How to Make a Laptop Faster?

Tired of searching for answers to “How to make a laptop faster” on google only to be bombarded with information? Worry not, you have come to the right place. Laptop’s performance is crucial to your productivity and you always want it to be in tip-top state. We are here to break down things for you so that even if you are not tech-savvy, you can understand exactly what needs to be done.

Over time, it is normal for your laptop to slow down in terms of performance. This typically happens with devices after two to three years of use. Although laptop slowing down is inevitable, you can still fix it with simple steps. We know how frustrating it is to work on a dead slow computer. But we want you to know that by trying out these quick fixes you can make your computer new in terms of performance.

Thankfully, throwing out your slow laptop or exchanging it is not the only solution. By figuring out what’s causing your computer to slow down, you can implement the best option. Or you can also try some quick fixes for a temporary solution. So, let’s dive right into possible solutions on how to speed up a laptop:

1. Uninstall unnecessary programs/software

Most computers come with different pre-installed apps and programs which you didn’t know existed. They are on your device consuming space unnecessarily. Kicking them out from your device, or in other words, uninstalling them, you can free up some space. Sometimes, you also download an app, and later you don’t use it anymore. By deleting these programs, your system will be able to find the files that you want faster. If you are wondering how to uninstall the programs on your computer, just follow these simple steps:

1. Click the Start menu or Windows button
2. Select Control Panel
3. Click on Programs
4. Under Programs and Features, select Uninstall a program
5. Select programs you no longer use and hit the Uninstall button

2. Limit the programs at the startup

Programs that automatically run on startup can make your computer slow down. They run in the background even when you are not using them. Some programs such as Antivirus you might want to run on startup but others, one you use occasionally may be unnecessary. So, it’s better to disable such programs from starting automatically whenever you turn on your PC. Here’s how you can disable them; follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager or you can simply hit Ctrl+Shift+Esc to launch Task Manager
2. Head to the startup tab where you can view all the applications that run on startup. Our goal is to limit the programs by disabling them. It’s better if you can disable programs with high startup impact in terms of performance.

To disable it, just hit the right-click button and click on “Disable”. And it’s done, simple as that! Don’t worry we are not disabling the program just preventing them from running at startup to improve laptop performance.

3. Add more RAM to your computer

It’s always the better option to add RAM to your computer if your computer is operating with insufficient memory. But before you upgrade RAM you need to have a basic understanding of what you will be doing on your computer and how much memory will be enough for it. You can refer to the following memory configurations requirement table to understand RAM requirements:

Knowing your memory requirement you can upgrade your laptop for faster processing speed.

4. Consider a startup SSD

If speeding up your laptop is your main concern, a startup SSD (Solid State Drive) can help you achieve it. Unlike HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSDs are super fast and make your laptop run smooth like butter. A startup SSD can significantly speed up program loading and make programs operate more smoothly even if you run multiple programs at once or use photo and video editing tools.

While upgrading SSD, you can find different options such as SATA, M.2, and NVMe. You can pick the one that is supported by your computer and fits your budget. Among these options, the NVMe is the fastest but most expensive one and is supported in laptops built above 10th generation. However, if you have some older models, the SATA SSD can be an ideal option for you. Also, Solid State Drive (SSDs) come with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage, and can go up to TBs of storage. The choice is all yours to pick the best storage size for you and get it installed on your computer. The bottom line is that upgrading SSDs is the best option as they are faster and more energy-efficient. Wait a minute, did you just make up your mind on upgrading SSDs to your laptop? Check out our SSD options available at the best pricing.

5. Update Windows, drivers, and apps

Updating windows can fix bugs related to both hardware and software so make sure you are using the updated version of Windows. By updating windows you can also fix minor lag that is making your system slow down or hindering performance in some other ways. Check for the windows update following these simple steps:

1. Press Windows Keys and type “Windows Update”

1. Select Windows update settings
2. Next, click “Check for updates” and then wait for windows to download and install all the updates automatically.

• Restart your computer after the update is over to install the update.

If your drivers are outdated, it’s time for you to install the updated ones. It’s essential to operate your device with the latest drivers so that you don’t have to stress out on unnecessary lags caused by outdated or faulty drivers.

In order to update drivers manually, you can quickly work out these steps:

1. Go to the taskbar and type “Device Manager”. Select device manager
2. To see the names of the devices, choose a category, then right-click the item you want to update.
3. Select search automatically for drivers and then update drivers.

Another way to manually update drivers is by visiting the manufacturer websites for each of your devices and looking for the most recent right driver. Make sure to only select drivers that are compatible with the version of Windows you are using. Updating your windows will also automatically update some of the drivers.

