Proven steps to speed up your PC for free

A smooth, high-performing PC is one of the biggest productivity boosts you can get.

When I say performance, I don’t mean buying the most expensive PC with the highest-grade processor. Although the processor helps, it’s not the only contributor to your PC’s performance. Your PC may have mid-range components, but you can still take different steps to make the most out of it.

For example, you may have unnecessary apps running in the background that consume significant computing power. Deleting these apps frees up processing power and speeds up your PC.

There are many other ways to improve your PC’s performance, without paying a dime.

I’ve put together this guide to explore how to speed up your PC for free, so read on and prepare to enjoy your PC to the fullest.

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How to speed up your PC for free

Uninstall unnecessary apps

I already mentioned that unnecessary apps can run background processes and slow down your PC. Let’s explore how this happens.

Your PC’s main working memory is called the Random Access Memory (RAM). The RAM is where your PC stores and retrieves data for running all current programs on your operating system.

It’s limited, usually between 8 GB and 16 GB for mid-range PCs and up to 32 GB for high-end PCs. The greater the RAM, the more processes your PC can run simultaneously.

Apps that you installed a long time ago, but no longer find useful, might also be running background processes even when you don’t open them. These background processes consume some RAM, leaving less space for other apps.

If multiple apps are open on your PC, they can clog your RAM and lead to slower performance. Therefore, you should save as much RAM as possible for necessary apps by deleting the unused ones.

With the unnecessary apps deleted, they can’t run background processes and clog up your RAM. To maximize your RAM space, scan through your app list and remove any apps you no longer use. More available RAM means better performance when using your PC.

Delete unused files

Just as unused apps consume RAM and slow down your PC, unused files also affect your PC’s performance. These files take up part of your PC’s secondary storage space, another key contributor to its performance.

Clogged storage causes issues like slower boot times and overall responsiveness when interacting with different apps. You can avoid this problem by going through your folders and deleting the files you no longer need.

The Downloads folder is usually where you’ll find the most unused files. It contains those photos, videos, and audio you downloaded to perform a certain task but forgot to delete afterward.

You can scan through this Downloads folder, plus other folders you may have sent files to, and permanently delete unused files. This action frees up more storage space that your PC can dedicate to necessary workloads.

Malware scanning and removal

Malicious software (malware) is a major culprit for slow PC performance. Depending on the type of malware, it can cause a little performance drag or make a PC so slow that it becomes virtually unusable. If you observe your PC lagging compared to its usual performance, malware could be the problem.

Malware can come from different sources, but the most common source is via clicking dodgy links or downloading tainted files. Malicious actors hide malware in everyday content like movies, music, photos, and email attachments.

Downloading a tainted file can introduce malware into a PC, which then runs background processes to steal data and disrupt internal processes. The malicious background processes clog the PC’s RAM and cause slow performance.

If malware affects your PC’s performance, don’t fret. You can remove it with an antivirus tool. Depending on the extent of the malware’s damage, you could lose some files, but the malware can be eliminated to restore your PC’s optimal performance.

Windows PCs have a free antivirus tool called Microsoft Defender. With this tool, you can run a deep scan of your PC to identify any malware. After Microsoft Defender completes the scan, which can take considerable time depending on your PC’s contents, you’ll be prompted to delete any infected files.

macOS has a built-in antivirus tool called XProtect, but it isn’t a conventional app you can access directly. Rather, it runs in the background to protect Mac PCs from basic security threats.

If you observe malware signs on your Mac, it means the malware was sophisticated enough to bypass XProtect, warranting scrutiny from a full-fledged antivirus app.

Many antivirus tools require a subscription or one-time payment to access their full features, but remember that I’m focusing on tips to speed up your PC for free.

With this in mind, I’ll recommend antivirus tools that offer malware scanning and deletion for free, such as Avast and Bitdefender, although they require a subscription for complementary features. You can download these tools, then run a deep scan of your Mac to detect and eliminate any malware-tainted files.

Another option is downloading a completely free, open-source antivirus app like Clam AV. However, there’s a catch. Clam AV and many other open-source antivirus tools don’t have a graphical interface.

