A slow computer is the most common complaint we hear. Before paying anyone, try these – they fix a surprising number of slow PCs.
Free fixes to try first
- Restart it properly. Use Start → Power → Restart. “Shut down” on many Windows PCs doesn’t fully reset things the way a restart does.
- Install updates in Settings → Windows Update, then restart again.
- Trim startup apps: press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, open the Startup tab, and turn off programs you don’t need at startup.
- Uninstall what you don’t use in Settings → Apps – especially “PC cleaner” or “driver updater” programs, which often slow things down.
- Free up space: if the main drive is nearly full, run Disk Cleanup or Settings → Storage and empty the Downloads folder.
- Check your browser: remove extensions you don’t recognize and close the 40 open tabs.
- Scan for malware with the built-in Windows Security app (full scan).
Signs it needs more than a cleanup
- It takes several minutes to start up – often a sign of an old spinning hard drive
- The drive light stays on and everything freezes for seconds at a time
- Pop-ups, a changed homepage or search engine, or programs you didn’t install
- It’s slow even right after a restart with nothing open
The upgrade that helps most
If your computer still has a spinning hard drive, replacing it with an SSD (solid-state drive) is often the single biggest speed boost – startup in seconds instead of minutes. It usually costs far less than a new computer.
Tried everything? Our tune-up is $79, virus cleanup $99 and SSD upgrade $79 + drive – at your place, remotely, or drop-off in Leipsic by appointment. See computer repair.