Apart from drivers, the apps you use must also be up to date so that you can enjoy the better-improved version. Remember that, updating windows, drivers and apps is best for both performance and security.

6. Delete unnecessary files

Don’t let your computers be cluttered with unnecessary files; files that are no longer in use should be deleted permanently from your system. Unnecessary files, especially large files, are eating up space and even make it difficult for you to find files. So, if you filter such files and delete them regularly, not only will your computer stay clean but also become faster.

7. Defragment your hard drive

Defragmenting a hard drive simply means bringing fragmented files together so that the information retrieval will be easier and the time required will be reduced. Over time, files stored on your hard disk can get fragmented. Fragmented files are scattered and it is difficult to fetch them. Hence putting them in a place, your computer now doesn’t need to check for multiple places to fetch the required file. With this not only the time is saved but the performance of the computer is also boosted.

This might sound big thing for you so we are here to break the steps for you:
Step 1: Press Win+R and wait until a “Run” box pops up.
Step 2: Type “dfrgui” command and press enter
Step 3: You will then see an “Optimize Drives” Screen popup

Step 4: Select an HDD drive and click Analyze to see how fragmented it is. Please note that you need to check for only HDDs but not SSDs. 

Now, there is no hard and fast rule, but it is suggested to keep the fragment below five percent. If it stands above 5%, you can click optimize and your disk will be defragmented. 

8. Delete temporary files

Over time, a lot of temporary files are installed on your computer. For every website you visit, a temporary file can be installed. Although you close the website after you are done, the files could get installed and they take up a lot of room on your storage drive. Deleting them will free up some space and you can use it for storing some necessary files instead. Looking forward to deleting temporary files? Follow these instructions to get started:

1. Click on the start menu or hit the Windows button
2. Select My Computer or File Explorer
3. Check for files on a local drive C
4. Look for the Windows folder
5. Select the Temp folder
6. You can see all the temporary files installed. Select all and hit the delete button

9. Check for malware

Malware also known as Malicious software is a program built to harm your computer. They can cause severe permanent damage to your machine. They come from various sources like Email, links, software/app downloads, and sometimes even ads. While most of them cause permanent damage to your system, some forms of malware can also make your computer slow down. So you should regularly diagnose your system to detect such malware.

One of the best ways to protect your computer from malicious software is by installing good antivirus software. If you don’t want to spend a penny you can also use some of the free antiviruses like Avira, AVG, Bit defender, Microsoft Defender, etc. Well, if you opt for premium options, we recommend Norton, TotalAV, or McAfee; these are the popular paid antivirus software.

If you feel like the malware has already invaded the system, you can run a quick scan using one of the best free scanners named “SafetyDetectives Known Vulnerabilities Scanner”. It will scan your computer to find out if any unsafe programs are running on your computer, aware user of the vulnerabilities, and recommends fixes based on these vulnerabilities

10. Run a disk cleanup

Junk files are accumulated on your system over time and it needs to be cleaned regularly. Windows has a built-in tool that cleans up all junk files that are piled up over time. You can follow the instructions below to run a disk cleanup:

1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools
2. From the available list, select Disk Cleanup
3. A dialog box will appear where you can select the drive you want to clean up, select, and click OK.
4. Select the types of files you want to delete. By selecting the file you can get the description of the file type.
5. Select OK.

11. Timely laptop servicing

Last but not least, servicing your laptop timely plays a major role in keeping your PC clean along with boosting the performance of the device. Regularly cleaning the external parts of the laptop is also recommended so that the dust won’t bother entering inside the system.

Laptop servicing is the regular checkups and cleaning for your laptop done by experts. The general laptop servicing includes:

1. Chemical cleaning of the internal parts like motherboard, processor, slots, etc.
2. Cooling paste treatment/Thermal paste replacement: Cooling paste/Thermal paste plays a great role in controlling the heat within the system. If it dries, the laptop overheats which might invite some serious problems.
3. Cleaning the fan: Servicing also includes cleaning the cooling fan in the laptop for smoother running.

During servicing if some of the parts are underperforming or need replacements, customers will be duly informed about it.

Whether you’re a gamer or simply trying to manage your documents, your laptop should be inviting to use. Trying out these proven techniques should bring your laptop up to speed. We hope that the aforementioned tips answer your “How to speed up laptop” query. If trying these didn’t work for you either, you may need to consult an expert. Also, don’t forget to checkout our article on topic “Things to consider when buying a laptop“.  Trust me it will help you a lot. 

If you are thinking of servicing your laptop from an expert, InfoTechs Nepal is here to assist you. Sign up for laptop servicing today!