How Can I Speed Up My Laptop For Free?

Manually maintain it

Sometimes a little bit of a tune-up is all it takes to get your computer's speed back on track. If your speed issues are minor and you want to be proactive, manual maintenance is the best place to start. Most of these tasks are easy to use — just run them and wait for your computer to do the work.

There are a few general resources built into your operating system that'll help you speed up your laptop for free, including:

• Disk defragmentation:

  This process reorganizes the data on your hard drive so your computer can access it more easily. It's a great task to run once per month, however few people defragment their disk with any sort of regularity. Regular defragmentation will help add some speed when you're opening files or launching apps.

• Clear caches:

  Clearing (or flushing) caches is a simple way to recapture some RAM and add some speed to your slow laptop. Caches are presets and other information commonly used by a program. It stores this data in your computer's RAM for quick retrieval. Caches help programs run faster, but when they become full they actually put a drain on your RAM! Close programs and clear caches to recoup speed.

• Manage tasks:

  Your PC has a task manager that allows you to see what's running, how much memory it's using and what the load on your CPU is. Pop this program open to see what's running in the background, stealing speed from your applications. Often, it's a program you're not actively using or a stalled process that's not serving any useful function. Quitting stalled or unneeded tasks can give you a quick speed boost.

Your PC has these features built-in, making them a great way to speed up your computer for free. The downside is that they're not always a long-term solution to speed improvement. They're best used in conjunction with other strategies.

Typically, you should only need to run maintenance tasks sparingly — every couple of weeks. Defragmenting your drive, for example, is only a monthly task at best. Cache clearing and task management can be weekly tasks, but any more frequently than that and they become ineffective.

Take evasive action

If you've got a day to dedicate to cleaning up your computer, there's a lot you can try to speed things up. One of the best is program management. Be warned, though: Program management can take a long time! Depending on how old your computer is, how slow it's running and your experience with PC maintenance, you might be uninstalling and moving data for hours.

• Remove programs:

  Old programs can cause quite a bit of clutter on your computer. If you no longer have a use for a program, delete it. Don't just drag it into the recycle bin, either! Perform a full uninstall to remove the program and all affiliated plugins, preference files and other leftovers. Freeing up the hard drive space and decluttering your computer can give it new life.

• Set up the cloud:

  We live in the age of the cloud! This means you can declutter your computer by moving data off your hard drive and into the cloud. It'll still be accessible normally, but your hard drive and operating system won't bear the burden of hosting your data. Send infrequently used files to the cloud to archive them or put your most-used files on their for sharing across devices seamlessly. Either way, you're doing your laptop a favor

• Reinstallation:

  This is a last-ditch resort, used when your operating system is beyond repair — affected by a virus or so slow it's unusable. Reinstallation returns your laptop to factory settings and resets the baseline for your speed. Be sure to back up your data and programs, first! This option isn't recommended unless you're confident you know what you're doing with a full operating system reinstall.

These tips may speed up your laptop for free, but they take a lot of time to complete. Unless you've got several hours to dedicate to uninstalling apps and backing up data, you might opt for a different speed management strategy.

It's also important to realize that whenever you mess with, there's potential for problems. Always back up your data to a reliable source and make sure you're paying close attention to what you're doing when you move or delete programs.

It pays to use an app

Free apps like MyCleanPC exist to give you the perfect solution to your slow laptop. Not only can free apps leverage the power of your PC's built-in resources to declutter, they go above and beyond with even more deep cleaning potential! Check out some of the powerful capabilities of PC cleaning software:

• Registry cleaning:

  It's never a good idea to poke around in your registry. Unfortunately, this aspect of your operating system needs maintenance. Thankfully, a good PC cleaner can tackle the job for you. This includes removing corrupt or unnecessary files, as well as deleting duplicate or outdated entries.

• Clearing cookies:

  We're always connected to the Internet these days. Each website we visit leaves behind a cookie, letting that site know our computer previously visited. The problem is, many of these cookies are also tracking beacons for ads. Clearing cookies is a great way to free your laptop from the constant serving of targeted ads — many of which hog your computer's processing power to load.

• Viruses and spyware:

  Nothing will slow down your laptop faster than viruses and spyware. A PC cleaning app can identify these sneaky programs and quarantine them, eliminating them to restore your operating system's speed. This includes everything from malware plugins to bloatware programs — all of which are major speed suckers and a danger to your privacy.

• Temporary files:

  Did you know there are temporary files on your computer, put there by programs for a specific purpose? Usually, it's to help with installation. The problem is, many temporary files stick around after they've served their purpose. Getting rid of them is hard if you're not sure what or where they are! A free PC cleaner program can take care of hunting them down and getting rid of them for you.

The beauty of a PC cleaner app — in addition to being a way to speed up your laptop for free — is its autonomy. Most programs can be set to scan your computer regularly, doing basic maintenance and taking care of speed issues before they accumulate and become a problem again. Schedule the tasks you want, set a timeframe and watch as the program does the rest!

Don't pay for faster speeds!

There's plenty of options for increasing your laptop's speed... for a fee. Upgrading RAM sticks, retrofitting new hardware or paying for tech support are all good choices.

But how can you speed up your laptop for free?

Manual maintenance and good data management are a good first step. The true secret to getting a faster laptop for free is in finding the best possible program to keep it neat and tidy. Applications like MyCleanPC offer broad features and capabilities, which means more ways to keep your laptop in tip-top shape. Running a comprehensive scan and taking full advantage of its features is a great way to leverage a free PC cleaner to the benefit of your operating system.

It doesn't matter if you're a gamer, a streamer or a worker, you're going to encounter slow PC speeds eventually. When that time comes, don't reach for your wallet. Instead, do the smart thing and download a free PC cleaning application — one that can speed up your laptop for free. Whether it's cluttered caches, lack of RAM, hidden spyware or corrupted registry files, the solution to slow computer speeds is just a scan away.

The best part about using a free PC cleaner to reclaim your laptop's speed? You can continue to use it over and over again, anytime your speed dips below an acceptable level! Not only will your software keep your computer in good condition between major cleanings, it's equipped with all the heavy-duty tools and robust features to solve any future speed problems.

If you're irritated with slow laptop speeds and want a solution that's not going to cost you, turn to MyCleanPC. It's the best way to speed up your laptop for free, once and for all.