Clean Up a Slow Performing Computer: Fixing Common Issues

Speed up your desktop or laptop with these tips

Maybe it’s been a few months (or years) since you got your computer. It’s starting to not feel as quick. There are a few things you can try to make it run faster! This wikiHow guide shows you 16 ways to clean up a slow performing computer. We’ll go over removing old files and programs, changing settings, physically cleaning your device, and more!

Things You Should Know

  • Cool down your computer. Overheating can cause a device to run slower. Move it to a well-ventilated area and clean out the dust.
  • Close tabs, extensions, programs, and processes to free up more RAM and speed up your computer.
  • Clean up the disk to delete unnecessary files slowing down your computer.
Section 1 of 17:

Restart Your Computer

  1. Turn your computer off, then back on again. Restarting your computer can clear any processes running in the background and free up space in RAM. If you leave your computer powered down for a few minutes, it’ll also have a chance to cool down. Excessive heat can cause your computer to run slowly.
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Section 2 of 17:

Move Your Computer

  1. Move your computer for better ventilation. If your computer isn’t in a well-ventilated area, it might be running hot, which will slow it down. Keep your computer in an open space with room on all sides to dissipate heat. If you’re using a laptop, consider using a laptop riser.
Section 3 of 17:

Close Unneeded Tabs

  1. Close tabs you aren’t using. The more tabs you have open, the more RAM resources your browser is using. Closing tabs allows the still-open apps and process to use more resources and run faster.
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Section 4 of 17:

Turn Off Browser Extensions

  1. Turn off or delete browser extensions. Like tabs, browser extensions take up computer resources. If you have a lot of browser extensions running, they might be slowing down your computer overall. Most browsers have a feature to turn off extensions. For example, you could deactivate Honey while you aren’t shopping.
Section 5 of 17:

Clear Your Browser Cache

  1. Delete your browser cache. This is where your browser stores information about web pages so it can load things more quickly when you revisit them. Deleting the cache frees up this space, allowing more room for just the websites you visit in the future. Websites will load more slowly at first, then get faster over time.
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Section 6 of 17:

Uninstall Programs on Windows

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    Uninstall unnecessary programs. If you have any applications or programs which you don't want to keep, uninstalling them from your PC will clear up some space and help your computer run faster overall.
  2. 2
    Open Settings. You can do this by opening the Start menu and clicking the gear icon.[1]
  3. 3
    Go to Apps.
  4. 4
    Select Apps & features.
  5. 5
    Click the program you want to uninstall.
  6. 6
    Click Uninstall.
    • This is in the More menu button (three vertical dots) in Windows 11.
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Section 7 of 17:

Uninstall Programs on Mac

  1. 1
    Uninstall unnecessary programs. If you have any applications or programs which you don't want to keep, uninstalling them from your Mac will clear up some space and help your computer run faster overall.
  2. 2
    Open a new Finder window.[2]
  3. 3
    Click Applications. This is listed in the sidebar of the Finder window.
  4. 4
    Move the program to the Trash. Alternatively, you can select the app and use File > Move to Trash in the menu bar.
  5. 5
    Enter the admin account info (if prompted). You may be asked for your Mac’s admin account username and password to move the program to the trash.
  6. 6
    Empty the trash. This will completely delete the app from your computer.
    • To empty the trash, go to Finder > Empty Trash in the menu bar.
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Section 8 of 17:

Emptying the Recycle Bin on Windows

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    Open the Recycle Bin. Double-click the Recycle Bin app icon, which resembles a white bin with a blue recycling icon on it. It should be on your desktop.
  2. Image titled Clean Up a Slow Performing Computer Step 16
    2
    Restore any items you don't want to delete. If you find an item that you wish to place back on your computer, double-click the item, then click Restore in the resulting pop-up menu.
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    3
    Click the Manage tab. It's in the upper-left side of the window. A toolbar will appear near the top of the window.
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    4
    Click Empty Recycle Bin. You'll find this on the left side of the toolbar.
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    5
    Click Yes when prompted. Doing so will delete all files in the Recycle Bin.
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Section 9 of 17:

Emptying the Trash on Mac

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    Open the Trash. Click the Trash icon in your Mac's Dock. The Trash window will open.
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    2
    Restore any items you don't want to delete. If you want to move an item from the Trash back to your Mac, click and drag the item from the Trash window onto your Mac's desktop.
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    3
    Click and hold the Trash icon. Doing so will prompt a pop-up menu after a second.
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    4
    Click Empty Trash. It's in the pop-up menu.
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    5
    Click Empty Trash when prompted. This will cause the Trash folder to empty.
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Section 10 of 17:

Disk Cleanup (Windows)

