Laptops can lose speed and brilliance in performing normal everyday operations due to a variety of reasons: perhaps you simply have too many browser tabs open or too many programs are running in the background that you do not use or do not use. you know. All the methods described in the article have the main purpose of freeing the computer's RAM memory. Disabling the graphical effects of the operating system interface can also significantly improve the response and execution speed of your computer.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: General Tips
Step 1. Close all programs and applications you don't use
Running so many programs and apps at the same time consumes a significant amount of RAM, causing a general slowdown in normal computer operation. To solve this drawback, it is enough to reduce the number of programs and applications open at the same time.
Look for any programs that you have minimized but haven't really closed
Step 2. Close any browser tabs you are not actively using
Again, each open browser tab takes up a small amount of RAM, so the more tabs you open, the more memory will be taken up in order for the browser to function properly. For this reason, limiting the number of tabs open at the same time is an easy way to optimize your laptop's performance.
- Whenever you're done using a tab, don't leave it open, but close it.
- If you are leaving a tab open simply as a "reminder" for the future, it may be more efficient to make a note of what you need to do on a piece of paper or by sending yourself an email.
Step 3. Restart the laptop
This is a very simple task that should be performed at least once a week to quickly and significantly optimize the overall performance of your computer.
Step 4. Delete unnecessary or unused apps and programs, along with temporary or no longer needed files
By deleting these items from your computer, you will free up valuable space on your computer's hard drive.
Search inside the folder where you have installed all the programs that you do not use or that are no longer needed, after which you can delete them from your computer
Method 2 of 5: Mac
Step 1. Access the "Apple" menu by clicking on the appropriate icon to check for a new software update
Select the "App Store" item from the "Apple" menu located in the upper left corner of the screen to check for new updates. Regularly updating your Mac software actively contributes to optimizing its performance over time.
Step 2. Limit the number of programs that run automatically when your computer starts
Access the "Apple" menu in the upper left corner of the screen, select "System Preferences", click on the "Users and Groups" icon and finally access the "Login Items" tab. Select the "Hide" checkbox next to any apps and programs you don't want to run automatically on login. At this point, click on the "-" button to remove the items in question from the list. Preventing programs and apps from starting automatically on login is another great way to optimize a laptop's performance.
Step 3. Close unnecessary background processes using the "Activity Monitor" system app
For normal operation, each computer must run a variety of programs and applications in the background. All of these background processes can end up using a large amount of RAM, resulting in slowing down your computer. Closing all unnecessary background processes is useful for optimizing Mac performance. Go to the "Applications" folder and open the "Utilities" directory. Start the "Activity Monitor" program, click on the "Memory" tab, then click on the header of the "Memory" column of the table. Double-click the name of the program you want to close, then click the "Exit" button. To complete the shutdown of the program in question, click again on the "Exit" button.
- Always remember to close only programs whose function or purpose you know.
- Clicking on the header of the "Memory" column of the table will sort the list of running programs according to the amount of RAM they are using. The program that is currently using the most memory will appear at the top of the list.
Step 4. Disable the visual and graphic effects of the Mac using the "System Preferences" window
Effects of this kind, such as animating windows as they are minimized, can help slow down normal computer operation. To disable them, click on the "Apple" menu in the upper left corner of the screen, then click on the "System Preferences" item.
- Select the "Dock" icon. Change the menu item "Contract windows using" from "Genius Effect" to "Stair Effect".
- Return to the "System Preferences" window and click on the "Accessibility" icon. Select the "Reduce transparency" checkbox. This will reduce the transparency level of the drop-down menus, Dock, and other interface elements.
Method 3 of 5: Windows 10
Step 1. Check for new updates
Microsoft releases new updates for Windows on the second Wednesday of each month. Regularly updating your computer allows you to eliminate bugs and problems that could negatively impact system performance. Go to the "Start" menu and click on the "Settings" icon. Click the "Update & Security" icon, select the "Windows Update" tab, then click the "Check for Updates" button Windows will automatically install all available updates.
Step 2. Limit the number of programs that run automatically when your computer starts using the "Task Manager" window
At system startup, some programs and applications run automatically. To optimize your laptop's performance, reduce the number of programs and apps that run automatically on system startup.
