Why your PC is slow and how to fix it

Find the real cause with tools already built into Windows.

  1. Open Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc. Sort Processes by CPU, then Memory, then Disk to see what is using the most.
  2. Trim startup apps. In the Startup apps tab, disable programs you do not need at sign-in.
  3. Check free space. Aim for at least 15% free on drive C. Use Settings, System, Storage and turn on Storage Sense.
  4. Run Windows Update and restart. Pending updates and old drivers can cause slowdowns.
  5. Scan for malware with Windows Security, Virus & threat protection, Full scan.
  6. Remove unused programs in Settings, Apps, Installed apps.
  7. Restart and compare Task Manager to see what changed.
If the PC is still slow, the cause may be an old hard drive or low memory. Moving to an SSD or adding RAM is often the biggest upgrade.