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How to Speed Up a Slow Laptop

By the Super Simple Digital Tools Team · Updated June 2026 · Easy · 20 minutes

How to Speed Up a Slow Laptop

A laptop that has gradually slowed down is usually choked by too many background programs, a full disk or pending updates rather than failing hardware. A short clean-up often brings most of the speed back.

Steps

  1. Restart it. A simple restart clears memory and finishes pending updates — skip this and other fixes may not stick.
  2. Close startup programs. Open Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac), find apps using lots of CPU or memory, and disable unnecessary startup items.
  3. Free up disk space. Empty the recycle bin, uninstall apps you don't use, and clear temporary files. Aim to keep at least 15% of the drive free.
  4. Update the system. Install pending operating-system and driver updates, then restart again.
  5. Scan for malware. Run a full scan with your built-in or trusted security tool to rule out background infections.

Tips

  • Adding more RAM or an SSD gives the biggest speed boost on older machines.
  • Keep browser tabs and extensions to a minimum — they're common memory hogs.