5 Ways to Speed Up a Slow Laptop Without Spending a Penny

A slow laptop is one of the most common complaints we hear. Before you start shopping for a new one — or before you bring it in to us — there are several things worth trying yourself that cost nothing and can make a real difference.

1. Restart It (Properly)

This sounds obvious, but most people close the lid of their laptop rather than shutting it down. Over time, Windows accumulates open applications, memory leaks, and background processes that gradually eat into performance. A proper restart clears all of that out.

The difference between sleep/hibernate and a full restart matters: a restart forces Windows to reload everything from scratch, clearing out the cruft. If you haven't restarted in a week, try it now — you might be surprised.

2. Check Your Storage

Windows needs free space to operate — as a rough rule, your system drive should have at least 10–15% free. When it gets full, the operating system struggles to create temporary files and virtual memory, which slows everything down.

To check: open File Explorer, click This PC, and look at the C: drive. If it's nearly full, start by:

• Emptying the Recycle Bin
• Running Disk Cleanup (search for it in the Start menu)
• Deleting downloads you no longer need
• Moving photos and videos to an external drive or cloud storage

3. Disable Startup Programs

Every program you install has a tendency to add itself to the startup list, meaning it loads automatically every time you boot. Over years, this builds up into a long queue of things launching simultaneously — which is why newer laptops often feel sluggish compared to when they were fresh out of the box.

To fix this: press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, click the Startup tab, and disable anything you don't need to launch at boot. Things like Spotify, Zoom, OneDrive (unless you rely on it), Teams, and browser helpers can all usually wait until you actually open them.

4. Run a Malware Scan

Malware — viruses, adware, cryptominers — can silently run in the background using your processor and memory without you knowing. A laptop that's been infected can feel sluggish even when you're not doing anything intensive.

Windows Defender (built into Windows 10/11) is actually decent for a free tool. Open it by searching for Windows Security, go to Virus & threat protection, and run a Full Scan. It takes time, but it's thorough.

If you want a second opinion, Malwarebytes (free version) is a good complement — it catches things Defender sometimes misses.

5. Check the Vents and Let It Breathe

This one gets overlooked a lot. Laptops have thermal throttling built in — when the processor gets too hot, it deliberately slows itself down to prevent damage. If your laptop runs slow and gets warm at the same time, overheating could be the culprit.

First, check the vents (usually on the bottom or sides) — are they clogged with dust? A can of compressed air can clear them out in seconds. Also make sure you're not using the laptop on a pillow, duvet, or other surface that blocks airflow.

If the fan is running constantly and loudly but things are still slow, the thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink may have dried out — that's something we can sort out in the workshop.