How to Speed Up a Slow Laptop on Windows (2026 Guide)

Why laptops slow down over time

A laptop rarely slows down because the hardware 'wore out'. It slows because software piles up: startup programs, background services, browser extensions, fragmented or nearly-full storage, outdated drivers, and sometimes malware. A machine that felt fast new is usually still capable — it is just being asked to do more in the background than it should.

The fixes below are ordered from fastest and free to more involved. Work top to bottom and re-test after each group; most people fix the problem long before reaching the hardware steps. If your laptop is also dropping battery fast, pair this with our guide on how to extend your battery life on Windows, since many of the same background processes cost both speed and runtime.

Quick wins (do these first)

• Restart properly. 'Shut down' with Fast Startup on does not fully reset Windows; choose Restart, which clears memory and stuck processes. Do this before anything else.
• Close what you are not using. Too many open apps and browser tabs compete for RAM and CPU. Close them and see if responsiveness returns.
• Set the power mode. On Settings > System > Power & battery, set Power mode to 'Balanced' or 'Best performance' while plugged in. 'Best power efficiency' can make a plugged-in laptop feel sluggish.
• Check for a stuck process. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), sort by CPU, Memory, and Disk. If one app is pinning a resource at near 100%, that is your culprit — end it or address it specifically.
• Install pending updates and reboot. A half-applied update can drag performance until it finishes.

Trim startup and background apps

The single most common cause of a slow-feeling laptop is too much launching at login and running in the background.

Startup apps

Open Task Manager > 'Startup apps'. Disable anything with 'High' startup impact that you do not need the moment you log in — updaters, launchers, RGB and vendor utilities, and cloud drives you rarely touch. Fewer startup items means a faster, lighter desktop.

Background apps

Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, open an app's 'Advanced options', and set 'Let this app run in the background' to 'Never' or 'Power optimized' for anything that does not need live updates. Chat, mail, and weather apps are frequent offenders.

Remove bloatware

Uninstall manufacturer and trial software you never use (Settings > Apps > Installed apps). Many of these run background services that cost performance for no benefit.

Free up disk space

A nearly-full drive makes Windows slow, because it needs free space for temporary files, updates, and virtual memory. Aim to keep at least 15–20% of your drive free.

• Run Storage Sense (Settings > System > Storage) to clear temporary files, the Recycle Bin, and old update files automatically.
• Uninstall large apps and games you no longer play.
• Move photos, videos, and large files to an external drive or cloud storage.
• Use 'Cleanup recommendations' in Storage settings to find big and unused files quickly.

If your laptop has a slow mechanical hard drive (HDD) rather than an SSD, this is also the clearest sign you would benefit from the SSD upgrade covered below.

Scan for malware

Malware and aggressive adware are a common, overlooked cause of slowdowns and constant disk or network activity. Windows Security (built in) is effective: open it and run a full scan, then a Microsoft Defender Offline scan for anything persistent. You do not need heavy third-party suites, which themselves can slow the system; if you run one, make sure you are not running two real-time scanners at once, which causes conflicts and lag.

Update Windows, drivers, and firmware

Outdated graphics and storage drivers can cause stutter and poor performance. Install all Windows updates (Settings > Windows Update), then update your graphics driver from Intel, AMD, or NVIDIA, and check your laptop maker's support app (Lenovo Vantage, MyASUS, Dell, HP) for BIOS/firmware updates. Firmware updates sometimes fix thermal-throttling and power bugs that quietly cap performance.

If your laptop runs hot and then slows under load, that is thermal throttling, not a software problem — see why your laptop overheats and how to fix it.

Tune Windows for speed

• Reduce visual effects: search 'Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows' and choose 'Adjust for best performance', or turn off animations and transparency in Settings > Accessibility > Visual effects.
• Disable startup delay and unnecessary notifications that wake the system.
• Turn off search indexing for drives you do not search often if disk usage is constantly high (advanced; optional).
• Make sure you are not low on RAM: in Task Manager's Performance tab, if memory is consistently above ~80% during normal use, you are RAM-limited and the upgrade below will help most.

The two upgrades that actually matter

If software fixes are not enough, hardware is the answer — and only two upgrades reliably transform an older laptop.

Add RAM

Going from 8GB to 16GB removes the single biggest bottleneck for multitasking and modern browsers. Check whether your laptop has accessible, socketed RAM (many thin laptops solder it and cannot be upgraded). Our reviews list each model's upgradeability; if you are buying, see how much RAM you need.

Switch to an SSD

If your laptop still uses a mechanical hard drive, moving to an SSD is the most dramatic speed upgrade possible — boot, app launches, and file operations become many times faster. Most laptops from the last few years already have an SSD; if yours feels slow and has an HDD, this single change will feel like a new machine.

If your laptop has soldered RAM and a non-replaceable SSD, and it is several years old, it may be more sensible to replace it. In that case, our best laptops in Canada and the results table are the place to start.

Reset Windows as a last resort

If the laptop is still slow after everything above, a clean reset clears years of accumulated software cruft. Settings > System > Recovery > 'Reset this PC' lets you keep your files while reinstalling Windows. Back up first, and reinstall only the apps you actually use afterward — the point is to avoid rebuilding the same bloat. A fresh install often restores near-original performance on capable hardware.

Keep it fast: a short maintenance routine

• Restart at least once a week rather than only sleeping.
• Review startup apps monthly and remove new additions.
• Keep 15–20% of your drive free.
• Install Windows, driver, and firmware updates promptly.
• Run a full malware scan occasionally.
• Clean the fans and vents a couple of times a year so heat does not force throttling.

Do this and most laptops stay responsive for their whole life. If yours simply cannot keep up with what you need, that is a hardware ceiling, not a tuning problem — and it is time to compare new models rather than fight the old one.