Perhaps, your laptop doesn't run quite as fast as it used to, or maybe your new PC isn’t quite as quick as you hoped. It might also be a few years old and feel a little underpowered. If this is the case it's a good idea to see if there are any simple software updates or hardware upgrades you can make to help speed up your laptop and make it last a little longer.

While you can make some upgrades to your laptop or PC to make it run faster, there are some improvements you can make that are more cost-effective and straightforward to do.

In this article, we reveal some tips & techniques you can do to speed up a slow laptop or PC using Windows 10, 8, 7 or any other operating system.

Uninstall unnecessary software

We often install huge programs without realizing how much space they’re taking up. If you think that might be the case, then you can easily uninstall any programs you don’t use. Even if it’s a program you do use now and again, if it’s particularly big, it might be worth simply reinstalling each time you need to use it.

To uninstall a program, head over to Control Panel>Programs>Programs and Features and select the software you want to uninstall.

Upgrade your RAM & SSD

Adding an SSD can make your computer run much faster. And also if you have an older system, it may have too little memory to run modern applications efficiently. If you use a lot of programs simultaneously, you might not have enough Random Access Memory (RAM) to carry you through. Installing a new RAM will give you the boost you need.

Reinstall your OS

Windows offers the option to reinstall an operating system without losing all the files on your computer. Reinstalling Windows is like hitting the reset button on your computer – by removing and reinstalling, only your essential files will remain. You can do this by selecting Recovery in the Update and Security tab of the Settings window.

Clean Up Your Disk

From the Start menu, type Disk Cleanup. This opens the trusty Disk Cleanup utility that's been part of Windows for several generations of the OS. Disk Cleanup finds unwanted junk such as temporary files, offline Web pages, and installer files on your PC and offers to delete them all at once. You may even find that your Recycle Bin is bulging at the seams. This will generally only have a noticeable effect on speed if your drive is getting close to full, however.

Change Power Settings to High Performance to Optimize Speed

This isn't a good choice if you want to save electricity, but it could boost your PC's computing speed. Head to the Settings app's System > Power & sleep option and then click the Additional power settings link. From here, click the dropdown arrow on the right side to "Show additional plans" and then choose High Performance.

Check for malware

Having good antivirus software installed can help protect against malware, as well as other threats. Some solid free options are available, but if you’re willing to pay a fee, we recommend Bitdefender, VIPRE, or McAfee.

Disable Cortana

While the Windows 10 digital assistant, Cortana, is a handy feature, it uses up a lot of resources and also poses a privacy threat. Cortana used to be easily removed but in the up-to-date versions, it’s a little trickier. Nonetheless, if you’re willing to make an edit to your system’s registry, it can be done.

Keep your computer clean

This may sound obvious, but accumulated dust and grime can slow down your computer. Physically cleaning your computer regularly could help speed it up and prevent overheating.

Once you’ve cleaned up your computer by implementing some of the tips above, no doubt you’ll want to keep it running at top speed. To avoid getting frustrated with low performance of your laptop and PC, it’s a good idea to schedule a monthly or weekly cleanup.

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