A slow, sluggish laptop can be extremely frustrating. Over time, your laptop can start to slow down due to a build up of files, programs and clutter. The good news is that with a good digital clean up and some maintenance, you can give your laptop a speed boost.
Why Does a Laptop Slow Down Over Time?
There are several reasons why your laptop’s performance may deteriorate over time:
- Too many programs running in the background
- Not enough free hard drive space
- Outdated or corrupt drivers
- Too many files and folders cluttering up the hard drive
- Registry errors causing system instability
- Overheating from dust buildup
- Fragmented hard drive
- Malware, viruses or other security threats
When you first get a new laptop, it runs lightning fast. But as you install more programs and save more files over months and years, your laptop’s performance can really take a hit. Thankfully, with some periodic maintenance you can help optimize your laptop and recapture some of that original speed.
Step 1: Delete Unnecessary Files
One of the best ways to improve laptop performance is simply to clear out excess files. Here are some tips for eliminating files you don’t need:
- Empty the Recycle Bin – This immediately frees up space used by deleted files.
- Remove temporary files – Temporary internet and program files can build up over time. Use the Disk Cleanup utility to delete them.
- Uninstall unused programs – Get rid of programs you no longer use. This also removes related files and settings.
- Delete download files – If you’ve finished using installation files or downloaded zip files, delete them.
- Remove duplicate files – Use a utility like Auslogics Duplicate File Finder to delete extra copies.
- Clean browser cache – This removes temporary internet files stored by your browser.
- Delete browser history – Clear out old history records to free up space.
- Remove restore points – Windows System Restore points can take up a lot of room. Delete older ones you don’t need.
Be systematic and go through your files, downloads, documents, media folders, and any other locations where files accumulate. If you haven’t used a file in over a year, chances are you don’t need it. Deleting unnecessary content frees up storage space and reduces system clutter.
Step 2: Use Storage Sense
Windows 10 has a built-in tool called Storage Sense that can automatically clear out junk files. Here’s how to use it:
- Open Settings > System > Storage.
- Under Storage Sense, toggle it On.
- By default, Storage Sense is set to run automatically every month. You can adjust the frequency if desired.
- Under “Free up space now”, click Clean now to have Storage Sense purge unneeded files.
Storage Sense goes through your Downloads folder, recycling bin, temporary files, and other locations. It removes files that have not been used recently to regain hard drive space. The tool can help automatically manage disk space instead of you needing to manually delete files.
Step 3: Uninstall Programs
Having too many programs installed can slow down your system and take up significant storage space. It’s a good idea to periodically review your installed programs and remove any you are no longer using. Here are some tips for uninstalling programs:
- Sort programs by size – In Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features, sort by size to see which are taking up the most room.
- Remove bloatware – Uninstall any unnecessary manufacturer bloatware that came pre-installed.
- Delete unused software – If you haven’t launched a program in months, chances are you don’t need it.
- Check for duplicates – Uninstall duplicate programs that serve the same purpose.
- Use an uninstaller – A tool like IObit Uninstaller can do a clean uninstall leaving no remnants behind.
When uninstalling programs, be sure to use the official uninstaller rather than just deleting the program folder. The uninstaller will cleanly remove all related files and registry entries to avoid orphan artifacts.
Step 4: Update Outdated Drivers
Device drivers are software that allow your system to communicate with hardware like printers, GPUs, and other components. Over time, these drivers can become outdated or defective, leading to subpar laptop performance. Here is how to update any outdated drivers:
- Open Device Manager – Right-click the Start menu and select Device Manager.
- Review drivers – Look for any devices marked with a yellow exclamation icon, indicating a driver issue.
- Update drivers – Right-click the device and select Update Driver. Search automatically for updated versions.
- Alternatively, visit your laptop manufacturer’s website and look for available driver updates. Download and install these manually.
Keeping your drivers fully up-to-date ensures all components can operate at maximum performance and efficiency.
Step 5: Check for Malware
Viruses, spyware, malware and other threats can secretly install themselves on your system, taking up resources and slowing things down. It’s important to regularly scan your laptop for these. Here’s how:
- Use Windows Security – Microsoft’s built-in antivirus can scan for and remove malware.
