How to Fix a Slow Computer (Windows & macOS)

Difficulty: Beginner – Intermediate
Applies to: Windows 10/11, macOS 12+
Estimated Time: 30–60 minutes

Introduction

Computers naturally slow down over time. A system that once started in seconds may now crawl, take forever to open apps, or freeze mid-task. The culprits vary: too many startup apps, low disk space, malware, or simply aging hardware. In this guide, we’ll walk through not only the fixes, but also the causes so you understand why each step works.

Why Computers Slow Down

• Startup overload – too many apps auto-launch.
• Background processes – silent services consume memory.
• Software bloat – cached/temp files take up space.
• Malware – hijacks CPU and RAM.
• Aging hardware – HDDs and low RAM bottleneck performance.

Prerequisites

• Admin access
• Internet for updates/scans
• Backup (recommended)