Laptop Slow? Here’s How to Speed Up Your Laptop – 8 Quick & Easy Fixes

Published: 18 Mar 2025

Why is your laptop running so slow even though you haven’t loaded any heavy programs? Nothing is more frustrating than a lagging laptop while you’re trying to complete essential tasks. Clicking a folder takes longer to open, apps freeze, and even straightforward tasks seem hard. Sounds familiar? Fortunately, you don’t currently need to replace your laptop. With a few easy changes, you can significantly increase speed. Let’s look at ways to make your laptop faster without wasting money on it.

Identify What’s Slowing Down Your Laptop

Before speeding up your laptop, you must find out what’s slowing it. Here is the list of some factors that affect performance.

✔ Too many background programs running
✔ Low storage space
✔ Too many startup apps
✔ Malware or unnecessary files
✔ Overheating

1. Check Background Processes

Many apps and software run in the background without you noticing, using up memory and processing power. Follow these steps to check and disable unnecessary tasks:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.

2. Click on the Processes tab.

3. Identify apps using high CPU or memory.

4. Right-click and select End Task for unnecessary programs.

Screenshot of Task Manager in Windows showing running processes and memory usage.
End unnecessary tasks to free up memory.

This will immediately free up resources, making your laptop go faster.

2. Clean Your Laptop to Make It Faster

Your laptop collects junk files, duplicate documents, and temporary cache that occupy valuable space. Cleaning out laptop storage will help old laptops feel faster.

Delete Temporary Files

1. Press “Win + R”, type (%temp%), and hit Enter.

Screenshot of the Windows Run dialog box with "%temp%" typed to open the temporary files folder.
Quickly access and clear temp files in Windows.

2. Delete all files in the folder.

File Explorer open to the Local Temp folder, displaying various temporary files.
Temp files can slow down your PC—clean them!

Uninstall Unused Programs

  1. Open control panel.
  2. Find program or search in the top of the right search bar. 
  3. Remove apps you don’t use.

Empty the Recycle Bin

  • Right-click on the Recycle Bin and select Empty Bin.

This frees up storage space and stops background apps from slowing your system.

3. Disable Unnecessary Startup Programs

Is your laptop taking time to start up? That’s because too many apps load automatically when you turn it on.

  • Press “Ctrl + Shift + Esc” to open Task Manager.
  • Click on the Startup tab.
  • Disable unnecessary apps like Skype, OneDrive, or Adobe Creative Cloud.

Disabling startup programs can make your laptop go faster immediately.

4. Free Up Storage Space for Better Performance

A nearly full hard drive slows down your laptop. Cleaning up laptop storage will give you more space and improve speed.

How to Clean Up Laptop Storage

✔ Delete old downloads and large files.
✔ Move files to an external drive or cloud storage.
✔ Run Disk Cleanup:

  • Type Disk Cleanup in the search bar.
  • Select your C: drive and click OK.
  • Click Clean up system files.

This will help make my Gateway laptop run more quickly and enhance overall performance.

5. Upgrade Your Hardware for a Speed Boost

If your laptop still feels slow, hardware upgrades can give it a huge performance boost.

Upgrade Your RAM

More RAM = Faster Performance

  • 4GB RAM is not enough for modern tasks.
  • Upgrade to 8GB or 16GB for smoother multitasking.

To check RAM:

  • Press “Ctrl + Shift + Esc” → Click Performance → Check Memory.

Switch to an SSD (Solid-State Drive)

Upgrading from an HDD to an SSD can make your laptop 5x faster.

✔ Faster boot times
✔ Apps open instantly
✔ Overall system runs smoother

If your laptop is slow and unresponsive, consider an SSD upgrade for the best results.

6. Keep Your Laptop Updated

1. Open Settings from the Start Menu and go to Update & Security.

2. Click on Windows Update in the left menu.

3. Select Check for updates and let Windows install any available updates.

Windows Settings page showing the Windows Update section highlighted in red.
Keep your system secure with regular updates.

4. If prompted, click Restart Now to complete the update.

7. Optimize System Settings for Better Speed

Improving your system settings can help your laptop run more efficiently and prevent unnecessary slowdowns.

Adjust Visual Effects

  • Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, and hit Enter.
  • Go to Advanced > Performance Settings.
  • Select Adjust for best performance.

Change Power Settings

  • Open Control Panel > then select Power Options.
  • Select High Performance for better speed.

These tweaks will help boost the speed of laptop effortlessly.

8. Scan for Viruses & Malware

Viruses and malware can make a laptop slow by consuming resources.

✔ Use Windows Defender, Norton, or Malwarebytes to scan for threats.
✔ Remove suspicious files and extensions.

Example:

If your laptop suddenly slows down after downloading something, it could be malware. Run a full system scan to check.

Read this Article

How to Remove a Virus from Laptop – Protect Your Data Now

How often should I clean up my laptop?

At least once a month to keep it running fast.

What is the fastest way to improve my laptop’s speed?

Uninstalling unnecessary apps, cleaning storage, and upgrading to an SSD are the best ways.

Why is my laptop slow even after cleaning storage?

It could be due to low RAM, outdated software, or malware. Try upgrading hardware or resetting your system.

Will adding more RAM make my laptop go faster?

Yes! Upgrading RAM helps with multitasking and boosting speed.

Conclusion

A slow laptop can be really annoying, but the good news is that you don’t need to replace it right away. Simple adjustments can restore your laptop’s speed and efficiency without costing money. Regularly clearing up junk files, uninstalling unnecessary programs, and disabling startup apps will prevent your laptop from slowing down over time.

Hardware updates might result in long-term speed improvements, such as adding additional RAM or switching to an SSD. Keeping Windows updated, adjusting system settings, and scanning for malware all help make having a good time. With these methods, you can get a faster laptop and boost your workflow without incurring any significant costs.

Muhammad Bilal Avatar
Muhammad Bilal

Muhammad Bilal has been covering laptop technology professionally for over four years. With a thorough understanding of every aspect of laptops, he will impart his knowledge to everyone. Bilal is the admin at Laptop Test Guide. So you'll find lots of reviews, solutions to problems, and opinion pieces from him here.

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