Too many programs are running
Many programs can run in the background, without you realising it. Programs you no longer use, or programs you use only for specific tasks or occasions can mean that they use up RAM and slow PCs.
Click on the System Tray in the bottom-right corner of your screen; this is where you can see the icons for programs running in the background. If are a lot, you might need to click the arrow to see the full list. In most cases, you can right-click an icon and choose Exit to close an app.
When installing new apps, if you see a tick box along the lines of “Automatically run [app] when I start my computer”, make sure it’s unticked.
You don’t reboot your PC regularly
It can be pretty tempting to close the lid rather than turning off a computer, to pick up where you left off more quickly the next time. But did you know that not shutting down could result in your Windows computer running slowly, even if you’re not troubleshooting an active issue?
RAM starts afresh after every reboot, so if any programs you’re running have a memory leak, where software takes RAM but doesn’t return it, rebooting your computer will temporarily fix that.
Your machine isn’t maintained
Windows 10 is pretty good at updating itself, but it does need a nudge from time to time. Checking for manual updates, ensuring you have the latest security patches in place and installing Windows and app updates are essential in order to ensure that your computer performs at its best.
Get in touch to talk to us about managed services and optimising your IT infrastructure and equipment.