- Select an empty spot on the Windows taskbar with the right mouse button, then click on "Task manager";
- Click on the "More details" link;
- Access the "Startup" tab;
- Right-click a program or app, then click the "Disable" option. The selected item will not be removed from the system. This will simply prevent your chosen program from running automatically when your computer starts.
Step 3. Run a system performance diagnostic test
The Windows "Performance Monitor" program provides a general report on all the features of your computer. This application is able to identify any problems and also provide you with advice on how to solve them.
- Go to the "Start" menu, then type in the keyword "performance" and press the ↵ Enter key when the search is complete. This will run the "Performance Monitor" program. It will take a few minutes for the performance report to be ready.
- Read the information that will be provided to you by the program and solve the problems encountered. Take your time to read the report carefully. Follow the instructions that will be given to you to resolve any problems encountered.
Step 4. Close the apps running in the background
In addition to the programs you can start manually, there is a set of processes that run in the background. All of these programs are updated constantly (and therefore using up your computer's RAM memory), even when you're not actively using them. Closing these types of processes is certainly useful for optimizing computer performance.
- Access the "Start" menu, then click on the "Settings" icon;
- Click on the "Privacy" icon and choose the "Background app" tab;
- Find the apps you don't want to run in the background, then disable the corresponding slider by moving it to the "Disabled" position. When you need to use one of these programs, you can start it manually.
Step 5. Defragment the hard drive
With use and the passage of time, files on a computer's hard drive tend to fragment (instead of being stored in contiguous blocks on the disk they fragment into non-contiguous clusters). When you open a fragmented file, your computer's hard drive takes time to search for all the individual blocks, reducing the system's execution speed. Windows 10 automatically performs disk defragmentation on a regular basis. Either way, you have the option to manually defrag any memory drive.
- Click on the "Start" button and type in the keyword "defragment", then click on the "Defragment and optimize drives" app;
- Select the hard drive to defragment and click on the "Analyze" button;
- To defragment the unit in question, click on the "Optimize" button. During the defragmentation process it is best not to use the computer.
Step 6. Run Disk Cleanup
The Windows "Disk Cleanup" program allows you to easily locate and remove all unnecessary files, programs and apps from your hard drive. This way, you will free up valuable space while improving overall system performance.
- Click on the "Start" button and type in the keyword "cleaning". Start the program by clicking on the corresponding icon that appears in the list of results;
- Select the hard drive to scan;
- Select the check buttons corresponding to the types of data you want to delete. At the bottom of the window, a brief description of each file type will be displayed after selecting it.
- Click on the "OK" button to clean up the disk.
Step 7. Turn off the graphic effects
The Windows 10 user interface makes extensive use of visual effects and graphic animations. By disabling all of these effects, you can optimize your computer's performance.
- Press the key combination ⊞ Win + R to open the "Run" window;
- Type the command "sysdm.cpl" in the "Open" field and press the Enter key;
- Select the "Advanced" tab;
- Click on the "Settings" button in the "Performance" section, then click on the "Custom" radio button;
- Uncheck the check buttons of all the graphic effects you want to disable, then click the "Apply" button.
Method 4 of 5: Windows 8
Step 1. Check for new updates
Regularly updating your computer allows you to eliminate bugs and problems that could negatively impact system performance. Follow these instructions to check for new updates:
- Move the mouse cursor to the lower right corner of the screen (if you are using a device with a touchscreen, slide your finger on the screen from the right side towards the center), then select the "Settings" icon;
- Click on the "Change PC Settings" link, then select the "Update and Reset" tab;
- Choose the "Check Now" option, so Windows will check for new updates;
- Click the "Install Updates" button, accept the terms and conditions, then click the "Finish" button.
Step 2. Limit the number of programs that run automatically when your computer starts using the "Task Manager" window
At system startup, some programs and applications run automatically. To optimize your laptop's performance and make it start up faster, reduce the number of programs and apps that run automatically when you start your system.
- Click on the "Start" button, then click on the "Task manager" item;
- Go to the "Startup" tab;
- Select the program or app you want to disable;
- Click on the "Disable" button.
Step 3. Close programs running in the background
When too many programs are running, the computer's ability to perform normal user-requested actions is greatly reduced. To optimize the performance of the entire system, close all programs and processes running in the background that are not needed.
