Why my computer responds slow

Want to save multiple tabs or links for future reading? Programs, application updates, Internet downloads, and temporary files are the main culprits for taking up hard drive and memory space, along with large industry-specific files for those in the graphic design, architecture, and engineering worlds.

The assistance of a trusted IT provider can help you navigate these changes safely and securely. And if an upgrade to increased RAM or larger hard drive is necessary, working with a technology expert on installation and implementation is critical for continued success. This ties in to the previous point, but it bears repeating and extra exploration. Download a verified and recognized antivirus program as your cybersecurity tool. Use it to run a malware scan on your computer for viruses or malware frequently.

Running in low power mode limits the performance of your laptop hence slowing it down. Do you really need all the add-ons extended on your browser? And do your browser extensions effectively perform their required tasks?

Too many inefficient browser extensions could be slowing down your computer instead of enhancing your browsing experience. Identify all the add-ons on your browser. Keep those that are necessary and efficient and disable those that are not. It is very possible for your PC to be used to mine cryptocurrency without your knowledge or approval.

This mainly occurs through downloaded programs that come with a malware embedded in the background of the program to facilitate crypto mining through your computer. Also, certain websites contain codes that mine cryptocurrency on computers as long as the site is open. Shutdown your browser when it is not in use to prevent crypto mining through websites on your PC.

You can also identify if your PC is being used for crypto mining by searching for programs or tasks that are either suspicious or taking up processing power even when not in use on your Task Manager or Activity Monitor. Once you identify the program or task, you should end it.

Enabling visual effects on your computer can make it run slower than normal if your RAM is not big enough to support the effects. You may be dealing with a slow computer simply because you have forgotten to pay attention to the basic principles of proper ventilation.

Accumulated dust in your CPU can prevent your processors from effectively cooling and prevent excessive heat from staying trapped inside your PC. This, in turn, can affect the speed at which your computer performs. Dust off your computer occasionally to clear its air vents. Also, once in a while have an IT professional clean inside of your PC. Your computer uses drivers to communicate with hardware devices connected to it.

If you are using outdated drivers, then the communication will most likely be faulty and take your computer longer than it should to have the connected hardware devices working properly. Browse the internet for the most recent drivers compatible with your computer hardware, download and install them or install driver updating software to locate and install the drivers for you. If you're more of an Apple household, you're in luck: We have recommendations for speeding up a slow Mac , too.

Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy , which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. Slow PC? Jason Cipriani. July 26, a. There's nothing more frustrating than a sluggish computer. Delivered Tuesdays and Thursdays. Now playing: Watch this: 5 quick tips to speed up a slow PC. Now playing: Watch this: Building a PC? Discuss: Slow PC? Treat numbers 14 to 16 as a last resort — do them if nothing else works.

Close some programs 2. Reduce the number of programs running in the background 3. Disable some browser extensions 4. Turn off unnecessary animations 5. Check your antivirus schedule 6. Run a virus scan 7. Update your device drivers 8. Uninstall unnecessary programs 9. Clear temporary files Increase your virtual memory Cool your computer down Verify the integrity of your hard disk Defragment your hard disk Upgrade or reset Windows Upgrade some hardware Switch to ChromeOS.

If you have too many programs running at once, your computer will definitely slow down. This will re-sort the list, displaying the worst offenders at the top. Similarly, to see which programs are using the most RAM, or reading and writing to your hard disk the most often, click Memory or Disk respectively. We sorted the list by Memory for the below screenshot. There are multiple instances of it in the list because Task Manager recognizes each of your browser tabs and browser extensions as a separate process.

To do this, switch to the program, and close it as you normally would e. If it refuses to shut down normally, select it from the list in Task Manager and click End task to force a close. Microsoft Word, make sure you save any unsaved work first. Programs often run invisibly in the background when you turn on your computer.

This can slow things down significantly. Some of these programs are necessary, but not all, so you should take a look at what programs are set to run at startup, and double-check that you need them to. Type msconfig and press Enter.

All your browser extensions use system resources.