If you’ve ever sat waiting for your laptop to load a webpage, open a document, or simply boot up, you’re not alone. A sluggish laptop is one of the most common tech frustrations people experience and luckily, it’s often easy to fix.
At Ballarat Tech Help, we help locals every day with slow laptops, and in many cases, it doesn’t take a new device just the right tweaks. Here are the top 5 reasons your laptop might be crawling and what you can do to speed it up.
1. Too Many Startup Programs
The issue: When your laptop starts up, dozens of programs may launch in the background—even if you’re not using them.
The fix:
- On Windows, press
Ctrl + Shift + Escto open Task Manager, go to the Startup tab, and disable non-essential apps. - On Mac, go to System Settings > General > Login Items and remove unnecessary programs.
Reducing startup load can noticeably improve boot time and responsiveness.
2. Low Storage Space
The issue: When your hard drive is nearly full, your system struggles to operate efficiently.
The fix:
- Delete old files, especially large downloads or duplicate photos.
- Use a tool like Disk Cleanup (Windows) or Storage Management (Mac) to find what’s taking up space.
- Consider moving large media files to an external hard drive or cloud storage.
Aim to keep at least 15-20% of your hard drive free.
3. Background Processes Hogging Memory
The issue: Some apps and browser tabs chew up system resources, even when you’re not using them.
The fix:
- Close unused browser tabs and background apps.
- In Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac), check what’s using up RAM and CPU, then quit unnecessary processes.
- Consider switching to a lighter browser like Firefox or Brave if Chrome is using too much memory.
4. You Need More RAM (Memory)
The issue: If your laptop has 4GB of RAM or less, it may struggle with modern apps and multitasking.
The fix:
- Upgrade your RAM if your laptop allows it (we can help with this at Ballarat Tech Help!).
- If an upgrade isn’t possible, avoid running too many programs at once.
- Use “lite” versions of apps when available.
5. Malware or Bloatware
The issue: Malicious software or pre-installed programs can slow your system to a crawl.
The fix:
- Run a full scan using Windows Security, Malwarebytes, or another trusted antivirus tool.
- Uninstall unused apps or trialware that came with your computer.
- For stubborn issues, bring your laptop in for a full clean-up and tune-up.
Need Help? Let’s Get Your Laptop Back in Shape
If you’re in Ballarat and tired of a slow laptop, we’re just around the corner! Whether it’s a tune-up, RAM upgrade, or just some friendly advice, Ballarat Tech Help has your back.
💬 Contact us to book a check-up today.
Stay productive and don’t let your laptop slow you down!
