How to Speed up Your Laptop

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Open the Control Panel.

   One of the easiest ways to help increase performance is to delete old programs you don't need anymore.
   
   You can do this from the Control Panel.
   
   Windows 10 and 8
   - Right-click the Start button and click Control Panel.
   
   Windows 7 and earlier
   - Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
2. 2

   Step 2: Click Programs and Features.

   If you don't see this option, click "Uninstall a program."
   
   You'll see a list of all of your installed programs.
   
   If there are programs on the list that you no longer need, removing them will free up space and can improve performance.
   
   If you're not sure what a program is for, enter the Name and Publisher into a search engine.
   
   Be careful when deciding on which programs to remove, as some may be essential for your peripherals or other programs.
   
   You won't break your computer by removing anything from this list. , You'll see this button appear at the top of the window after selecting a program. , The process will vary depending on the program, but generally you just need to click a button or two to remove the program. , Scroll through the list and remove any other programs that you don't use or don't recognize.
   
   Make sure to perform a web search on any unknown programs before deleting them. , This will open the Task Manager window. , This button only appears if Task Manager is in miniature mode.
   
   You'll see several tabs along the top of the window when it is expanded. , You'll see a list of all the programs that start when Windows boots up. , This will sort the list starting with programs that increase your startup time the most. , Disabling a program in this list will prevent it from starting when Windows boots.
   
   You'll still be able to start the program at any time, so starting with Windows is typically just a convenience feature. , This will prevent the program from starting with Windows. , Continue through the startup list and disable any other programs that you don't need to start with Windows. ,, If you don't see System, click "System and Security" and then "System."
   
   You'l see this on the left side of the screen. ,, This will disable all the additional visual effects for Windows, which can give you a nice performance boost. ,, This will start the Disk Cleanup utility. , If you have more than one hard drive installed, the hard drive with Windows on it will be selected by default.
   
   It may take a minute or two for the Disk Cleanup utility to scan your system. , Clicking an item will give a brief description. , Disk Cleanup will begin removing the selected items, which may take a while to complete. , Viruses and adware can have a big impact on your computer's performance, and are a major security concern.
   
   Use a program like Malwarebytes to scan for malware and other unwanted programs.
   
   Use your antivirus to scan for viruses and rootkits. , As a last resort, formatting your drive and reinstalling Windows can dramatically improve performance.
   
   The downside is that all data on the hard drive will be deleted, and you'll need to reinstall all of your programs.
   
   If you already keep your data backed up, you can have Windows reinstalled and running again in about an hour.
3. 3

   Step 3: Find programs you don't use anymore.

4. 4

   Step 4: Highlight a program and click Uninstall.

5. 5

   Step 5: Follow the prompts to remove the program.

6. 6

   Step 6: Continue uninstalling old programs.

7. 7

   Step 7: Press Ctrl+⇧ Shift+Esc.

8. 8

   Step 8: Click More details.

9. 9

   Step 9: Click the Startup tab.

10. 10

    Step 10: Click the Startup impact column header.

11. 11

    Step 11: Highlight a program you want to disable.

12. 12

    Step 12: Click the Disable button.

13. 13

    Step 13: Disable any additional programs.

14. 14

    Step 14: Return to the Control Panel window.

15. 15

    Step 15: Click the System option.

16. 16

    Step 16: Click Advanced system settings.

17. 17

    Step 17: Click Settings in the Performance section.

18. 18

    Step 18: Click the Adjust for best performance option and click Apply.

19. 19

    Step 19: Click the Start button.

20. 20

    Step 20: Type "disk cleanup" and press ↵ Enter.

21. 21

    Step 21: Click OK to select your hard drive.

22. 22

    Step 22: Check the box for each item you want to delete.

23. 23

    Step 23: Click OK and wait for the cleanup process.

24. 24

    Step 24: Check your computer for malware.

25. 25

    Step 25: Consider reinstalling your operating system.

Detailed Guide

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