Is your laptop taking its sweet time with basic tasks? While it’s true that laptops can slow with age, part of that slowdown often comes from clutter – apps you don’t need, bloatware you don’t know exists and settings you don’t want active. Other times, performance issues can stem from hardware running too hot, malware quietly consuming resources, or simply settings that were never optimized in the first place.
The good news? Many of these issues are fixable without spending a dime. Real-world testing backs this up: something as simple as cleaning out dust from your laptop’s vents can reduce CPU temperatures by as much as 17°C and stabilize clock speeds significantly – one tested system saw CPU frequency jump from around 3,140-3,660 MHz all the way up to 4,240-4,390 MHz after a basic cleaning. Depending on how badly throttled your system was, that translates to anywhere from a modest bump to a 10-30% improvement in sustained performance during demanding tasks.
At Gazelle, we want to see your electronics last as long as possible, so we’ve put together a list of ways to speed up laptop performance on the cheap.
How to Speed Up a Slow Laptop
Before you give up on your trusty computer, try these tips on how to speed up laptop performance. Most are completely free and could help you get some more time out of your computer. Our instructions are based on Windows 11 and macOS Sequoia (the latest macOS as of 2026). Older versions usually have similar processes, but you may need to do a quick search to confirm. For other operating systems, like Linux and Chrome OS, the processes may look different.
1. Limit Apps That Launch on Startup
When you turn on your laptop, many apps launch automatically. You probably want some of them, but many will slow you down. Take a closer look at which ones open on startup:
- Windows: Open Task Manager by right-clicking the taskbar or pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc. From Task Manager, select the Startup Apps tab. Here, you’ll see all of your apps that start on launch along with their impact rating. Disable apps you don’t need, especially high-impact ones. Be cautious, as Windows needs some of these to run properly. If you reboot and notice issues, re-enable any app you recently disabled.
- Mac: Click the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen. Go to System Settings, then General. Head to Login Items & Extensions. Here, you’ll find apps that open on login and apps allowed to run in the background. Toggle off any you don’t want. You can also right-click an app in your Dock, hover over Options, and uncheck Open at Login. A small dot beneath an icon in the Dock indicates the app is currently running.
2. Uninstall Apps You Don’t Use
A major source of slowdown is unused apps taking up space on your hard drive. You might even find apps you don’t recognize that have sneakily embedded themselves on your system. These apps are called bloatware, which often appears when an app you install has other apps bundled with it. Other common sources of bloatware include pre-installed apps from when you first got your computer or even malware.
Some digital decluttering on your computer is always a good way to increase laptop speed. Whatever the reason, head to your apps list and remove any you don’t want:
- Windows: Open Settings from the Start menu. Click Apps, then Installed Apps. Here, you’ll see a full list of installed applications. Click the three-dot menu next to any app you want to remove and select Uninstall. Some apps may be required by Windows or other programs, so search unknown ones before deleting them.
- Mac: Apple users can head to Launchpad by clicking the grid-like icon in the Dock or pressing F4. Hold down the Option key and click the X in the corner of any app you want to remove. You can remove downloaded apps this way, but some pre-installed Apple apps cannot be deleted.
You might be tempted to drag an icon from your Dock to the Trash. While this looks like a quick fix, it only removes the Dock shortcut – not the app itself.
Another caveat with uninstalling Mac apps is the potential for leftover files the app used that remain on your system. Check your Applications folder for a subfolder with the app’s name. You can also use a third-party Mac cleaning app to track down and remove these remnants.
3. Find Out Which Apps Are Resource-Intensive
Some apps use more processing power than others, putting more strain on the system and causing slowdowns. Sometimes simply closing them does the trick. Other times, you can head into the app’s settings and make changes – if a game uses a lot of processor power, for instance, reducing graphics quality or screen resolution can help significantly.
Here’s how to view app activity on Windows and Mac:
- Windows: Right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager. You’ll see a breakdown of CPU, memory, disk, and network usage per app.
- Mac: Open Activity Monitor, found in the Utilities folder within Applications, or search for it in Spotlight.
Once there, take a look at the CPU and memory columns. If one app is consuming most of your CPU or RAM, close it. Most modern laptops ship with 8 GB or 16 GB of RAM, so any app using a large portion of that can cause noticeable sluggishness.
4. Delete or Offload Files
If your hard drive is nearly full, you’ll likely see a performance hit. A general rule of thumb is to stay under about 80-90% capacity. Solid-state drives (SSDs) handle fuller drives better than older hard disk drives (HDDs), but either way, clearing space helps.
Focus on file size rather than file count – a hundred text documents barely register compared to a single 4K video. To find the biggest culprits:
- Windows: Open Settings from the Start menu. Click System, then Storage. Use the Storage Sense tool to automatically clean up unnecessary files, or browse the categories manually to find large files. You can also open File Explorer, navigate to This PC, and sort by size to spot large items quickly.
- Mac: Open System Settings and click General in the sidebar. Click Storage. Scroll through the categories shown to identify which files and apps take up the most space and remove what you no longer need.
After clearing files, consider offloading anything you want to keep but don’t need locally to an external hard drive or a cloud storage service. When finished, empty the Trash or Recycle Bin to fully reclaim the space.
5. Clean Out Dust and Improve Cooling
One of the most overlooked causes of laptop slowdowns is heat. When a laptop overheats, it throttles its own processor to protect itself – and that directly tanks performance. Dust buildup in vents and fans is one of the most common culprits.
The impact of cleaning can be surprisingly significant. Real-world tests have shown that simply cleaning a dusty computer can reduce CPU temperatures by anywhere from 9°C to 17°C, with one Computerworld test recording a 16.2°F (9°C) drop and a 419 RPM increase in fan speed after a basic cleaning. In cases where heavy throttling was present, benchmarks have shown sustained performance improvements of 10-30% after cleaning.
