Why is my computer slow?

An old computer is bound to slow down at some point no matter how well and carefully you use it. But
fret not. Here are some effective tips that could help give it a little pace:

A thorough clean up:

Any electronic device’s greatest obstacle is dust and dirt. With long term use, the computer collects a lot
of dust through the air vents. The clogged-up dust, slow down your cooling fans which hinder your
computer’s performance. So, cleaning your computer is definitely an option worth exploring. A brush or
a blower should do the trick!

Slow start up:

If your computer takes somewhat close to a billion years just to start up, it might be because of some
startup applications that launch itself when starting your computer. The following steps will guide you
through the process:

-Right click on the empty space in your task bar at the bottom of the screen and click on the task
manager button.

-click on the “startup” tab on the top of the window that pops up.

- then click on the apps you want to disable on startup and click the disable on the bottom. Do
not worry, it won’t affect the app in anyway. However, be careful not to disable the important system
apps. Only disable the ones you know about.

Uninstall unused programs:

A lot of programs you might not need use up your space and slow down the computer. Some even run
on the background consuming computer resources. You can uninstall unwanted applications through by
searching ‘add or remove program’ on your windows start. Then clicking on the app and pressing the
uninstall button.

Manage desktop:
Sometimes a messy desktop can also cause your computer system to slow down. So maybe it’s finally
time to reorganize it.

Remove Temporary Files:

Temporary files are generated by the computer system for various processes. You can simply clear these
files by entering ‘%temp% on the “Run” app and deleting all the files from the window that pops up.

Better Hardware:
Replacing your computer’s old hard drive with an SSD is excellent way to smooth up your computer. It
will significantly speed up your computer’s start up time as well.
Scan for viruses:
Malware and viruses have been long known culprits for slowing down your computer or in some cases
even completely break it down. A simple free antivirus software can free your computer of any such
viruses and possibly fix the slowed computer as well.

Adding More RAM:

As applications get updated for a better experience, they also consume more memory. This can be fixed
by adding more RAM on your personal computer. Take note that ‘downloading more RAM’ from the
internet does not work.

Disk Cleanup:
You can clean up the disk of any useless files through a pre-installed app known as disk cleanup. It can
be accessed by searching for the app on start. The app should then ask you to select the disk you want
to clean up. Press OK after selecting disk and once more after that to start the cleanup process.

Disk Defragmentation:
Defragmentation is another preinstalled app that lets you defragment your disk. This process will
optimize your computer to work more efficiently as well as free up more space. This app can also be
similarly accessed by searching for it on start. After clicking on preferred disk from the list, proceed with
clicking on the optimize button. This will automatically analyze the disk for any fragmented parts on your
disk and defragment it giving you more storage space and speed.

A Fresh start:
If none of the above mentioned tips work, you might consider starting fresh by reinstalling your
Windows OS. This is the best option to considering it resets your computer although be sure to backup
your personal documents and files as it will delete those as well.