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    Open Start
    Image titled Windowsstart.png
    .     Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
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    2
    Type in disk cleanup. This will search your computer for the Disk Cleanup program, which is a utility that finds and deletes unnecessary files on your computer.
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    3
    Click Disk Cleanup. It's a flash drive-shaped icon at the top of the Start menu. Disk Cleanup will open in a separate window.
    • If you have other windows open, you'll need to click the flashing Disk Cleanup icon at the bottom of the screen before proceeding.
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    4
    Click Clean up system files. This option is in the bottom-left corner of the Disk Cleanup window. Doing so allows Disk Cleanup to find even more files to delete.
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    5
    Check every box on the page. Every item on this page can be deleted in order to free up space on your computer.
    • You will have to scroll down to see all available boxes in the main window.
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    6
    Click OK. It's at the bottom of the window.
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    Click Delete Files when prompted. Disk Cleanup will begin deleting your computer's unnecessary files. This can take a while, so be patient.
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Section 11 of 17:

Disk Cleanup (Mac)

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    Open the Apple menu
    Image titled Macapple1.png
    .     Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
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    2
    Click About This Mac. It's near the top of the drop-down menu. The About This Mac window will open.
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    3
    Click the Storage tab. This option is at the top of the window.
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    4
    Click Manage…. It's in the upper-right side of the window. Doing so opens a new window with storage options.
    • Depending on your Mac version, you may instead click Details... here.
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    5
    Click Optimize…. You'll see this to the right of the "Optimize Storage" heading. Doing so will prompt your Mac to get rid of any temporary or unnecessary files, as well as move your watched movies and TV shows into iCloud.
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Section 12 of 17:

Stop Open/Startup Apps (Windows)

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    1
    Open Start
    Image titled Windowsstart.png
    .     Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
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    2
    Type in task manager. This will search your computer for the Task Manager, which is a program that can close troublesome programs.
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    3
    Click Task Manager. It's at the top of the Start menu. The Task Manager app will open.
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    4
    Click the Processes tab. You'll see this in the upper-left side of the Task Manager window.
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    5
    Close a program if necessary. If you see any high memory usage apps which don't need to be running right now, click one app's name, click End task in the lower-right corner of the window, and repeat until you've closed every app or program that you want to close.
    • This process is easier if you click the Memory tab to sort the programs from greatest to least in terms of memory use.
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    6
    Click the Startup tab. It's at the top of the Task Manager window.
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    7
    Review the list of startup programs. Every program on this list will start up with your computer by default, which can slow down your computer's performance.
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    8
    Disable a startup program. Click a program for which you want to revoke startup access, then click Disable in the lower-right side of the window.
    • If the button in the lower-right side is Enable instead, the program is already disabled.
    • You can repeat this process for as many startup programs as needed.
    • When you're done here, feel free to close the Task Manager. Your settings will be saved.
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Section 13 of 17:

Stop Open/Startup Apps (Mac)

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    1
    Open Spotlight
    Image titled Macspotlight.png
    .     Click the magnifying glass-shaped icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
  2. Image titled Clean Up a Slow Performing Computer Step 34
    2
    Type in activity monitor. Doing so searches your Mac for the Activity Monitor program, which allows you to review and quite high-memory programs.
    EXPERT TIP
    Gonzalo Martinez

    Gonzalo Martinez

    Computer & Phone Repair Specialist
    Gonzalo Martinez is the President of CleverTech, a tech repair business in San Jose, California founded in 2014. CleverTech LLC specializes in repairing Apple products. CleverTech pursues environmental responsibility by recycling aluminum, display assemblies, and the micro components on motherboards to reuse for future repairs. On average, they save 2 lbs - 3 lbs more electronic waste daily than the average computer repair store.
    Gonzalo Martinez
    Gonzalo Martinez
    Computer & Phone Repair Specialist

    Use “Activity Monitor” to track your running applications. Gonzalo Martinez, an Apple repair specialist, says: "Activity Monitor is a built-in application on your Mac that shows all the running applications. If something is running in the background that you aren’t aware of, or if your web browsers are taking up processing speed, you can force quit the applications.”

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    3
    Double-click Activity Monitor. This option is in the Spotlight results. Doing so opens Activity Monitor.
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    4
    Click the CPU tab. It's at the top of the Activity Monitor window.
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    5
    Select a program to quit. Click a high-memory program to do so.
    • Make sure you don't select a program which you're currently using (e.g., your browser).
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    6
    Click X. It's in the upper-left side of the window.
  7. Image titled Clean Up a Slow Performing Computer Step 39
    7
    Click Quit or Force Quit when prompted. Clicking Quit will allow the program to attempt to create a recovery save if you have work open, while clicking Force Quit will immediately close the program in question.[3]
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    8
    Open the Apple menu
    Image titled Macapple1.png
    .     Click the Apple logo in the upper-left side of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
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    9
    Click System Preferences…. It's in the drop-down menu. Doing so opens the System Preferences window.
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    10
    Click Users & Groups. You'll find this option in the System Preferences window.
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    11
    Select your name. Click your username on the left side of the window.
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    12
    Click Login Items. It's a tab at the top of the window.
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    13
    Disable startup programs. Uncheck any item's box on this page to disable the item at startup.[4]
    • You may have to click the lock icon in the bottom-left corner of the page and enter your password before you can edit this menu.
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Section 14 of 17:

