How to Optimize the Performance of your Computer

adminFebruary 19, 2020

7 minutes read

In this article: optimize Windows 10, optimize the computer performance, and Windows 8, optimize the computer performance of Windows 7.

Everyone knows how tedious it can be to work with a computer works slowly and takes an infinite amount of time to perform the simplest of tasks. A slow, long-term computer ends up being a waste of time, effort, and money. While taking your Windows computer to a technician to repair and improve its speed is a great idea, you can also follow some maintenance rules to try to solve the problem yourself.

Table of Contents

Method One: Optimize the performance of a Windows 10 computer

1. Disable transparency effects

These special effects are incredible, but they consume too many computer resources. Disable these effects and return to the classic look of Windows if you want to speed up the performance of your computer.

Right-click on the desktop.
Select “Customize.”
Select “Colors.”
Disable “Start, taskbar & activity center transparent.”

2. Disable startup programs

Many programs contain a component that starts automatically along with Windows. In the case of the programs you usually use, this is not a problem, but when unwanted programs run, they slow down the operation of your computer. Below you will see how to disable startup programs:

Right-click on the “Start” button.
Click on “Task Manager.”
Click on “Start.”
Select the program you want to disable.
Click on “Disable.”

3. Disable unnecessary services

Some services are crucial for operating Windows, while others are not. While many Windows-specific features are enabled by default, some are not necessary. You can disable these services, either temporarily or permanently.

Right-click on the “Start menu.”
Click on “Task Manager.”
Click on “Services.”
Right-click on the to disable the service you wish.
Select “Stop.”

4. Disable shadows and animations

Shadows and animations look good on the screen. However, they unnecessarily add load to the CPU (central processing unit).

Click on “System.”
On “Advanced System Settings.”
Click on the “Advanced options” tab.
Under “Performance,” click on the “Settings” button.
Click “Adjust to get the best performance.” You can also manually disable each of the effects.

Alternatively, you can go to “Settings> Accessibility> Other options.” Once there, you can disable the animations.

5. Enable quick start

Windows 10 offers a valuable function to speed up your computer. When you turn off the computer, Windows saves an image of the loaded drivers and the kernel (kernel) in a separate file called “fiberfill.” When the computer starts up again, the system simply reloads this file and considerably reduces the time it takes to restart the system.

Right-click on the “Start menu.”
Go to the “Control Panel.”
Choose “System and security.”
Click on “Power Options.”
On “select behavior of power buttons.”
On “Activate quick start.” You will find this option under “Shutdown Settings.”
Click on “Save Changes.”

6. Uninstall unnecessary programs

It is always good to uninstall programs that you will no longer use. Sometimes you install trial versions of applications and then forget to delete them once the trial period has expired. Some programs take up memory, and sometimes this can slow your computer.

Right-click on the “Start menu.”
Click on “Programs and Features.”
Select the program you want to delete.
Click on “Uninstall / Change.”

7. Clean periodically

The “Disk Cleanup” is an integrated tool offered by Windows. With this tool, you can eliminate unnecessary files from your computer.

Click on the “Start” button.
Click on “File Explorer.”
Right, click on “Local Disk C:”
Choose “Properties.”
then choose”Disk Cleanup.” and find it under the “General” tab.
Click on “Unnecessary files.”
Once you have done this, click “OK.”
You can take advantage of the “Clean system files” function if you have advanced knowledge.

Method Two: Optimize the performance of a computer with Windows 8

1. Disable Animations

Animations, which are an essential part of Windows 8, can cause delays

Press the Windows key.
Type “System performance properties.”
Press ↵ Enter.
Uncheck the “Animate windows” box.
Disable other animations if you want.

2. Determine which applications use the most resources

To find out which programs use more support, you can use the “Task Manager.”

Right-click on the desktop taskbar.
Select “Task Manager.”
If the entire interface does not appear, click “More details.”
Applications that are using many resources will start highlighting.

3. Change the power settings

Windows offers a tool called “Options and power plans” that you can use to optimize the amount of energy your computer consumes. These plans will help your laptop save energy to get maximum performance.

Click on the battery icon. You will find it in the taskbar of your computer.
Choose “More energy options.”

Select one of the three available plans: “Balanced” (offers maximum performance and saves energy while the device is idle); “Economizer” (saves energy by reducing system performance); and “High performance” (maximizes the performance and reactivity of your computer).

You can change the plan by clicking on the “Change plan settings” link.

Select or change the “DISPLAY” or “SUSPENSION” options in the plan configuration menu to set up an existing plan.

