5 Reasons Why Your Laptop Is Slow and How You Can Fix It
A laptop’s primary advantage over a desktop computer is that you can bring it anywhere as long as it’s charged. It does everything a desktop can, and naturally, it also comes with the same risks that can threaten it.
One of the primary downsides when using a laptop for a long time is that it can start to slow down over time. Luckily, there are ways that you can get it back up and running again in a condition that’s good as new. However, you’ll need to determine the reason why it went slow in the first place.
In this article you’ll find possible reasons that your laptop is running slower, along with possible fixes.
#1 - Your Laptop has Malware
One of the primary reasons that a laptop slows down is that it has malware. It’s not just slowing down because malware may also cause your laptop’s programs to crash randomly. You can usually get malware from visiting sketchy websites or opening sketchy emails.
Many kinds of malware can affect your laptop. Some of them infect your laptop’s memory, which spreads to programs. Aside from that, hackers can also use malware to steal personal information stored on your laptop, such as addresses or bank details.
The easiest way to remove malware is to use a malware scanner. We use and recommend a program called Malwarebytes. It will scan your laptop for any malicious programs and promptly remove them. Another option would be to re-install your laptop’s operating system, but this is only a last resort option.
#2 - Too Many Programs Open on Startup
There’s nothing wrong with having many programs installed on your laptop. After all, that’s how it works. The problem lies in programs that launch as soon as you open your laptop. Many programs do this automatically, without asking for permission.
Luckily, disabling startup functions for programs are straightforward. All you need to do is open Task Manager (press Ctrl + Alt + Delete) and go to the Startup tab. You will see applications and their startup impact. Click the Startup Impact column, and you’ll see the programs that slow down your laptop. Simply select a program and click Disable, found at the bottom-right corner.
#3 - Programs Are Running in the Background
One of the easiest ways to make your laptop faster is by closing as many programs as possible. However, some programs continue running in the background even after closing them. You must close these programs because they slow your laptop by eating away at its processing power.
The fix for this is easy. You can close these background programs through Task Manager. At the bottom-left corner, click on ‘More details’ to see the programs using your computer’s CPU, memory, and so on. Click on the header of any column and click ‘End Task’ to close the program.
#4 - Your Laptop Has Too Many Temporary Files
Whenever you create a new file or modify an existing one, temporary files are made. They’re pretty easy to spot because they have filenames that start with a tilde sign (~) or a dollar sign ($) and end with “.tmp” extensions. After closing a program, they’re usually deleted—but there are times when they stay there. As a result, they take up space on your hard drive and cause your laptop to slow down. The only way to get around this is by manually deleting them.
To delete temporary files, open start and search for ‘Disk Cleanup,’ then open it. The window will open, and you can select the drive you want to have cleaned and click OK. You must then tick the box next to ‘Temporary Files’ and click OK.
#5 - Your Operating System Needs an Update
Updates are necessary so that your laptop will get the latest driver updates and software patches. If it’s not updated, your laptop will slow down and leave you vulnerable to hackers. To find out if you have updates, open Start and search for ‘Check for updates.’ You will be redirected to the updates window with a button that you must click to check if there are any updates. If there are, click download and wait until it’s done to restart your laptop so that the changes can go into effect.
Conclusion
Having a slow laptop is a massive nuisance because it impedes you from accomplishing your tasks, be it work or otherwise. By taking note of the information presented above, it’s guaranteed that your laptop will stay in perfect condition.
In some cases, all it takes is some cleaning to get your laptop back up and running fast again. If you’re looking for a computer cleaning service, look no further than J-Bit Tech! Aside from cleaning, we also run health checks to ensure that a client’s PC is back in proper condition. Contact us today to learn more!
