Reasons for a slow laptop that people don’t always consider

When a laptop becomes slow, people often assume that it’s simply old. Whilst it’s true that technology slows down and wears out over time, this isn’t always the reason for a device slowing down.

Often, a wide variety of things can be causing a laptop to load slowly or function at a sub-par level. Once you start to fix those problems, your laptop will gradually start to operate more effectively.

It’s not always easy to pinpoint the issue, so it’s wise to just improve as many things as possible to help your device start running more efficiently.

These are the reasons for a slow laptop that people don’t always consider.

Your laptop isn’t up-to-date.

One of the best ways to keep your laptop running smoothly is to keep it updated. This should become a regular part of your maintenance strategy.

Slower performance rates are often the result of outdated software. Windows and Apple are always looking for ways to improve their devices, and consumers who get left behind often have to settle for sub-par performance levels with regards to their technology.

If you keep ignoring the notifications reminding you of new versions of software that you should be using, then you might start to notice your laptop slowing down.

Pay attention to your notifications.

It’s cluttered.

Here’s another reason for a slow laptop that people don’t always consider. Clutter is often the main culprit when a laptop is running more slowly than usual.

A full hard drive will make a laptop function much more slowly. You might want to use this resource to help clean up your laptop. That will ensure it runs efficiently again.

Sure, age can be a big factor. As the years go by, your device will wear out. But what else happens as the years go by? That’s right. The amount of junk on your laptop increases. We’re all guilty of being digital hoarders from time to time.

A couple of years ago, you might have downloaded a programme to use for one task, but you never uninstalled it. Perhaps you told yourself that you might use it again. If you don’t use it, then lose it.

That’s always a good way to approach decluttering. Of course, you might want to consider downloading a clean-up tool. Yes, this might sound counter-productive; you want to remove programmes rather than adding new ones. However, using the right software could help you to safely rid your laptop of the junk that’s slowing it down.

It’s worth downloading 1 programme so you can get rid of 20 programmes. That’ll usually speed up a slow laptop. That being said, Windows 10 already has a built-in cleanup tool called Disk Cleanup. And CleanUpMac X is a good tool to use if you want to free up disc space on your Mac.

Hidden malware.

Viruses aren’t always incredibly obvious. In fact, they are often very well-hidden. Hackers and data thieves don’t want to announce their presence loudly.

Whilst you shouldn’t fear malware every time your laptop runs slowly, it’s definitely something to keep in mind. You should check your laptop for malware regularly, of course.

Getting yourself a good anti-virus programme will help with this. It’s always better to act preventatively, but if you have good software, then you’ll be able to remove the most stubborn viruses on your laptop. In turn, this could help to speed up your OS immensely.

Obviously, the main priority is to keep your sensitive data safe, but the added bonus is that your operating system will start to function normally again if the problem was that a nasty piece of malware was slowing things down.

Bloatware.

Whilst it’s not as malicious as malware, bloatware can still prove a big nuisance when it comes to the speed of your laptop. Of course, it’s important to distinguish between the two things.

‘Bloatware’ is a term used to describe the infuriating programmes that clutter a computer when it’s first bought. Given that many of these programmes open up when you log in (or run silently in the background), bloatware is often a prime suspect when a laptop is running slowly.

It’s wise to declutter your laptop of unnecessary programmes that you’ve installed over the years, but what about all of the programmes which were pre-installed?

Many PC and laptop users are too afraid to uninstall the preloaded software on their devices because they’re worried that some of it might be important.

A good rule of thumb is that anything you’ve never used can be removed.

You can always do research on computer forums to assess whether programmes are safe to remove or not. Just don’t remove anything from important folders such as ‘System32’.