- Install a third-party antivirus – Options like BitDefender or Malwarebytes offer excellent active protection.
- Scan with Malwarebytes – Even if you already have an antivirus, run a periodic scan with the free version of Malwarebytes.
- Check browser extensions – Some extensions can inject ads or trackers that slow down web browsing, so review what’s installed.
Removing any lurking malware helps eliminate system-hogging threats in the background. Be vigilant and keep your laptop safe.
Step 6: Clear Browser Data
Web browsers store large amounts of temporary data from visited websites over time. Clearing this data can help speed up browser performance. Here’s how to clear browser data:
Chrome
- Open Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data.
- Select time range to clear data from.
- Check boxes for Cookies, Cache, Download history, etc.
- Click Clear data.
Firefox
- Click the Library icon > History > Clear Recent History.
- Select time range to clear.
- Check items to clear.
- Click OK.
This removes temporary internet files and frees up hard drive space taken up by browser data.
Step 7: Run the Disk Cleanup Utility
Disk Cleanup is a utility built into Windows that can purge a variety of temporary files. Here’s how to run it:
- Open the Start menu and search for Disk Cleanup.
- Select your system drive, usually Local Disk C:
- Disk Cleanup will scan the drive.
- Check boxes to remove any unwanted files.
- Click OK to delete the files.
Disk Cleanup removes system files like temporary internet files, old Windows updates, logs, and other detritus. Run it regularly to keep your laptop lean and clean.
Step 8: Defrag Your Hard Drive
Laptop hard drives can become fragmented over time. This is when pieces of data get scattered around the disk rather than being neatly organized in continuous blocks. Defragmenting consolidates the data into contiguous sectors for more efficient read/write times. To defrag in Windows:
- Open the Start menu and search for Defragment.
- Select your system hard drive.
- Click Optimize to begin defragging.
- This may take a while. Let the process run until 100% complete.
Defragging helps files load faster and reduces stress on your hard drive motor. It’s a good maintenance habit for optimal performance.
Step 9: Check for Overheating Issues
Dust buildup inside laptops can cause overheating, which degrades performance. Try these steps to keep your laptop running cool:
- Clean the vents – Use compressed air to spray out any dust bunnies clogging the vents.
- Replace thermal paste – Removing and replacing aged thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink improves heat transfer.
- Elevate the laptop – Get a cooling pad to allow airflow underneath and prevent surface contact heat transfer.
- Monitor temperatures – Use a system utility like Speccy to ensure your components are not overheating.
Keeping your laptop’s thermals under control prevents thermal throttling which forces components to run slower. Aim to keep CPU and GPU under 80°C under load.
Step 10: Add More RAM
One of the best ways to make your laptop feel faster is by upgrading RAM. More RAM allows more applications and browser tabs to be held in fast memory instead of slower pagefiles on the hard drive. Adding RAM is one of the easiest upgrades you can do:
- Check your laptop model’s max RAM – Don’t exceed the motherboard’s supported capacity.
- Buy compatible RAM – Match the type like DDR3 or DDR4 and speed in MHz.
- Open the RAM compartment – Consult a guide for your specific laptop model.
- Insert new RAM stick – Push into the slot until it clicks into place.
- Replace access panel.
Just like that, you will gain a nice performance boost. Close programs before upgrading RAM to avoid complications.
Step 11: Perform a Clean Install
If your laptop is still slow after trying the above steps, consider doing a clean reinstall of your operating system. This gives you a fresh start for maximum speed and stability:
- Backup important data first.
- Make Windows recovery media on a USB drive.
- Boot to the recovery drive.
- Choose to fully wipe the hard drive and perform clean install.
- Reinstall drivers and applications.
A clean OS install eradicates slowdowns caused by years of clutter buildup. Apps and files can be transferred over from backups.
Conclusion
With age and use over time, laptops inevitably start to lose performance and speed. Thankfully there are many steps you can take to clean up clutter, fix issues, and refresh your laptop. Deleting unnecessary files, cleaning the system, updating drivers, managing heat levels, upgrading RAM, and performing fresh OS installs can all help revitalize a slow laptop. With proper digital hygiene and occasional maintenance, you can enjoy fast laptop performance for years to come.