Slow Computer? 5 Tips to Increase Your Speed

Having a slow computer can cause frustration and really impede your productivity. As a Walnut Creek IT Consultant, many of our clients come to us with this issue. However, there are steps you can take to remedy this issue and speed your computer up again. Here are 5 fast and easy tips to improve your computer’s performance and increase its’ speed.

Restart Your Computer

While this may seem simplified and obvious, it’s a good place to start in the search for a faster computer. Computer memory, referred to as Random Access Memory (RAM), supports computer operations and stores information while the computer is powered on. When power is shut off, this information from the memory is automatically erased. By restarting your computer and therefore clearing RAM, this frees up space which in turn gives you speed.

Limit Items that Run on Startup

If your computer takes a long time to start up, it may be a result of too many startup items bogging things down. If you are a Windows user, you can utilize the application CCleaner, which helps get rid of unneeded startup items that may be slowing you down. If you use a Mac, however, you will need to look into your System Preferences first. Once you are in the System Preferences folder, choose either Accounts or Users & Groups depending on which title appears. Located above your user picture should be a button titled “Login items.” Click this to view the list of applications currently running at log in, then delete the items you no longer want or need.

Uninstall Unused Programs

You probably have a long list of programs and applications on your computer, but do you still use them all? If you have decided there are applications you no longer need or use, remove them. This step is pretty straightforward. For a PC, access the uninstaller tool from your computer panel, and for a Mac, open the Applications folder and drag the unwanted app to you wish to delete to the trash. Be sure to empty the trash to permanently get rid of these programs.

Clear Your Browser History

Browser history keeps track of all the websites you visit and holds temporary internet files, cookies and other information you may have entered into websites like your email address. By clearing your browser history, you are freeing up space which will improve your computer speed. Be sure you clear your cookies and cached items along with your history for the best result.

Remove Malware

Another common cause of a slow computer is malware. There are several different ways your computer can be infected with malware, and once it’s there it eats away at your computer speed through sending spam, spreading viruses and hacking information. It’s a good idea to have antivirus software installed on your computer. Run a virus scan on your computer to search for viruses and malware and eradicate them from your system to speed things up.

When your computer is running slowly, take advantage of these tips to help increase its speed, and remember that at Grundig IT, we can help with all your computer and information technology needs. Our network and computer support experts will work with you to formulate the best security strategy for you or your small business. For more information call 925-528-9081 today to schedule a consultation. And check out the Grundig IT Yelp page as well.

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