6 Tricks for Making Your Old PC Work Like a Clock

We’re all way too busy to deal with the headache of a slow PC.

While most of us rely heavily on our computer and an internet connection to get things done these days, it’s safe to say that tech doesn’t always work as well as we’d like.

If you are one of the many people who spend more of their time staring at the ceiling, waiting for pages to load, then actually getting things done while your PC is booting up, don’t panic.

All computers start to lose some of their performance over time.

The process is not irreversible, however. There are more things that you can do to get your tech running like clockwork again.

Here are our top tricks for getting your computer back in action.

1. Free Up Extra Disk Space

Your PC needs plenty of space for files and memory. Unfortunately, a lot of the free space on your hard drive is being wasted in Windows.

Depending on your settings, you might be using excess memory for no real reason.

Since Microsoft recommends leaving about 20% of your system hard drive free to keep Windows running smoothly, it could be prime time to get rid of some of the junk on your PC.

The good news?

There are many ways to free up space.

You can uninstall unused programs, get rid of junk and duplicate files in your trash can, and even start storing some of your extra data in the cloud or on an external disk.

2. Get Rid of Unused Programs

We all like experimenting with new apps and programs from time to time, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Unfortunately, many people will try a new app, use it once, and then forget about it altogether.

When that problem persists over time, you end up with a lot of unused programs on your computer that are taking up resources and space.

It’s not all your fault, either. There are a lot of branded systems that come pre-installed with Windows. Most people refer to these programs as“bloatware” because they take up space, without doing anything useful.

Go to your “Apps and Features” setting on Windows 10 to identify anything you’re not using and uninstall it.

3. Stop Launching Too Many Programs at Startup

One of the easiest and most effective ways to get your PC running like new is to speed up your booting process. This means stopping unnecessary programs from starting when you open your computer.

On Windows 10, press CTRL+ALT+ESC to open your task manager and visit the Startup tab. You can also go straight to the MSConfig page.

There are a lot of things that you can do with MSconfig to transform the way that your PC works.

The applications list that you open with MSconfig or task manager will tell you what each of your applications does, so you know which ones are safe to disable.

Get the rid of anything that you don’t need.

4. Change the Way You Use Your Browser

The chances are that you spend most of your life living in your web browsers these days.

It’s no surprise that these pieces of tech eat up a lot of our computer performance. You might even find yourself always adding plugins and add-ons to your browser that you think will make your life easier.

However, the more add-ons you have installed, and the more tabs you’re opening at any given time, the slower your PC will be.

Jump into your add-on or extension manager and remove anything that isn’t improving your browser experience daily.

When it comes to open tabs, you need to use more discipline when you’re browsing or use some of the cool suspender apps that lower memory usage of open tabs that you don’t need at this time.

5. Optimize Your Drives with Defrag

Hopefully, you’ll have already removed the excess files and bloatware on your drives that are taking up extra space.

Now, you need to make sure that you’re organizing the free space that you have left in a way that’s effective for Windows.

Defrag is a program on your Windows system that can move data around on your disk to make your computer faster and more efficient.

Depending on how long you’ve been running your computer without defragging it, there’s a good chance that your process will take a little while – but it will be worth it when it’s done.

Just type the “defrag” into the search field in the start menu on Windows 10 to get started.

6. Get Rid of Unnecessary Animations

Finally, Windows has a habit of putting extra bells and whistles on your PC experience to make it more exciting. However, you don’t necessarily need those extras to make the most of your computer.

For instance, Windows animations take up extra memory on your computer and slow down your PC.

Could you get rid of them?

Go to the Control Center in Windows 10 and find the option for “Ease of Access” scroll until you find the opportunity to “Turn off unnecessary animations”.

You won’t lose any essential performance this way, and you could find that using your computer is a lot more of a streamlined experience.

Remember, the animations are just there to dazzle and impress new users. You don’t need those animations when you’re a seasoned PC user.

Sure, it might look prettier, but the performance will suffer.

7. Ready to Fix Your Slow PC?

A slow PC is an absolute nightmare.

Whether you are using your computer for personal or professional reasons, you need it to move quickly and smoothly if you want to get the most out of your digital experience.

Unfortunately, all computers begin to lose performance over time.

The good news is that you will begin to cut down your issues with a slow PCby using the tips that we’ve highlighted above.

With the strategies above, you can get your PC running like new again, without having to worry about things like buying a brand-new PC or purchasing an extra hard drive so you can have more RAM.