Instead, users operate it from the command-line interface, which is too complex for everyday PC users. I suggest this option only for tech-savvy people who understand the ins and outs of their PC.

Open-source antivirus tools are just as effective at sniffing out malware as the typical paid or freemium antivirus apps.

Update your drivers

Drivers are software programs, usually of small sizes, that act as translators between your operating system and internal components like graphics cards and webcams, as well as external devices like printers. Drivers convey instructions to these components to perform specific tasks.

Like all software programs, drivers need to be updated frequently. When drivers get outdated, they’ll struggle to process and convey instructions swiftly. Then, you’ll notice slower performance because these drivers take longer to communicate with hardware components. You might also experience random crashes and freezes.

Keeping your drivers updated is an effective way to speed up your PC. On Windows, you can easily find and install available driver updates. Follow these steps:

1. Head to Start > Settings > Windows Update.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. If updates are available, click Advanced options > Optional updates.
4. Under Optional updates, look for Driver updates.
5. Select the drivers you want to update, then click Download and install.

However, the best way to keep Windows drivers updated is by turning on automatic system updates. When your whole Windows operating system gets updated to the latest version, driver updates are also included in the package. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Select Windows Update in the left-hand menu.
3. Toggle on Get the latest updates as soon as they're available if it isn’t already turned on.

The same automatic update tip applies to macOS. Drivers are updated as part of general macOS system updates, so you should turn on automatic updates to keep your drivers performing optimally. Follow these steps:

1. Open the System Settings app.
2. Go to General > Software Update.

3. Click the information (i) icon next to Automatic Updates

4. In the menu that pops up, toggle on Download new updates when available and Install macOS updates. You should also turn on Install application updates from the App Store and Install Security Responses and system files, as these updates help your Mac perform optimally.

Turn off special effects

This tip may seem trivial, but every little thing contributes to your PC’s performance. When using a Windows PC, you’ll notice those special visual effects that make your screen feel more interactive.

Those visually stunning transitions seem cool, but they consume computing power that you may need for other things. You can turn off the special effects to save this power.

Follow these steps to turn off special effects on Windows:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Click Accessibility in the left-hand menu.
3. Select Visual effects.
4. Toggle off the switch for Animation effects.

macOS has some visual effects, but there’s no direct way to turn them off. Therefore, this tip doesn’t apply to macOS.

Install operating system updates

Earlier, I discussed how driver updates can help speed up your PC, and how they are often packaged into broader system updates. macOS and Windows frequently receive updates that add new features and patch security or performance bugs. Installing these updates maintains your PC’s optimal health and performance.

You should enable automatic system updates to ensure that any new updates are downloaded immediately to your PC.

For Windows PCs, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Select Windows Update on the left-hand menu.

3. Toggle on Get the latest updates as soon as they're available.

For macOS, use these steps:

1. Open System Settings > General > Software Update.
2. Click the information icon next to Automatic Updates.
3. Toggle on Download new updates when available and Install macOS updates.

Adjust power settings

To conserve battery life, PC users often adjust their power settings to battery saver or a similar mode. This mode works well at conserving battery life, but at the expense of performance.

It throttles some performance to prolong the battery life, which isn’t ideal when seeking the best speed out of your PC. Fortunately, you can always readjust your power settings when the need arises.

You should change your power settings to high performance or a similar mode to enjoy the best speed and convenience. Follow these steps on Windows:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to System > Power & battery.
3. Select Best performance from the power mode options.

Follow these steps on macOS:

1. Open the System Settings app.
2. Select Battery on the left-hand menu.
3. Choose High power under the Energy Mode popup menu. Use this setting for both On battery and On Power adapter so that your system delivers optimal performance whether running on battery or plugged into a power outlet.

If you aren’t close to a power source and need to conserve your battery, you can change your battery setting to Low power mode, then revert to High power/Best performance afterwards.

Remove startup launch programs

You may have some applications set to launch automatically whenever your PC switches on. After launching, these startup applications consume computing power, even when you’re not actively using them.

