Are you starting to notice your PC or laptop is running slower than when you first purchased it? You might find that it’s down to a build-up of unused files and software over the years. Here at Manchester PC, we can run diagnostics on your device to determine the cause of a slower performance rate.

Here are some methods you can do at home to help your computer run faster.

Restart Your Computer

If your computer is left running for long periods of time, background applications and files can continue to run in the background and this can have a significant impact on its overall performance. Ensuring that you turn your device off after use means it can allow for software updates and installments to run efficiently. You should aim to turn your PC or laptop off at least once a week to ensure everything runs smoothly when in use.

Change Power Settings

Your computer might be running on power saving settings. This essentially uses minimal computer performance features to save battery life on your device. Although this is a useful setting for someone on the go who might not have access to a power socket, it can compromise your computer’s performance, causing it to run slower. By changing these settings, you should notice a faster improvement.

Mac – Select the Apple icon in the top-left corner and select system preferences. You should be able to select the “energy saver” option. From there, check “restart automatically if the computer freezes” and “put the hard disk to sleep when possible”. These settings should improve your Mac’s overall performance.

PC – Go to the “control panel” where you can select “power options”. From there, you can change the settings to “optimised performance”, allowing your computer to work much faster.

Check Your Hard Disk Space

If your hard disk is full, this will have a significant impact on your computer’s performance. According to Panda Security, it’s important to keep at least 15% of free space on your hard disk to allow programs and various software to run efficiently when in use. 

If your disk space is almost full, deleting unused apps and files will free up more space and allow your device to run faster. There are also disk cleanup apps and software that will help find files and programs that are idle on your device, giving you the option to delete them to free up more space.

Mac – You can download Ccleaner which is a software that will find and delete temporary files on your hard disk.

PC – There’s a disk cleanup feature available on your device. Simply head to “start” and click on “all programs”. From there, click “accessories” > “system tools” and there you’ll find “disk cleanup”.

Backup Your Data

Storing your files and software on an external hard drive will free up a lot of space on your hard disk, allowing for an optimised performance from your device. 

There are also different cloud backup options available online such as Cloud drive, Google drive and Amazon drive, to name a few. These can be stored online and offer free sign ups or a monthly subscription in exchange for more storage. Online storage means you don’t risk losing it like an external hard drive and it’s easier to upgrade your storage.

Change Program Startup Settings

When you turn on your computer, you might find that certain programs automatically startup as your desktop initialises. Multiple programs running in the background can make your computer run slower and compromise optimal performance. Here’s how you can change these settings:

Mac – Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner and go to “system preferences”. From there, head to “accounts” > “login items”. There, you can choose the programs you want to remove from the startup screen by simply clicking the minus sign next to the program name.

PC – Head to the start menu where you can search for “msconfig”. From there, click “startup” where you can see all the applications that automatically startup as you turn on your PC. To disable startups, uncheck next to the program names for a faster computer performance.

Organise Desktop Icons

The more icons on your desktop background, the more RAM is required to load up your screen. By prioritising your main applications, this will limit the amount of desktop icons that need to be loading in the background. This will not only speed up your computer startup time, but also help performance as you use it and reduce the number of files that need to be immediately loaded onto your desktop. 

Repair Disk Permissions

If you’re experiencing problems with basic features on your computer, it could be down to incorrect permissions placed on certain applications. It’s recommended that you update your repair disk permissions every few months to ensure that your computer can run effectively and efficiently.

Close Any Unused Tabs

You might find that after a large project, there are multiple unused tabs on your browser. This is a simple way to free up space whilst browsing and allow for a faster computer performance. Simply close all the tabs that are not in use.

Check for Viruses

If you find that you’re still having running issues with your device, it could be down to a virus that’s compromising your computer’s performance features. Some potential signs that your computer might have a virus are:

  • You start to notice missing files on your computer.
  • Your computer is slow booting up.
  • Your web browser is slow and sluggish to use.
  • There’s still a lack of storage space after a disk cleanup.
  • Your hard drive is compromised e.g. working extra hard, no free space after deletion of files.

At Manchester PC, we offer a virus removal service to allow for your device to work efficiently. It’s also good to have antivirus software installed on your computer to prevent any serious viruses affecting your PC’s performance and to ensure all your sensitive data and files are fully protected.
For further information or local enquiries on computer security, tech support and more, do not hesitate to contact Manchester PC.