Computer performance not up to speed? It’s prevalent for computers to slow down over time, but is there a solution that can boost speeds? YES, there is. It may be as simple as cleaning your computer. It seems almost too easy, right? But even if your computer has other issues contributing to slow speeds, cleaning your computer can make a significant difference in speed and performance. Still, there is a lot more to cleaning your computer than you might think, so today, we will share tips with you on how to clean up a computer to run faster!
Factors That Affect Speed
If you want to know how to clean up a computer to make it run faster, start by understanding what slows it down. Even if your computer is relatively new, there are a lot of factors that can potentially slow it down. Slow speeds are rarely synonymous with new computers, but the more you use your PC (to download programs, save files, run applications, etc.), the sooner you might begin to notice a decline in speed and performance. This is normal. But if you make a habit of cleaning your computer, you can extend the amount of time before you feel your computer slowing down.
- RAM – the random access memory, or RAM, acts as a short-term memory for your computer by temporarily storing data.
- Processor Speed – your computer’s central processing unit, or CPU, is one of the most critical pieces of your PC.
- Hard Disk Size – determines how much data from your computer can be saved.
- Hard Disk Speed – determines how quickly information is stored and transferred.
- Malware and Viruses – malware and viruses slow down performance by using system resources to corrupt data, programs, and files.
- Updates – if you have an outdated OS system or device drivers that are outdated, this can affect speed and performance.
How To Clean Up Your Computer
If you want to boost speed, there is plenty that you can do, but it starts with a bit of spring cleaning, especially if you’ve had your PC for over a year.
- Uninstall programs that you no longer use or need
You would be surprised how many programs or applications that are on your PC that you no longer use. Remember that game you downloaded and then beat 2 years ago? Uninstall it. There are also programs that are preinstalled on Mac’s and PC’s that can be deleted. Go through your programs and delete what you no longer need. - Delete Old Files To Free Up Disk Space
Go through your documents folder, downloads folder, and media files folder, and delete old files that serve you no purpose. You would be amazed at how much space old files and media files can take up, contributing to slow performance. If you don’t want to do this manually, you can use built-in tools on your computer (Disk Cleanup, StorageSense), or you can utilize an online PC Cleaner software program. - Save Media Files In The Cloud
Photos and videos can take up a lot of space on your computer, essentially contributing to slow speeds if not properly managed. You could take the time to delete old photos or store them in the cloud (Google, Apple, Amazon all have cloud services) or move them to external storage; both will help clean up your computer and boost speeds. - Prevent Programs From Starting Automatically At Startup
A significant factor that could be contributing to slower speeds is the programs that are launched at startup. You can turn off unnecessary startup programs in the Task Manager. - Change The Power Settings
In Windows 10, there is a built-in Power Saver plan that may be affecting PC performance. The feature reduces performance and speed to save energy but can leave your PC feeling slower than usual. Try changing these settings to High Performance but keep in mind that it will use more power. If you want to find the happy medium, try the Balanced setting. - Defragment Your Hard Drive
Run a disk defragment to optimize your PC’s efficiency. Defragmenting your hard drive will essentially organize your data so your computer can access data faster and more efficiently. - Check For Malware or Viruses
If your PC has malware or viruses, it can significantly slow down your computer. The best, easiest, and most effective way to handle viruses and remove them is through anti-virus software that identifies, cleans, and removes these files. - PC Cleaning Software
If none of the tips help speed up your computer and you still need to know how to clean up your computer to run faster, it may be time to consider external performance solutions. MyCleanPC software is a great place to start if you want to clean your computer and improve speed and performance.