Feeling stuck at a standstill when your computer begins to slow or act up can be incredibly frustrating computer running slowly. Fortunately, it is normal for computers to become so slow suddenly—and equally as common that they get back on track with simple adjustments.
To help your computer regain optimum performance, we’ve curated this amazing guide with the best tips and tricks so you don’t have to spend hours searching online trying random solutions. Let us do all the hard work while your device goes from crawling speed into warp drive mode again!
7 Reasons Your Computer is Suddenly Slow
There are many reasons for computers to become laggy and slow. Some causes require a professional to look at the device, but you can also quickly resolve these problems! Several things can cause a sluggish PC.
Several factors might be slowing down the performance of your computer since your operating system needs to divide your computer’s resources (memory, disc space, and processor power) among all the programs running on it. (Why is my Computer so Slow all of a Sudden?)
Poor resource usage on your PC is the main reason for a sluggish computer. Here is an exhaustive list of all the possible reasons your computer’s performance might be slow (computer running slowly).
Reason 1: Running Low on RAM
Your computer may randomly freeze if you have little to no RAM left on your computer. Your laptop will operate poorly and slowly when apps and programs eat up all or most of the RAM, sometimes leading to sporadic freezing or lagging.
Reason 2: Running Low On Disk Space
More disc space indicates more space is available for storing data because most of your computer’s disc space has been used. When this occurs, the computer will display an error message to draw your attention to the problem.
This error will occur more frequently when your disc space is less than 200 MB of storage. If you ignore it, your computer may begin to operate slowly and malfunction if you launch a resource-intensive program.
Reason 3: Old Hard Drive
If you have an old hard drive, the chances of computer malfunction also increase. Therefore, if you’re witnessing cautionary signs such as overheating, loud noises, corrupted data, slowdowns, and system crashes – you need to buy a new hard drive immediately to restore your computer to its prime functionality.
Reason 4: Too Many Background Programs
This one is an apparent reason that most are aware of. If you have too many active and running background programs, your computer will glitch as its resources are being intensively used.
In addition to slowness, you might experience fan sounds and excessive heat if only a few background programs run simultaneously.
Reason 5: Excessive Startup Programs
A startup program is an application or software that launches immediately after the system boots up. Services that start upon startup are often run in the background.
If you have too many startup programs enabled on your computer, you’ll experience lags and glitches frequently.
When you turn it on, these startup programs might consume your PC’s resources, causing the screen to freeze often.
Reason 6: Windows or Driver Not Updated
Keep your operating software up to date to ensure you’re not allowing any bugs to display on your computer. Do these updates regularly; otherwise, your computer might glitch frequently or experience shutdowns.
Henceforth, keeping the automatic updates on your computer is the best option for its healthy functionality.
Reason 7: Computer Infected With Malware or Virus
There are many inconspicuous ways for hackers to access your computer software. If your computer is acting unusually and slowing down, chances are your computer is infected with malware.
In addition to the lagging, you might also notice other signs, such as unnecessary pop-ups and search engine misdirections.
If you’re experiencing these factors, consider investing in antivirus software or a computer reset.
How To Fix A Slow Computer?
Now that we’ve laid down all the fundamental reasons computers lose optimum functionality, let’s discuss how to fix these issues.
Most of these fixes require you to tweak your settings or delete specific files, so it is convenient for you to try out all of these fixes if you haven’t been able to diagnose what’s wrong with your computer (laptop running slow).
Fix 1: Reboot Your Computer
Before doing any of the instructions below, restart your computer if it has yet to be restarted. Keeping your computer for a short period is not suitable for its performance.
Simply restarting the computer is a simple initial step that can solve many issues, such as overheating, slowness, and glitching.
Fix 2: Closing Background Programs
Programs operating in the background are among the most frequent causes of a sluggish computer. TSRs and applications that start up automatically when a computer boots ought to be disabled or deleted. Ensure you enable only essential startup programs at all times.
Open Task Manager to check which applications run in the background and consume CPU resources. Run an application such as Resmon (Windows 7 or later) to accurately understand how your computer’s resources are being allocated to different programs within your computer.
This lets you confirm you’re only keeping critical background applications on (how to make PC run faster).
Ensure that your antivirus program, spyware removal application, or other security product is not operating in the background and examining your computer’s programs and data.
The overall performance of your computer is reduced while a scan is running. If this is the case, let the scan finish, and you should notice an improvement in the computer’s performance.
Fix 3: Erase All Temporary Files
While a computer runs its programs, temporary files are kept on the hard disc. Getting rid of these temporary files might enhance computer performance.
Firstly, we advise utilizing the Windows Disk Cleanup tool to remove temporary files and other things from the computer that are no longer required.
Regrettably, the Disk Cleanup might not remove all files in the temporary directory. So, we also advise removing temporary files manually. To manually delete temp files, follow the simple instructions below (task manager not responding).
- Launch the Start menu by grafting the Windows key or manually clicking.
- Put %temp% into the search box
- A Temp folder should appear after pressing Enter
- You may erase all of the files located in this folder
- You can skip any currently used files and hence cannot delete them.
Fix 4: Free Up Space In Hard Drive
An almost complete hard drive can cause your computer to malfunction and lag frequently. To combat this, ensure the hard disc has between 200 and 500 MB of free space. Due to the free space, the swap file can grow, and you can store more temporary data on the computer.
You can free up space by following the tips below.
Tip 1: Delete Unneeded Programs
Don’t keep around unnecessary applications that have gone obsolete, but take up space on your storage anyway. Delete unneeded programs to regain control over your storage space.
Tip 2: Clean Files On Desktop
Many of us save everything on our desktops by default and by habit. If your desktop is congested, your computer will operate more slowly since these files need working memory to display continuously.
Ensure you’re cleaning up extra files from your desktop whenever possible.
Tip 3: Erase Unnecessary Files
With just one click, you may remove unused operating system files using Disk Cleaner Tool, which Microsoft includes in Windows 10 computers. Windows can identify them for you and delete those that are no longer required.
Tip 4: Clear Cache
Every time you visit a website, a trail of data is left behind, including text, pictures, and cookie files that speed up your return visit. There’s no need to keep these files around if privacy is a cover or if you require additional disc space.
We suggest you delete temporary files that fill your hard drive’s space and are useless. You can also delete saved cache from your games and entertainment applications.
Conclusion
It’s relatively simple to fix a computer that runs slowly out of nowhere. All you need to do is diagnose it first and apply an at-home fix to eliminate all your problems.(Why is my Computer so Slow all of a Sudden?)
If the problem continues, you should take it to your device’s primary technician, who can provide professional help.
FAQ
Why is My Dell Laptop Keyboard Not Typing?
A restart can solve many issues, even though it may sound overly simple. The drivers for your keyboard. A driver version may occasionally include a bug or be incompatible with other programs running on your computer. Your drivers need to be updated to fix this.
How do I Unlock My Keyboard for Typing?
The ‘FN’ key, normally found at the bottom left of the keyboard, should be the first one you test. Try grave “Scroll Lock,” “Num Lock,” or any other key on your keyboard while holding down this key. You should be able to use your device once more after doing this to reset the lock.
How can I Thaw Out My Frozen Laptop Touchpad?
Press this key after looking for a touchpad icon (typically F5, F7, or F9). If that doesn’t work, simultaneously press this key and the “Fn” (function) key on the bottom of your laptop, which is typically situated between the “Ctrl” and “Alt” keys.