You won’t always remember to close the apps after automatic launch, so they’ll keep consuming power unnecessarily. To optimize performance, it’s better not to give any app automatic startup launch permission.

To remove an app from launching on macOS, follow these steps:

1. Open the System Settings app.
2. Head to General > Login Items & Extensions.

3. Under the Open at Login box, select any app and click the minus button to remove it from the list. With this box empty, no app will automatically launch after your Mac boots up.

For Windows PCs, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Head to Apps > Startup. Then, you'll see a list of all your applications set to start up at launch.
3. Toggle the button off for any app where it's on.

Pause cloud syncing temporarily

I’ll always advise backing up your most important files regularly, and a cloud storage service is the easiest way to do this. Windows has its native OneDrive cloud backup solution, and macOS has iCloud Drive. With these apps enabled, you can automatically back up specific files so that you’ll always have access if your PC gets damaged or missing.

However, automatic cloud backups run in the background and can slow down your PC, particularly when backing up bulky files.

If you observe a performance lag, you can check your Task Manager (on Windows) or Activity Monitor (on macOS) to see which apps are consuming computing resources.

If your cloud storage app is consuming significant RAM, you can temporarily pause its automatic file syncing to give your PC some breathing space.

You can always re-enable file syncing afterwards. When you do that, your sensitive files will be automatically synced to the cloud as intended.

Pausing cloud syncing isn’t a permanent solution, but rather a temporary solution to speed up your PC when running heavy workloads.

Restart your PC regularly

You shouldn’t make the mistake of substituting Sleep Mode for a full PC shutdown. I understand the convenience of opening your PC and starting exactly where you left off. There’s nothing wrong with sleeping your PC and waking it later, but as you do that, it’s advisable to turn off your PC at least once a week.

When you shut down your PC, all unnecessary background applications are closed. When you restart it later, your PC’s memory gets refreshed and allocates ample resources to your computing tasks. Frequent restarts contribute to optimal long-term PC performance.

Clear your browser cache and cookies

Web browsers are computing resource hogs. This happens because in modern browsers, every tab and window you open runs as its own process.

It’s almost like every tab runs as a separate app, and having many tabs open can clog your PC’s RAM.

Just as I’ve advised, when clearing unnecessary files and apps from your PC, you should also close unnecessary browser tabs to conserve your PC’s RAM and boost performance. But optimizing your browser doesn’t end there.

Over time, your web browser stores images, videos, scripts, and other files in its cache. These temporarily stored files help websites load faster, as whenever you revisit a website, your browser can quickly load files from its cache instead of re-downloading them again.

Web browsers also store cookies, which are small text files that enable websites to remember your preferences and login details. These cookies and cache files can accumulate to large sizes and slow down your PC when browsing. You can tackle this issue by occasionally clearing cookies and your browser cache.

I’ll use Google Chrome, the most popular web browser with a 69% market share, to illustrate how to clear your cache and cookies. Follow these steps:

1. Open Chrome.
2. Click on the More menu (the three vertical dots in the top right corner).

3. Select History on the right-hand popup menu, then click on the History button.

4. Click Delete browsing data in the left-hand menu on the History page.

5. Click the checkboxes next to Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.

6. Choose the duration for which you want to delete cookies and cached files (Last hour, Last 24 hours, Last 7 days, Last 4 weeks, or All time).

7. Click Delete data.

You can clear both cookies and cached files on the same menu in Google Chrome, making for a convenient process. Other web browsers have their respective processes for clearing cached files and cookies.

Reset your PC

If all other options fail to restore your PC’s optimal performance, the last option is to reset it entirely.

This option is only viable if all other solutions didn’t work, as it’ll mean manually reinstalling all your apps and backed-up files.

Before formatting your PC, you should always back up your sensitive files to a cloud storage platform or a physical hard disk drive.

Then, you can reset your PC from scratch and wait for the process to complete– it’s a time-consuming process that requires patience. After the process, you can restore the backed-up files from your cloud platform or hard disk drive.

Formatting removes any accumulated clutter, malware, or corrupted files that slow down PC performance. You’ll be starting from scratch with a fresh disk space and an operating system restored to its optimal performance level.