To clean your laptop:
- Use a can of compressed air to blow dust out of the vents. Do this outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
- If you’re comfortable opening your laptop, a more thorough internal cleaning can make a bigger difference – but check your warranty first.
- Make sure you’re using your laptop on a hard, flat surface rather than a bed or couch, which can block airflow.
- Consider a laptop cooling pad if heat is a recurring issue.
6. Switch to High-Performance Power
Plugging in your laptop and switching to a high-performance power setting is one of the easiest ways to get more out of your machine. This mode prioritizes speed over battery life and can reduce background throttling.
- Windows: Click Start, then Settings, then System. Select Power, then choose Best performance from the power mode options.
- Mac: If your MacBook is plugged in, performance is generally maximized automatically. However, if Low Power Mode is enabled, turn it off. Go to System Settings, click Battery, and set Low Power Mode to your preferred option – or turn it off entirely when plugged in.
7. Manually Defragment Your HDD
If you still have an HDD rather than an SSD, you may benefit from defragmenting it. Over time, files on a traditional hard drive scatter across the disk. Defragging reorganizes those fragmented pieces so your laptop can find and load them more efficiently.
Windows defragments your drive weekly by default, but you can run it manually if you suspect an issue:
- Windows: Search for Defragment and Optimize Drives from the Start menu. Select your drive and click Analyze or Optimize.
- Mac: Mac users generally don’t need to defrag. macOS handles this automatically, and nearly all Macs sold in recent years use SSDs, which should never be defragmented.
8. Run a Virus Scan
Malware and viruses can silently consume system resources and slow your laptop to a crawl. If you already have antivirus software installed, run a full scan. If not, consider downloading a reputable free antivirus tool. Windows 11 includes Windows Security (formerly Defender) built in, which is a solid starting point for most users.
9. Update Your Software and Apps
Updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements that can resolve slowdowns in individual apps or across your whole system. To update your operating system:
- Windows: Open Settings and go to Windows Update. Click Check for updates. Download and install anything available.
- Mac: Open System Settings and click General in the sidebar. Click Software Update. Download and install any available updates.
Don’t forget to also update individual apps, especially browsers, which can be significant resource hogs when running outdated versions.
10. Reinstall Your OS While Keeping Your Files
If nothing else has worked, you can reinstall your laptop’s operating system without deleting your personal files. This can clear out corrupted system files and lingering junk without forcing you to start completely from scratch. That said, back up important files to the cloud or an external drive before proceeding, just in case.
- Windows: Open Settings, click System, then Recovery. Under Reset this PC, click Reset PC. Choose Keep my files, then Local reinstall, and follow the prompts.
- Mac: The process depends on your chip. Click the Apple logo, then About This Mac to check. If the chip includes “M” in the name (M1, M2, M3, M4, etc.), shut down your Mac, then hold the power button until the startup options screen appears. Click Options, then Continue. If your Mac has an Intel chip, restart and hold Command + R until the Apple logo appears. Select the macOS reinstall option and follow the prompts.
11. Perform a Factory Reset
A full factory reset deletes all files and returns your laptop to its out-of-the-box state. This is the nuclear option, but it can resolve persistent slowdowns when nothing else works. Back everything up first. If you use an iPad alongside your laptop, the same principle applies — check out our guide on why your iPad might be slow and how to fix it.
- Windows: Follow the same Reset this PC process described above, but this time choose Remove everything instead of Keep my files.
- Mac: Open System Settings, click General in the sidebar, then Transfer or Reset. Select Erase All Content and Settings and follow the prompts.
What to Do If These Tips Didn’t Help
Unfortunately, computers won’t last forever. Depending on factors like specifications and how you use it, your laptop might last a few years or 10. Still, software always moves forward, and putting today’s demands on a laptop from a decade ago won’t give you the best results. While you could upgrade individual components, like memory or a hard drive, it can be hard to keep pace with new technology, particularly if the costs are high.
If these tips on how to speed up your laptop didn’t work, it might be time for a new one. Other telltale signs it might be time for a new laptop include:
- Noisy fans: Laptops depend on their fans to keep things cool. A stressed laptop might be overheating components and causing your fans to run on overdrive, making the problem worse. In fact, a simple cleaning alone has been shown to reduce CPU temperatures by as much as 9-17°C and meaningfully improve fan performance – so if your fans are still screaming after a thorough clean, that’s a red flag worth taking seriously.
- Persistent thermal throttling: When a laptop overheats, it automatically slows itself down to protect internal components. If your CPU is consistently throttling even after cleaning and optimizing software, performance can degrade by 10-30% in sustained workloads – a sign the hardware may simply be worn out.
- Out-of-date programs: After some time, software developers may stop supporting older systems. If your apps no longer receive updates, they might be vulnerable to security issues or glitches.
- Lots of repairs: If you’ve had to have a lot of repairs done, it’s usually a sign it’s time for a new system. Repair costs can quickly exceed the cost of a new laptop.
Consider buying another laptop if yours is running slow. You might be surprised at how affordable they can be, especially if you buy used. Used laptops from reputable brands offer affordable but reliable replacements.
Upgrade Your Laptop With Gazelle
If you’re dealing with a slow laptop, sketchy online sellers are the last people you want to work with. That’s why we make buying used MacBooks as easy as possible. Through our trustworthy platform, you can find an affordable, high-performance laptop to get you back to whatever it is you do – all without haggling, awkward in-person meetups or risky return policies. We offer tested listings, easy returns and a wide selection of used MacBooks. Not sure which model is right for you? Check out our MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro breakdown or read up on the best MacBook for students before you buy.
Ready to speed things up? Explore used MacBooks on Gazelle today!