Honestly? About a third of the people who call us about a slow computer fix it themselves with this list. Try these six things first — they cost nothing and take twenty minutes.
1. Restart properly
Not sleep — a full restart. Windows “Fast startup” means many PCs haven’t truly rebooted in weeks. Hold Shift while clicking Shut down for a full power cycle.
2. Check what starts with Windows
Ctrl+Shift+Esc → Startup tab. Disable anything you don’t recognise as essential — each entry slows boot and eats memory forever after.
3. Free up disk space
A nearly-full drive slows everything. Settings → Storage → run cleanup recommendations. Aim for at least 15% free.
4. Finish the pending updates
A machine stuck mid-update can crawl for weeks. Run Windows Update until it says you’re up to date, restarting as asked.
5. Check for one browser with 40 tabs
Task Manager will show it. Browsers are the biggest memory eaters on most home PCs — bookmark and close.
6. Run the built-in malware scan
Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Quick scan. It’s genuinely good now; no need to install anything.
Then it’s usually hardware — most often an old mechanical hard drive. An SSD upgrade (from $99 fitted) makes a 5-year-old machine feel new. That one’s worth paying for.