Windows 10 is speedier than the previous versions of Microsoft's OS, but you can still optimize its performance.

Learn how to make your Windows 10 PC run faster with our tips.

 

 

1. Uninstall Crapware

 

Though the situation is improving, unnecessary preinstalled software installed by PC makers continues to be an issue

with some new computers. A couple of years ago, a Lenovo PC we tested had nearly 20 so-called helper programs installed,

and these would occasionally and unwantedly pop up and interrupt what we were doing on the computer. More recently,

the count of preinstalled, unnecessary software has dropped.

 

You can simply right-click on any unwanted app tile in Start and choose Uninstall. This will immediately uninstall the 

program. You can also right-click on the Windows logo Start button, and choose the top choice Programs and Features.

Or just type Programs in the Cortana search box next to the Start button.

 

 

 

 

2. Limit Startup Processes

 

The easiest way to invoke the Task Manager is by pressing Ctrl-Shift-Esc. Switch to the Startup tab, and you'll see

all the programs that load at Windows startup. The dialog box even has a column that shows you the Startup impact

for each. The Status column shows whether the program is enabled to run at startup or not. You can right-click on any

entry to change this status. It's usually fairly easy to see things you don't want to run. For example, if you never use

 iTunes, you probably don't need iTunesHelper running all the time.

 

 

 

 

3. Clean Up Your Disk

 

From the Start menu, type Disk Cleanup. This opens the trusty Disk Cleanup utility that's been part of Windows for

several generations of the OS. Disk Cleanup finds unwanted junk such as temporary files, offline Web pages, and

installer files on your PC and offers to delete them all at once. You may even find that your Recycle Bin is bulging

at the seams. This will generally only have a noticeable effect on speed if your drive is getting close to full, however.

 

 

 

 

 

4. Add More RAM

 

Windows 10 manages memory more efficiently than earlier versions of the OS, but more memory always can potentially

speed up PC operations. For a lot of today's Windows devices, such as the Surface Pro tablets, however, adding RAM isn't

an option. Gaming and business laptops often still allow RAM upgrades, but that's becoming more rare. The new, slimmer

ultrabooks and convertibles are usually fixed. If you still use a desktop tower, this article can show you how to add RAM.

The bigger RAM makers' (Crucial, Kingston, Corsair) websites all offer product finders that show you which type of RAM

your PC takes, and prices are pretty reasonable. 

 

 

 

 

5. Change Power Settings to High Performance to Optimize Speed

 

Of course, this isn't a good choice if you want to save electricity, but it could boost your computing speed.

Head to Control Panel > System and Security > Power Options. From here, click on the dropdown arrow on

the right side to "Show additional plans" and then choose High Performance.

 

 

 

 

 

6. Use the Performance Troubleshooter

 

Open the Control Panel and search for troubleshooting. Run the troubleshooters under System and Security, and it

may find the root cause of your slowdown. For good measure, run through the other troubleshooters, including Search

and Indexing, Hardware and Devices, and Windows Store Apps. Also go to the old-style Control Panel's System and

Security > Security and Maintenance page, click on Maintenance, and hit Start Maintenance. This happens automatically

on a schedule, but if you're experiencing slowdowns, it's worth trying.

 

If your PC is still hopelessly bogged down, you can use the Windows Security app's Fresh start option, but be warned that

doing so removes your installed programs.