Defragment Your Hard Drive

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    1
    Understand what defragmentation does. Defragmenting a hard drive is only necessary on heavily used Windows computers. As the hard drive ages, pieces of data become scattered throughout it, thus increasing the amount of time it takes for that data to be retrieved. Defragmenting the hard drive places all of the "fragments" back in the same general part of the hard drive.
    • Note: This method only applies to Windows computers.
    • If your computer uses a solid-state drive (SSD), you should never defragment it.
    • If your computer's hard drive is almost full, defragmenting it may not have much of an effect.
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    2
    Open Start
    Image titled Windowsstart.png
    .     Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
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    3
    Type in defragment and optimize drives. This will search for the Disk Defrag app.
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    4
    Click Defragment and Optimize Drives. It's at the top of the Start window.
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    5
    Select your hard drive. Click the hard drive that you want to optimize. On most PCs, the main hard drive's name is OS (C:).
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    6
    Click Optimize. You'll find it on the right side of the window. Disk Defrag will begin running.
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    7
    Allow Disk Defrag to run. It may take several hours for your computer's disk to finish defragmenting, so just make sure that the computer is plugged in and free of external interruptions.
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Section 15 of 17:

Reinstall Windows

  1. Use Fresh Start on Windows. This feature reinstalls and updates Windows. It also has the option to keep your personal data intact. This is a great way to clear away any potential slowing issues on your computer.[5]
    • On Windows 11:
      • Open the Settings menu and go to the System section.
      • Select Recovery from the System menu list.
      • Click Reset PC and select Keep my files. Complete the process to reinstall Windows.
    • On Windows 10:
      • Open the Settings menu and go to the Update & Security section.
      • Select Reset this PC > Get Started. Choose the Keep my files option. Complete the process to reinstall Windows.
Section 16 of 17:

Reinstall macOS

  1. Use macOS Recovery. This built-in feature reinstalls macOS, giving you a clean start and resolving some issues that slow down your computer.[6]
    • Apple silicon device (the M series processors):
      • Power on your computer.
      • Continue pressing and holding the power button.
      • Wait for the startup options window to appear.
      • Click the Options button (a gear icon).
      • Click Continue
      • Select Reinstall macOS and follow the prompts to reinstall macOS.
    • Intel processor device:
      • Power on your computer.
      • Press and hold Cmd + R right after pressing the power button.
      • Wait for the Apple logo to appear. (This will be a different image on some versions).
      • Select a user and sign in with the user’s administrator password.
      • Select Reinstall macOS and follow the prompts to reinstall macOS.
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Section 17 of 17:

Clean Your Computer

  1. Physically clean your computer. Dust and debris in your computer can cause it to run hotter and slower.

Community Q&A

  • Question
    How can I improve my download speed?
    TheScout Girl
    TheScout Girl
    Community Answer
    You can get a better Internet plan. Depending on where you live, they will vary on sizes and prices. You should check your internet speed first.
  • Question
    What can I do when my Windows 10 upgrade stays on 0%
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Unplug your internet from the PC, restart and try again. Windows 10 upgrade tool seems to have problems with connection while upgrading.
  • Question
    Will defragging a computer delete files?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    No, it will not. It will rearrange the data of which the files are comprised to different parts of the hard drive to make it faster.
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Warnings

  • It's inadvisable to have more than one antivirus program on your computer at a time. Since Windows comes with the Windows Defender program pre-installed, you shouldn't have to install an antivirus program on a PC.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Never defragment your computer if you have a Solid State Drive. This could potentially destroy your files and permanently slow down the drive.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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References

  1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uninstall-or-remove-apps-and-programs-in-windows-4b55f974-2cc6-2d2b-d092-5905080eaf98#ID0EBD=Windows_11
  2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202235
  3. ↑ https://www.macworld.com/article/1167116/software/fix-a-slow-mac-with-activity-monitor.html
  4. ↑ https://macpaw.com/how-to/remove-startup-items-in-osx
  5. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/give-your-pc-a-fresh-start-0ef73740-b927-549b-b7c9-e6f2b48d275e
  6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

About This Article

Gonzalo Martinez
Co-authored by:
Gonzalo Martinez
Computer & Phone Repair Specialist
This article was co-authored by Gonzalo Martinez and by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd. Gonzalo Martinez is the President of CleverTech, a tech repair business in San Jose, California founded in 2014. CleverTech LLC specializes in repairing Apple products. CleverTech pursues environmental responsibility by recycling aluminum, display assemblies, and the micro components on motherboards to reuse for future repairs. On average, they save 2 lbs - 3 lbs more electronic waste daily than the average computer repair store. This article has been viewed 2,350,495 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 59
Updated: December 17, 2022
Views: 2,350,495
Categories: System Maintenance and Repair
Article SummaryX

1. Open Windows Disk Cleanup.
2. Click Clean up system files.
3. Select all categories.
4. Click OK.
5. Click Delete Files.
6. Uninstall unnecessary programs.
7. Remove startup programs.
8. Empty the Recycle Bin.

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