Improving computer performance does not depend on a single factor . In most cases, a series of details make our PC go significantly slower. That’s why we offer you a series of steps to get back to normal. Do not worry if you do not have an advanced level of computer science, since these tips are very easy.
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12 tips to improve PC performance
With these tips it will be enough for your computer to work normally again.
1. Clean the PC of viruses
The most obvious answer is usually the correct answer. There are many totally free antiviruses that you can download online , including the free versions of Avast and AVG. A scan with these programs will be enough to detect if your computer has been infected with some kind of malware. If so, you already have the cause of the problem.
2. Defragment the hard disk
An effective solution to improve performance that few users know about. As we add and delete files from our hard drive,this data is written in different parts of the disk , so that it is totally fragmented.
Steps to defrag disk:
1. Click the Start button and type “Defragment”.
2. Click on the option “Defragment and optimize drives”.
3. Select the unit you want to improve and press “Optimize”.
3. Turn off some visual effects
Windows 10 is pretty cool, but it includes some visual effects that we don’t need. If we disable them, we will not notice a significant change, but everything helps . Take a look at the list and deactivate those that are not essential.
How to disable visual effects:
1. Press the Start button and type “Run” and press Enter.
2. In the command console, type “sysdm.cpl” and click OK.
3. Go to the “Advanced Options” tab and click on “Settings”.
4. A series of visual options appear that you can manually disable.
4. Check that you have the latest version of Windows
We don’t usually pay attention to Windows updates (in fact, they even annoy us), but Microsoft doesn’t stop insisting on them, and it must be for a reason. It is important to update the version since in this way we will also update the device drivers , essential for the correct functioning of the hardware.
To access updates:
1. Press the home button, type “Check for updates” and press Enter.
2. If updates are available, Windows Update will notify you. If so, click “Install Now”.
5. Check the startup applications in Windows
As we install programs, some of them run automatically when the operating system starts . If you find that your computer is having a hard time starting after starting Windows, there may be too many programs starting up.
Disable startup apps in Windows 10:
1. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete.
2. In the “Startup” tab, check the programs that run from startup and uncheck the ones you want.
6. Disable OneDrive sync
This Microsoft cloud storage system syncs files to your computer by default. This allows you to access the files from any device, which is very useful. but it can end up affecting the immediate performance of the computer.
Steps to turn off OneDrive sync:
1. On the taskbar, select File Explorer.
2. Tap “OneDrive: personal” and then select “Choose OneDrive folders to sync”.
3. At this point you can remove the sync with some folders or disable the option “Sync all files and folders in OneDrive”.
7. Check the free space on the hard drive No
matter how much space our hard drive has, you’d be surprised at how much storage some programs take up. From time to time, take a look at the programs you have on your PC and uninstall those that you no longer use using the “Add or remove programs” menu.
There are free tools like Cclaner (fully recommended) that allow you to clean easily and intuitively.
8. Check memory usage
Some programs and processes keep running in the background without us noticing , making use of RAM memory and slowing down the performance of the computer while we go crazy looking for the reason.
IMPORTANT:Before closing a task whose function you don’t know, think twice, since there are some that are there for the correct functioning of the operating system.
How to end tasks and free up memory:
1. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete.
2. In the “Processes” tab, check the applications that are running in the background and occupy a lot of RAM.
3. Check which ones are not necessary and, when you are completely sure, right-click on it and select “End task”.
9. Clean browser from junk
Most users spend most of their time browsing the Internet. Therefore, it may not be the performance of the PC that needs to be improved, but rather that of the browser. Some solutions to get it working again are to clear your cookies or history . Below we explain how.
- An easy guide: How to delete Google and Internet history without leaving a trace.
10. Turn off tips in Windows 10
These tips are helpful at first and let you discover some really cool Windows 10 features . However, if you are a more experienced user or have noticed that your PC slows down when these tips are displayed, you can disable them at any time.
How to disable Windows 10 tips:
1. Click Start and select “Settings”.
2. In the “System” section, disable the “Get tips, tricks, and recommendations while using Windows” option.
11. Activate hibernation mode
It may be that the performance drop of our PC is due to many hours in activity. If this is the case, we can activate the hibernation mode. This optionturns off the hard drive after a set time of inactivity , but pressing any key the system reactivates as we had left it.
Steps to activate hibernation mode:
1. Click Start and go to Control Panel.
2. Select “System and Security” and then click “Power Options”.
3. We can select “Economizer” or the energy saving mode that best suits us.
12. If nothing works… change the hardware
If you have put all these tips into practice and still the performance of the pc does not improve, maybe it is time to update your componentshardware. Focus on the most basic aspects that influence the speed of the computer, such as the processor or RAM. Here is a buying guide.
- To know more: Computer gamer: characteristics and the best brands .