PCs have been known to slow down gradually. While there can be plenty of reasons behind it, the most obvious one is because of the daily and heavy usage by people. Consistent downloading of applications, creating new files, surfing the internet, installing programs, playing games, watching movies, etc. are all involved in slowing the performance of a computer.
If you have been asking yourself – “Why is my pc so slow?”, then it is time to understand the reasons behind it. This guide will also provide with a tip to avoid or resolve the slow speed on your computer.
Why Is My PC So Slow?
1. Due To Multiple Startup Applications
Any new application that you download tries to enter the startup bar in Windows and the Login menu in Mac. This area consists of programs that start automatically whenever a computer is switched on. A few such applications may not be of problematic, but when a cluster of them try to begin at once, it makes the computer slow. So, every time you turn on your pc, you may notice that the booting speed is very slow.
Several of these applications do not need to be run in the background. To fix this issue, disable or remove the applications from the Startup menu for Windows and the Login items preferences for Mac pc. Doing this should make your computer boot at a faster speed.
2. Due To Insufficient Storage
If your pc is running very slow, then possibly you do not have enough storage in your hard drive. This drive is specifically the one that has the operating system installed in it. Usually, when you try to install new programs and applications, they install in the hard drive with the operating system by default. Even the files that you are downloading are all being saved to this drive.
Unknowingly, you end up filling it. This leads to a lack of speed as there is not enough space for the temporary files that need to be run while an application is open.
- A simple way of dealing with this is by defragmenting your drives from time to time.
- Additionally, if you can be a little cautious, then you can always select a different drive while installing a new application.
- You can also delete the setup files in the download section or change the location of the download folder to another drive for staying more organized.
3. Due To Multiple Extensions And Add-ons In Your Browser
If your computer is consistently linked to the online world, then you might be a heavy user of the web world. Surfing around on the internet may unintentionally download extensions and add-ons often. Just like background processes and applications, these extensions also tend to use a lot of memory from your pc. This results in the machine becoming slower.
To resolve this, remember to check the browser regularly and remove unwanted extensions from the bar. You will soon see that your webpages are opening and processing at a much faster rate.
4. Due To Running Multiple Heavy Applications At Once
Multitasking on a computer is common. And most computers are built to handle it smoothly. But, some applications are too huge to run simultaneously. For instance, using video editing software, but other similar applications at the same time can slow your pc down drastically. It would be very hard to manage running the applications side by side unless you have a very powerful pc with a multi-screen setup to support the high-end processing.
5. Due To Dozens Of Open Tabs In The Browser
Another reason for a slow computer is because of a browser that has many tabs open at once. People usually have no realization that they have left several tabs open while surfing on the web. Opening tabs have a direct impact on the RAM of a computer. Each open tab adds more storage burden on the access memory, which can slow the machine. Moreover, a further decrease in speed occurs when the tabs refresh automatically leading to the reloading of pages – hence, utilizing more RAM.
Resolve this issue by remembering to close unnecessary tabs and prevent your computer’s memory from facing too much exertion.
6. Due To Anonymous Cryptomining
Believe it or not, crypto mining can also be a major cause of a slow pc. If you think that all the above reasons are not the ones that your computer has to deal with, then mining for cryptocurrency could be a possibility. While surfing and randomly agreeing to cookies, etc. online, you may not realize that someone might be accessing your computer’s hardware to mine bitcoins, etc.
Since cryptocurrency has gone mainstream, this situation has been faced by several online users, who do not realize the reason behind their slow computers, even though they tend to keep everything organized. To fix this, make sure to close your browser and check your task manager for any unwanted applications running in the background that are linked to crypto-jacking (the process of exploiting cryptocurrency).
Conclusion
While you can take care of the slow pc issues offline, your main concern should be staying cautious about the issues that are from online sources. Just remember to keep track of your movement online and try using VPN and similar protective measures to stay safe online. After reading the above reasons, you should be able to get the answer to your question: “why is my pc so slow.”
Follow these tips and stay safe online.
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