- Select an empty spot on the Windows taskbar with the right mouse button, then click on "Task manager";
- Click on the "Processes" tab;
- Select the program that is using a large amount of hardware resources (it will appear highlighted) or the process running in the background to close (listed in the "Background Processes" section). Select only programs and processes whose function or purpose you know.
- Click on the "End Task" button.
Step 4. Defragment the hard drive
With use and the passage of time, files on a computer's hard drive tend to fragment (instead of being stored in contiguous blocks on the disk, they fragment into non-contiguous clusters). When you open a fragmented file, your computer's hard drive takes time to search for all the individual blocks, reducing the system's execution speed. Windows 8 automatically performs disk defragmentation on a regular basis. Either way, you have the option to manually defrag any memory drive.
- Click on the "Start" button and type in the keyword "defragment";
- Click on the "Defragment and optimize drives" app;
- Select the hard drive to defragment and click on the "Analyze" button;
- To defragment the unit in question, click on the "Optimize" button.
Step 5. Run Disk Cleanup
The Windows "Disk Cleanup" program allows you to easily locate and remove all unnecessary files, programs and apps from your hard drive. By doing this, you will free up valuable disk space while improving overall system performance.
- Move the mouse cursor to the lower right corner of the screen (if you are using a device with a touchscreen, slide your finger on the screen from the right side towards the center), then select the "Settings" icon;
- Click on the "Control Panel" icon and choose "Administrative Tools";
- Double-click the "Disk Cleanup" icon, then select the hard drive to clean up and click the "OK" button;
- Select the check buttons corresponding to the types of data you want to delete and click on the "OK" button;
- Click on the "Delete Files" button to clean up the disk.
Step 6. Turn off the graphic effects
The Windows 8 user interface makes extensive use of visual effects and graphic animations. By disabling all of these effects, you can optimize your computer's performance.
- Click on the "Start" button, type the keywords "control panel" into the search bar, then press the Enter key;
- Select the "App" item, then click on the "Ease of Access" option and then on the "Accessibility Center" item;
- Select the link "Facilitate viewing";
- Select the "Disable all unnecessary animations" checkbox and click the "Apply" button.
Method 5 of 5: Windows 7
Step 1. Check for new updates
Regularly updating the operating system, programs and applications allows you to eliminate bugs and problems that could negatively impact the performance of your computer. Follow these instructions to check for new updates:
- Click on the "Start" button, select "All Programs" and finally click on the "Windows Update" icon;
- Click on the "Check for updates" button, so that Windows automatically checks for new updates to be installed;
- Click on the "Install updates" button;
Step 2. Defragment your hard drive
With normal use and the passage of time, files on a computer's hard drive tend to fragment (instead of being stored in contiguous blocks on the disk, they fragment into non-contiguous clusters). When you open a fragmented file, your computer's hard drive takes time to search for all the individual blocks, reducing the system's execution speed. Windows 7 automatically performs disk defragmentation on a regular basis. Either way, you have the option to manually defrag any memory drive.
- Click on the "Start" button and type the keyword "defragment" in the search bar;
- Click on the "Disk Defragmenter" app;
- Select the hard disk to defragment, click on the "Scan disk" button and, if requested, enter the password of a computer administrator account;
- To defragment the unit in question, click on the "Defragment disk" button and, if prompted, enter the password of an administrator account on the computer.
Step 3. Run Disk Cleanup
The Windows "Disk Cleanup" program allows you to easily locate and remove all unnecessary files, programs and apps from your hard drive. By doing this, you will free up valuable disk space while improving overall system performance.
- Click on the "Start" button and type the keywords "disk cleanup" into the search bar;
- Double-click the "Disk Cleanup" icon that appears in the list of results;
- Click on the disk drive you want to examine, then click on the "OK" button;
- Click on the "Delete Files" button to clean up the disk.
Step 4. Turn off the graphic effects
By default, the Windows 7 user interface makes extensive use of visual effects and graphic animations. By disabling all of these effects, you can optimize your computer's performance.
- Click on the "Start" button, then select the "Control Panel" icon;
- Select the item "System and maintenance", then click on the link "Tools and information on system performance";
- Select the "Adjust visual effects" option, then choose the "Custom" item;
- Uncheck the check buttons of all the graphic effects you want to disable, then click the "Apply" button.
