A Guide To Improving Your PC's Performance: 7 Ways to Solve A Computer That's Running Slower Than Usual 

Do you feel like your computer has been dragging lately? You're not alone. Many people find that their PC seems to be getting slower and slower as time goes on. Don't worry, though - there are many ways to improve your PC's performance without spending much money. 

This guide will explore seven different techniques that you can use to speed up your PC. So read on and get started! 

1. Defragment your drive. 

One common reason for slow computer performance is fragmentation, which occurs when files become scattered across your hard drive. Defragmenting your drive helps organize files and makes it easier for your computer to access them. 

You can usually find the defragmentation tool in your computer's settings. 

To defragment, you'll need an empty hard drive. Open "My Computer," right-click the C: drive to check how full your drive is, and select Properties. 

Windows will recommend a minimum amount of free space to keep, which is usually about 15%. 

If you're below that threshold, you should back up some files or delete unneeded ones. 

If you're using a laptop, it's important to consider the age of the device before taking any drastic measures. If you're still running Windows 7 on an older laptop, or Windows 8, it might be time to upgrade to a newer operating system like Windows 10. 

2. Check your startup programs. 

Too many programs running at startup can bog down your computer. When you turn on your computer, many programs usually start up automatically. Over time, these programs can slow down your computer. 

To fix this, you can go into your settings and disable some of the programs that start up automatically.

For example, applications like Skype, iTunes, and Spotify start running once you turn on your computer. These programs starting at once can affect your computer's performance. As a solution, you can disable some of them in the settings section of your computer or the registry. 

3. Update your hardware drivers. 

Another tip is to update your system with the latest hardware drivers. A computer might run slower than usual because it's missing important system updates. And these drivers help make sure all of the components in your computer work together, and without them, your PC might not function. 

For example, a driver that lets you use your mouse and keyboard might have become obsolete. 

You can manually update device drivers by visiting the manufacturer's website and downloading the latest driver files for each component on your computer. Or you can use software like Driver Easy that will automatically download and install the correct driver versions for you, so you don't have to do it manually. 

Once you've downloaded the correct files for your computer, follow the installation instructions to install them on your machine. This will fix whatever is causing your computer to run slowly. 

4. Clean up your junk files. 

Sometimes, you need to delete everything in your Downloads folder and reinstall the program to get a program working again. The problem could be a corrupted file interfering with the application or a misbehaving browser extension causing havoc. 

In these situations, cleaning up your junk files is one of the easiest ways to speed up a computer. Unused temporary files take up hard drive space and slow down your computer because they require more time to load when they're needed. 

You can clean up your junk files manually or use a free program like CCleaner (for Windows) or MacCleanse (for Macs). These programs delete all the temporary files on your computer and empty the Recycle Bin for you — no need to go searching for them yourself. 

5. Clear temporary files, cache, and browser history. 

If you're browsing the internet and it starts running slower than usual, one of the first things you should do is clear your cache and browser history. 

Your computer has two types of memory: short-term (RAM) and long-term (hard drive). RAM stores the files and programs currently in use, while the hard drive stores files and unwanted programs. 

When you browse the internet, your computer stores temporary internet files on its hard drive; these are stored in a location on your computer called a cache. The purpose of a cache is to improve speed; when you revisit a website, your browser can load it faster by retrieving files from its cache rather than downloading them again. 

And as you browse more websites, the number of temporary files stored in your cache increases, causing your PC to slow down because it takes longer to find files in larger caches. So, clearing your cache will remove these temporary files from your system, potentially increasing its speed. 

6. Update your OS and applications. 

If you haven't updated your operating system or other software for a while, take a few minutes because this might also cause a slow PC. Whether it's your operating system or the applications you use regularly, outdated software can lead to performance issues. 

And updating your operating system (OS) and applications is also a common solution for a slow computer. New updates often include performance enhancements and security fixes. Updates also fix known bugs and patch security loopholes. 

Therefore, making sure you're running the latest version of your OS and applications can help improve your computer's speed and stability. 

You can usually set your computer to update automatically or check for regular updates. 

7. Check your hard drive for errors. 

Lastly, check your hard drive for errors. 

If you have a Windows PC, go to My Computer and right-click on your hard drive. Select "Properties" and then click on the "Tools" tab. You'll see options for scanning your hard drive for errors and fixing bad sectors. Make sure you back up all of your important data before running a scan. 

If you have a Mac, go to Applications, Utilities, Disk Utility, and select the drive that you want to check for errors. In the "First Aid" tab, click the Verify Disk Permissions button and then Repair Disk Permissions. If you have Time Machine installed, run it to create a backup. Then click the Verify Disk button to check your storage device for errors. 

The bottom line – how to fix a slow computer 

Above are some of the ways that you can speed up your computer. If you're experiencing a slow PC, try out some of these methods and see if they help improve the performance. And don't forget to keep your system updated with the latest patches and security updates; that can also make a big difference. Let us know how it goes!