Reboot Your Computer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a reason why Windows tech support specialists around ask, \u201cHave you tried turning it off and back on again?\u201d Before you spend hours finding out where <\/em>the issue lies, restart your computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The more you use your computer, the computer RAM cache (temporary RAM files) can begin to build up to a point where it just can\u2019t handle much more. When restarting your computer, you\u2019re clearing the RAM cache. Think of RAM as a kitchen countertop. The more you place on the countertop, the less efficient you can work, so by cleaning the countertop, you have more space to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Restarting your computer also gives you a clean slate if you need to troubleshoot further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To reboot your computer correctly, click the Windows <\/strong>start icon, click the Power <\/strong>icon, and select Restart<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n IMPORTANT: <\/strong>A hard reboot should only be performed in a worst-case scenario. Your hard drive(s) are constantly reading and writing data, so performing a hard restart will result in data corruption and data loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another reason why your computer may be running slow is that you need to disable Fast Startup and optimize your power settings. Just by adjusting some of these settings, you will see a boost in performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fast Startup makes it faster for your computer to boot into Windows when you first turn it on. However, it enables both shutdown and hibernation, so it just takes a snapshot of the current system and driver files, so when you turn your computer back on, it doesn\u2019t load a fresh session. Because of this, you can run into the same issues before you power down your computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your Windows computer has an SSD, the difference is already negligible. However, if the computer has an HDD, it may be a slower boot, but your overall performance can improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you install Windows, the default settings are often the \u2018recommended\u2019 settings. However, not all computers are built the same, so these options may need to be adjusted. These power settings are especially important for laptops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Windows Power Options<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Task Manager is one of your best friends when troubleshooting a slow computer. Not only can you view what processes and applications are running, but you can also view real-time performance and what applications automatically start upon boot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s open Task Manager and check some of the settings. Click the Windows <\/strong>start icon, then type and select Task Manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n IMPORTANT: <\/strong>Only disable trusted applications and processes you recognize. If you\u2019re not sure of the process, do a quick search to see if it\u2019s a necessary local or Windows process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Processes view lets you see all applications and foreground and background services running. Sort the CPU, Memory, and Disk percentages to show the application or process that uses the most resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you see an application or process that\u2019s hogging up a lot of resources, right-click it and select End task<\/strong> to see if that solves the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Processes view in Task Manager.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Startup view will display every application and process loading once logged into Windows. The more processes and applications enabled, the slower your computer can become. Some Windows processes are necessary, but if third-party applications are enabled (like OneDrive, Spotify, or your browser), you can disable them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To do so, right-click the process\/app and click Disable<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Startup view in Task manager.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When your hard drive becomes full, your computer can run slower, so monitoring and cleaning up hard drive space is always good practice. The first and most obvious solution is to uninstall any software you haven\u2019t used in a while. It could be a DAW, video editor, or even video game; every little bit of space helps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Besides uninstalling programs, you may be unaware of some background files that Windows can safely delete. To do this, you will use the Disk Cleanup tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Windows Disk Cleanup.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Windows will create temporary files that may help improve your computer performance. However, those files are used once, thus making them useless afterward. All those temporary files add up, resulting in useless disk space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you buy a computer from a big-box retailer, it will always have bloatware installed. Bloatware is software that is often useless but is installed by the computer\u2019s manufacturer and can cause the computer to slow to a crawl. So, if there\u2019s software you don\u2019t recognize or don\u2019t find useful, uninstall it off the bat and you should see your performance (and disk space) improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Manufacturers will often update software and drivers to address bugs that may affect computer performance. So, keeping your software up to date can fix your computer performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDisable Fast Startup and Adjust Power Settings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Disable Fast Startup<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Adjust Power Settings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Power](\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2021\/10\/Power-Plan-Settings.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nCheck Task Manager<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Processes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Windows](\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2024\/01\/Windows-processes-1024x647.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nStartup<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Windows](\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2024\/01\/Windows-startup-apps-1024x647.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nClean Up Hard Drive Space<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"windows](\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2024\/01\/windows-disk-cleanup-window.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDelete those Temporary Files!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Uninstall Bloatware<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Keep Software and Drivers Updated<\/h2>\n\n\n\n