Is your laptop as slow as a sloth? Before you replace it, here are some software tips and hardware tricks to make your old laptop perform faster.
Uninstall unused apps
The new laptops come with chunks of applications that are actually junks. Most of them are programs like usual bloatware and system tools we never use. These applications can take up storage on your hard drive and resources. If you want to increase the performance of your laptop, you can start it by deleting these unused applications. Use the below step-by-step guide to uninstall non-essential apps on Windows 10:
- Go to Settings and click on Apps.
- Select Apps & features.
- Select the app you wish to remove.
- Click the Uninstall button.
- Use the following steps to uninstall apps on a MacBook.
- Navigate down to the Finder tab on your toolbar.
- Click on the app icon.
- Click on the Go menu at the top of your screen.
- Scroll down to the Applications hyperlink and click on it.
- Scroll down to the application you want to remove.
- Right-click on the app icon and scroll down to the “Move to Trash” hyperlink. Click on it.
The removed or uninstalled application reaches the trash. Right-click on the trash bin to confirm the prompt “Are you sure you want to permanently erase the items in the Trash?” with the “Empty Trash” hyperlink. Click on it to remove your trash from the laptop.
Kill animations
Do you know that the animations in your OS take up resources? Worry not, we have a solution to fix it.
Killing animation in Windows:
- Go to the search bar.
- Search for “View advanced system settings.”
- Click Settings under Performance.
- Select “Adjust for best performance” to turn off special effects and animations.
Killing animation in macOS X:
- Go to System Preferences > Dock.
- Check the boxes to turn off magnification and stop the animations in opening applications.
Upgrade to an SSD
If you wish to see a notable increase in the speed of your old laptop, consider upgrading your hardware to a solid-state drive (SSD). Shifting to an SSD will speed up launching apps, booting up and shutting down. Thankfully, SSDs are in the market at a reasonable price.
Speed up the downloads folder
In Windows, it is important to optimize the File Explorer to enhance the speed of your laptop. Let’s see how we can speed up the Windows downloads folder.
- Open File Explorer by clicking on the explorer icon or pressing Windows Key + E.
- Right click on the Downloads shortcut in the right window pane.
- Select Properties.
- Go to the Customize tab.
- Select “General items” from the “Optimize this folder for:” list.
- Click Ok.
Upgrade RAM
If you have a RAM of 4GB, upgrade to 8GB. This will boost up the performance of your laptop. The additional memory will only cost less than $25. You can also go for 16 or 32 or 64GB upgrades depending on your laptop.
Run malware scans
Malicious softwares can be a huge reason behind your laggy laptop. Running regular and safe virus/malware scans are helpful in addressing this issue. It will reduce the security risks and eliminate the threats that hoard the resources.
Speed up shutdowns
Many of you might have had to wait for another hour to shut down your laptop. This happens because certain programs do not close on their own. To avoid such situations, you can do a little tweak in the Windows regedit.
- Open registry editor (Press Windows + R and typing “regedit” into the box that appears below the screen)
- Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control.
- Open WaitToKillServiceTimeout.
- Set the value to 2000 and click OK (Amount of time, in milliseconds, Windows waits to kill an unresponsive service)
- Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop.
- Create a String Value and name it WaitToKillAppTimeOut. You can create a string value by right clicking in the right pane and selecting New > String Value.
- Open WaitToKillAppTimeOut and set it to 2000.
- Create a String Value called HungAppTimeout and set it to 2000.
- Create another String Called AutoEndTasks and set it to 1.
- Click OK.
Update startup programs
The applications running in the background will slow down your laptop. Turning off these can speed up your device. To update startup programs in Windows,
Go to Task Manager > Startup to see the list of programs running when you turn on the laptop.
To update startup programs On a MacBook,
Go to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items to adjust which programs launch when you turn on the computer.
Keep it clean
Dust and dirt can hinder your laptop’s efficiency. Get a can of compressed air to help your processor and graphics card breathe.
Chrome is not always cool
If you are someone who opens a lot of tabs, Chrome is not a great option. Heavy users can switch to browsers like Microsoft’s Edge to work faster without affecting the speed of your laptops. Safari is the best option for Mac users.
Also Read: Top 10 Hacks to Improve Gaming Performance on Your Laptop
