 10. But don’t worry, there’s a handy little tool to help you out.
It’s called the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter, and it can work its magic to get those problematic apps running smoothly on your system. Just head to the search bar, type in “troubleshoot,” and select “Troubleshoot settings.” From there, you can run the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter and follow the on-screen instructions to get your computer back on track [1,2].
Harness the Power of ReadyBoost
Remember the good old days of upgrading your RAM to squeeze every last drop of performance out of your computer? Well, with ReadyBoost, you can get a similar speed boost without cracking open your PC.
All you need is a high-speed USB flash drive or memory card with at least 500MB of free space. Plug it in, right-click, and select “Properties.” Then, head to the ReadyBoost tab and let Windows work its magic. It’ll use that extra storage to help optimize your memory, giving your Windows 10 machine a much-needed performance boost [1,2].
Just keep in mind that ReadyBoost won’t work if your main drive is an SSD, as those babies are already lightning-fast.
Manage Your Paging File Automatically
The paging file is an area on your hard drive that Windows uses as additional memory when your RAM is maxed out. Luckily, there’s a setting in Windows 10 that can help manage this automatically, potentially improving your computer’s performance [1,2].
To check if it’s turned on, just search for “advanced system” in the taskbar, then head to the Advanced tab in the System Properties window. Under the Performance section, click “Settings,” then the Advanced tab, and make sure the “Automatically manage paging file size for all drives” box is checked. If not, select it and restart your computer. Voila – one less thing to worry about!
Free Up Disk Space
You know that feeling when your computer’s storage is bursting at the seams? It’s like trying to cram one more pair of shoes into an already overflowing closet – it just doesn’t work. And when your hard drive is constantly struggling to find space, it can really slow down your Windows 10 experience.
The solution? Give it a good old-fashioned clean-out. You can use the built-in Storage Sense tool to automatically delete temporary files and other junk that’s been hogging your precious disk space. Or if you’re feeling extra thorough, dive into Disk Cleanup and manually select the files you want to get rid of [1,2].
Just be careful not to delete anything important, and remember – those old family photos are always worth keeping around, even if they’re taking up a few gigabytes.
Uninstall Unused Programs
Let’s be honest, how many of us have a computer stuffed to the brim with programs we downloaded, used once, and then promptly forgot about? It’s like a digital hoarder’s paradise, and it’s slowly dragging down your Windows 10 performance.
Take a good, hard look at what’s installed on your machine and uninstall anything you don’t actively use. That old photo editing software from 2010? Bye-bye. The game you played for a week and then never touched again? Adios, amigo. Ruthlessly purging your system of these unnecessary programs can give your Windows 10 a much-needed speed boost [1,2].
Adjust Visual Effects
Windows 10 is a visual masterpiece, with all sorts of fancy animations and shadow effects that make everything look so darn sleek. But all that eye candy can come at a cost, especially if you’ve got a computer with a more modest amount of memory.
To give your Windows 10 machine a performance injection, head to the search bar, type in “performance,” and select “Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows.” From there, you can choose the “Adjust for best performance” option, which will turn off those resource-hungry visual effects and hopefully get your computer humming along at lightning speeds [1,2].
Pause OneDrive Syncing
Ah, the wonders of cloud storage – being able to access your files from anywhere, anytime. But did you know that constantly syncing those files between your computer and OneDrive can actually slow down your Windows 10 experience?
If you’re noticing your computer starting to chug, try pausing the OneDrive sync process. You can do this by clicking the OneDrive icon in the taskbar, then selecting “Pause syncing.” Give it a few minutes, and see if your Windows 10 performance improves. Once you’re done, you can resume the syncing process and get back to accessing your files from the cloud [1,2].
Disable Startup Programs
When you turn on your Windows 10 computer, there’s a whole host of programs that automatically start running in the background. While this can be handy for the apps you use regularly, it can also be a major drag on your system’s performance if you’ve got a bunch of programs you don’t even use.
To find and disable these startup programs, just head to the Start menu, go to Settings > Apps > Startup, and start turning off anything you don’t need running at boot. It may take a little trial and error, but getting rid of those unnecessary startup programs can shave precious seconds off your Windows 10 boot time [1,2].
Scan for Viruses and Malware
Let’s face it, no matter how careful we are, our Windows 10 computers are always vulnerable to those pesky viruses and malware that can cause all sorts of performance issues. Unexpected pop-ups, constantly whirring hard drives, and programs that start up on their own – these are all telltale signs that your machine might be infected.
Luckily, Windows 10 comes with its own built-in antivirus and anti-malware tool, Windows Security (formerly Windows Defender). You can use this to run a quick scan and make sure your system is clean. And if it does find any nasties, it can help you get rid of them and get your Windows 10 computer back to tip-top shape [1,2].
Just make sure you don’t have any other antivirus programs running at the same time – that can cause more problems than it solves.
System Restore to the Rescue
Sometimes, no matter how many tricks you try, your Windows 10 computer just refuses to cooperate. If you suspect a recently installed app, driver, or Windows update might be the culprit, it might be time to give System Restore a try.
This handy feature allows you to roll your computer back to an earlier point in time, before the problematic changes were made. Just search for “restore point” in the taskbar, select “Create a restore point,” and follow the instructions to set one up. Then, if you run into issues, you can restore your PC to that earlier state and (hopefully) get things running smoothly again [1,2].
Just keep in mind that System Restore won’t affect your personal files, but it will remove any apps, drivers, or updates that were installed after the restore point was created.
With all these tips and tricks up your sleeve, you’ll be the Windows 10 performance champion in no time. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start optimizing your computer like a true tech pro. Your need-for-speed self will thank you!
[1] Microsoft. (n.d.). Tips to improve PC performance in Windows. Microsoft Support. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/tips-to-improve-pc-performance-in-windows-b3b3ef5b-5953-fb6a-2528-4bbed82fba96
[2] IONOS Digital Guide. (n.d.). How to speed up Windows 10. IONOS Digital Guide. Retrieved from https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/server/configuration/how-to-speed-up-windows-10/
[3] Gralla, P. (2018, January 3). How to speed up Windows 10. Computerworld. Retrieved from https://www.computerworld.com/article/1634994/how-to-speed-up-windows-10.html
[4] Kingston. (n.d.). 11 Tips to Speed Up Windows 10. Kingston. Retrieved from https://www.kingston.com/en/blog/pc-performance/tips-to-speed-up-windows-10
[5] Reddit user. (2022, October 26). I tested all the tips “how to make Windows 10 faster” – here are the results. Reddit. Retrieved from https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/yl87mg/i_tested_all_the_tips_how_to_make_windows_10/
[6] Lendino, J. (2021, November 9). 12 Tips to Speed Up Windows 10 or Windows 11. PCMag. Retrieved from https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/12-tips-to-speed-up-windows-10-windows-11
[7] Boyce, J. (2022, April 27). 10 tips and tricks to increase your PC’s performance in Windows 10. Windows Central. Retrieved from https://www.windowscentral.com/tips-tricks-increase-pc-performance-windows-10
[8] SuperUser. (2020, September 29). Speeding up Windows remote desktop – tips for Windows settings and applications. SuperUser. Retrieved from https://superuser.com/questions/1535636/speeding-up-windows-remote-desktop-tips-for-windows-settings-and-applications
