Why your laptop is slow—and how to speed it up

⚡ Fast fix

• Restart before you panic—A simple reboot clears temporary memory issues and background processes surprisingly often.
• Too many startup apps?—Programs launching automatically in the background are one of the biggest reasons laptops feel sluggish.
• Heat slows everything down—Overheating forces laptops to throttle performance to protect internal hardware.
• Old hard drives are painfully slow—Switching from an HDD to an SSD is one of the biggest speed upgrades you can make.

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Whether you need to turn in a quick assignment or hop on a last-minute video call, a slow laptop can be frustrating. But don't worry. There are several ways to speed up your device, and they don't involve running to the store and buying a new one.

At Asurion, we help our nearly 300 million customers diagnose and resolve their device problems and get the most out of their favorite tech every day. Wondering how to make your laptop faster? Check out our tips below to get your device back up to speed.

🔗 Related: How to speed up your slow MacBook

Why is my laptop so slow?

As you accumulate more files, apps, and programs on your hard drive, your laptop can start to lag or stop responding altogether. These issues don't pop up immediately; however, regular use, demanding software updates, and aging computer parts can stall your laptop over time and hurt its performance, making it harder to complete daily tasks.

Watch this short video where an Asurion Expert shows how to fix your slow laptop:

How to speed up your laptop

A few simple steps to tune-up your laptop can help it run faster. Here's what our experts recommend:

1. Restart your laptop

If you haven't rebooted your system in a while, it may just need a quick reset. Restarting your laptop not only clears temporary files and shuts down programs, it can solve more problems than you may think. Try restarting your laptop at least once a week to keep it running at its best.

2. Locate memory hogs in the Task Manager

Your laptop uses hardware called random-access memory (RAM) to load active programs and open files quickly. When your RAM reaches its limit, your system will crawl as it scrambles to process multiple instructions simultaneously.

• On Windows: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to launch the Task Manager. Click the CPU or Memory column headers to sort the list. This instantly surfaces which apps are making your processor work the hardest. If an app you aren't actively using is consuming massive resources, click on it and select End task. (Note: Avoid closing items categorized under "Windows processes," as this can make your system unstable).
• On a MacBook: Apple uses a different internal management tool. If you are using a Mac, check out our guide on how to speed up a slow MacBook to use the macOS Activity Monitor.

If you've had your PC laptop for a few years, it may be time to increase the RAM so it can run several applications and programs without slowing down. The installation of new RAM on a laptop can be tricky, so we recommend reaching out to an expert for help with computer memory upgrades. (Note: RAM cannot be physically upgraded on newer Apple Silicon MacBooks).

3. Make space on your hard drive

Your laptop's storage drive needs breathing room to manage temporary "swap" files. If your hard drive is nearly 100% full, system performance will degrade drastically. Try to keep at least 10% to 15% of your drive space completely free.

• On Windows: Go to Start > Settings > System > Storage. Once you find out what apps and programs are taking the most space, consider deleting the ones you no longer need.
• On a MacBook: Go to System Settings > General > Storage to view your Apple drive health.

If you have a lot of photos and videos, back up your files to the cloud or move them to an external hard drive. If you still need more space on your PC, you may want to consider a hard drive upgrade.

4. Limit background programs

Many apps (like game launchers, music services, and cloud sync tools) automatically configure themselves to turn on the second you log into your laptop. These hidden programs eat up valuable processing power before you even open a browser window.

• On Windows: Open the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc). On Windows 11, click the Startup apps icon (the speedometer shape) on the left sidebar menu. On Windows 10, click the Startup tab at the top. Review the list for apps with a "High" startup impact. Select any non-essential app and click Disable in the upper toolbar. Don't worry—the app will still work perfectly fine whenever you choose to open it manually.
• On a MacBook: Open System Settings > General > Login Items to toggle off background applications.

5. Scan for malware and viruses

A laptop infected by malicious background scripts, adware, or spyware will experience severe, sudden drops in overall speed and processing stability.

Run a security scan:

• On Windows 11: Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Quick scan.
• On Windows 10: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Quick scan.

If your software detects a virus, it may give you the option to remove it automatically. If not, check out our guide on how to get rid of a computer virus.

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FAQ

Why is my laptop suddenly so slow?

Background apps, low storage space, overheating, outdated software, or aging hardware are some of the most common causes.

Does restarting a laptop actually help performance?

Usually yes. Restarting clears temporary memory issues and stops stuck background processes.

Will adding more RAM make my laptop faster?

Often yes—especially if your laptop slows down while multitasking or using many browser tabs. (Note: This applies to upgradable Windows laptops; newer MacBook RAM is permanently integrated and cannot be changed).

Is an SSD upgrade worth it?

Absolutely. Replacing an older spinning mechanical hard drive with a solid-state drive (SSD) is one of the most noticeable physical performance upgrades you can make for an aging laptop. Learn more about hard drive upgrades.

Why does my laptop slow down after updates?

Large operating system updates can temporarily increase background activity while system apps, local files, and search indexing registries finish syncing.

When is a laptop too old to speed up?

If the laptop no longer supports modern software well or multiple hardware components are failing, replacement may make more sense than upgrades. Weigh the pros and cons of repairing vs replacing your laptop.