A slow computer is both annoying and frustrating. Whether it’s taking forever to boot up, start a program, or just open and close windows, a slow PC can make working even more painful and make things you love, like playing video games, much less enjoyable. .
If you’ve been suffering all year, now is the perfect time to take a few minutes and follow some of the steps provided here to fix those computer speed issues. Here we tell you what are the most common causes of your PC going slow and we explain how to solve them yourself:
Task Manager is like a crystal ball
Think of Task Manager as a window into the health of your PC. The app gives you insight into what’s affecting the processor, how much memory something is taking up, and even how much network data a program has used.
An easy way to open Task Manager in Windows 10 is to right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager from the list of options. In Windows 11, click the magnifying glass on the taskbar and search for Task Manager.
The default view of Task Manager doesn’t show much information beyond the apps that are currently running (handy if you already know which one you want to close). To see what really matters, click More details in the bottom left corner.
The most common reasons why your PC is slow
There are too many apps and services to create a succinct list of what’s likely to slow down a PC, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any specific culprits. These are some of the main problems that we all experience on our PC.
virus scan
After seeing your system running slow with Task Manager open, you may have noticed that your antivirus software is routinely near the top of the list. Antivirus software can slow down your system while actively scanning your computer for malware and viruses. Instead of letting your antivirus scan when it sees fit, schedule it to run at times when you’re not using your PC.
Too many apps running
If your PC takes forever to respond after you sign in to your Windows account, you probably have too many apps trying to run at startup. You can edit the list of applications and services that start running when you log in to your computer by opening Task Manager and clicking the Startup tab. Go through the list and delete everything you don’t need to open when you turn on the PC.
Some browsers hog resources
Your browser could be to blame for your slow PC, especially if you’ve lost count of the number of windows and tabs you have open.