Go to the “Create an energy plan” window to create a custom plan. Name the program and press “Next.” Then start setting the configuration.

4. Modify the Windows indexing options

Windows 8 continually saves and updates files and folders to return search results faster. While this function is quite proper, collecting information you will not use very often could reduce your device’s speed. Below you will see how to disable indexing:

Click on “Start.”
Write “indexing.” The locations that are currently indexed will appear.
Click on “Modify.”
Uncheck locations you don’t want to keep indexed.
To disable the indexing of a drive, open “Computer” and right-click on your local hard disk.
On the “General” tab, uncheck the box which says “Allow files on this unit to have indexed content.”
Choose all the folders and subfolders you don’t want to keep indexed.

5. Optimize your computer’s hard drives

In Windows 8, the “Disk Defragmenter” changed its name to “Optimize drives.” Follow these steps to optimize your computer’s hard drives:

Click on the Charms bar.
Click on “Optimize Units.” A new dialog box will open where you will see a list of all units.
Select the unit that wants to optimize.
Click on “Optimize.” Now the defragmentation process will begin.
This process may run automatically.
Click on “Change settings.”
Select the box “According to a schedule.”
select “OK” to save the scheduled task.

Method Three: Optimize the performance of a computer with Windows 7

1. Clean your hard drive

Use the “Disk Cleanup” program to delete temporary files, system files, and many other ones that are no longer used.

Open the “Start” menu.
In the search box, type “cleanmgr.”
Click on the “Cleanmgr” program.
Specify the unit you want the program to clean.
Click “Accept.” to start the process.

2. Run the performance problem solver

This program solves performance problems on your Windows computer and increases its speed if running slowly.

Click on the “Start” button.
Click on “Control Panel.”
Then “System & security,” select “Search & troubleshoot.”
Click “Search for performance issues.”
A wizard window for troubleshooting performance will appear. Click “Next” and wait while the problem is diagnosed.
Then the troubleshooter recommends checking programs to adjust the computer’s performance; click “Next.”
If you click on “View detailed information,” you can access a detailed report of the solution to the problem.
If you want to close the wizard, click “Close.”

3. Uninstall and remove unused programs

New programs can take up a lot of space on your computer, reducing their performance over time. It is better to remove those programs.

Click on the “Start” button.
Click on “Control Panel.”
Under “Programs,” click “Uninstall a program.” A list of all programs will open.
Click on the program you want to remove and click “Uninstall.” You will find this tab at the top of the menu.

4. Limit the programs that open at the startup

Many programs are programmed to run automatically at startup. While this may be convenient for the applications you often use, running unnecessary programs at the start may consume memory and slow down your computer. You can manage the programs that run at startup in several ways:

Press ⊞ Win + R on the desktop.
In the “Open” field, type “MSConfig.”
Press ↵ Enter.
Click on “Start.”
Uncheck items that you don’t want to run at startup.
Once you have done this, click “OK.”
In the pop-up box that will appear, click “Restart.” Your computer will restart, and the process will be complete.

5. Defragment your hard drive

Defragmenting the hard drive helps keep your computer files organized, which frees up disk space. The “Disk Defragmenter” is an excellent integrated tool designed just for that purpose.

Click on the “Start” button.
In the search box, type “Disk Defragmenter.”
Click on “Disk Defragmenter.”
then select the disk for defragmenting.
Click on “Scan Disk.” It will let you know if you need to defragment that particular disk.
Once Windows has finished analyzing the disk, its fragmentation percentage will appear. If that number is greater than 10 percent, it is better to defragment the drive.

6. Run fewer programs simultaneously

Keeping too many programs open at the same time can reduce the performance of your computer. Try to work with fewer applications simultaneously.

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc. it will open the “Task Manager.”
Right Click on “Processes.” see the list of currently running processes.
Scroll down to see the list of programs.
Look at the name and description of each program to identify it.
Look at the “Memory” column to see how much memory each process consumes.
Right-click on active process & select “End Process.” The program associated with that process will close.

7. Use only an antivirus program

If you use two or more antivirus programs, your computer may run slower over time.

The “Windows Activity Center” usually notifies you if you use more than one antivirus program.

8. Restart the computer regularly

It would be nice to restart the computer at least once a week. It helps clear memory and properly closes all programs running in the background, with or without your consent.

Tips

If you suspect that a new program or update is affecting the performance of your system, you can execute the “System Restore” function and return to the settings of an earlier date.

It is always good to establish a backup schedule for your computer. That way, you will always have a copy of your files available in case something serious happens with the system.