You open the lid to send one quick email, and the laptop sits there: the fan whirs and the cursor spins. Before you decide it is finished, this WhatsOnTech checklist shows you how to speed up a slow laptop, cheapest fixes first, and how to tell when the hardware is really to blame.
Speed up a slow laptop with the free basics first
Very often, a slowdown comes from software piling up, not parts wearing out. That means the first fixes are free.
- Restart it properly. Closing the lid usually just puts a laptop to sleep, so it can go weeks without a fresh start. On Windows, choose Restart, because on many machines Shut down saves part of the system to resume later.
- Install pending updates. Updates fix bugs and security holes, and one running in the background slows things until it finishes. On Windows 11, look in Settings, under Windows Update; on a Mac, open System Settings, then General, then Software Update.
- Let a big update settle. Afterwards, a laptop often re-indexes its files (rebuilds the list that makes search fast), so give it time before judging.
Trim the apps that launch on their own
Startup apps are programs that open by themselves when you sign in. Chat tools, music players and game launchers often add themselves, and a dozen at once can slow everything down.
On Windows 11, open Task Manager (press Ctrl, Shift and Esc together), choose Startup apps, then right-click anything you do not need and pick Disable. On a Mac, go to System Settings, then General, then Login Items (the label varies slightly by version), select an app and click the minus button. Neither step uninstalls anything.
- Look up anything you do not recognise. Some entries run your touchpad, sound or security software, and those should stay on.
- Change one or two at a time. Every change can be undone, and going slowly shows which one to reverse if something breaks.
Clear space on a nearly full drive
Your laptop needs free space on its drive as working room for updates, temporary files and overflow when memory runs short. If the drive is close to full, clearing it is one of the most reliable ways to speed up a slow laptop.
On Windows 11, Settings, then System, then Storage shows what is using space, suggests cleanups, and can switch on Storage Sense to clear temporary files automatically. On a Mac, System Settings, then General, then Storage offers similar suggestions.
WhatsOnTech’s advice: uninstall apps you never use, and move big photo and video folders to an external drive or cloud storage. The catch: a moved file may now be your only copy, so back up anything irreplaceable.
Tame the browser, then run a security scan
For many people the laptop is mostly a browser, which is often where the slowness lives. Every open tab holds some memory, and every extension, a small add-on that changes how the browser works, can run on the pages you visit. Chrome and Edge each have a task manager, under More tools in the main menu, showing what uses the most.
- Close what you are not reading. Bookmark it rather than keeping forty tabs as a to-do list.
- Remove extensions you do not use. Fewer add-ons also means fewer that can see what you browse.
Then check for malware, software that sneaks onto a machine to serve someone else. On Windows, open the Windows Security app, choose Virus & threat protection, and run a Quick scan (or use your own antivirus app). Macs have built-in protection that updates itself, so keep macOS updated and install apps only from sources you trust.
A pop-up insisting your laptop is infected is a classic trick; our guide on how to spot a scam text, email or call covers the signs. The WhatsOnTech view: be just as wary of apps promising to clean or boost your laptop, because the built-in tools above do those jobs for free.
When the hardware is the real problem
Still slow? The cause may be physical. The WhatsOnTech take: on an otherwise solid laptop, a faster drive or more memory is often worth paying for, once your files are backed up. If it no longer gets security updates, or the fix would cost a big share of a new one, replacing it is usually smarter, and it pays to use a guide and a review on purpose when you shop.
An old hard drive instead of an SSD
Older laptops often use a hard drive, a spinning disc read by a moving arm. Newer ones use an SSD (solid-state drive), which stores data on chips with no moving parts and is far faster. On Windows, Task Manager’s Performance tab labels each drive SSD or HDD (hard disk drive). If yours says HDD, an SSD is often the best-value speed boost an older laptop can get, though your files must be copied across, a job a repair shop can do.
Not enough memory
Memory, or RAM, is short-term working space: the desk you work on, while storage is the filing cabinet. When the desk is full, the laptop shuffles things to the much slower drive. Check how stretched it is in that same Performance tab, or in Activity Monitor’s Memory tab on a Mac. Many modern laptops have memory, and sometimes storage, fixed to the board, so the WhatsOnTech habit is to check the maker’s specifications first.
Battery and heat
A hot laptop slows itself down, so keep the vents clear and use it on a firm surface, not a duvet. Power-saving settings slow it on purpose: on Windows 11, check Power mode under Settings, System, Power & battery; on a Mac, look for Low Power Mode in Battery settings. Some slowdown on battery is normal, because many laptops save power when unplugged.
The takeaway
A slow laptop is rarely a lost cause, and seldom a reason to panic-buy. To speed up a slow laptop, start with the free fixes: restart, update, trim startup apps, clear space, tidy the browser and run a scan. Then pay only for what is actually holding you back. The trade-off is time rather than money, and finding the cheapest route that works is what every WhatsOnTech checklist is built for.