One of the most precious things we Dell laptop users all need speed! Or rather, a lack of it.
Often, an older Dell computer starts to slow down even just to deal with basic tasks, not to mention a brand new Dell that freezes randomly.
The issue isnt unique to just Dell computers, but other Windows PCs as well. It doesnt matter whether your computer is aging or brand new, whether it runs on Windows 7 or latest Windows 10 [your Dell probably is].
Why is a Dell laptop running slow on Windows 10? There are many possible reasons some of them are hard to diagnose. Thats why were here to put together this guide, sharing with you 12 ways to fix a slow Dell PC.
Dell Performance Issues [with Symptoms]
When Dell starts to run slow, the first step is to identify the issue. But how? Just like youd determine whether or not you have a cold or the flu: by the symptoms. This guide is for you if you are experiencing some of the following issues with your laptop:
- It is very slow and unresponsive
- It keeps freezing now and then
- Its extremely slow to start up
- It runs hot quickly and overheats
- Other performance issues
Its worth noting that identifying when the computer runs slow is very important. All the time? On startup? When connecting to the internet? Or when youre using multiple applications at once?
If your Dell is slow all the time, look at Tips 1-7 as well as 10 and 11. Those solutions can help with a Dell thats starting up slow. Tip 8 will help a slow Dell laptop thats also running warm to the touch, and Tip 9 can help if your Dell laptop freezes while running specific programs.
If you still cant pinpoint the culprit [or if you are working with a brand new Dell and suspect theres an issue with the hardware], you can also run a Dell diagnostic test here.
Wait Not a computer person?
Or you dont have the time to try out each manual technique? Go get Advanced SystemCare to clean and speed up your Dell laptop automatically.
The all-in-one PC optimization software has almost all the tools youll need to optimize your Dell computer performance and protect the Windows system and your online privacy.
12 Ways To Speed Up a Slow Dell Laptop
1. Disconnect all external devices and restart
Its easy to blame your computer for running slow, but sometimes that blame is misplaced. Anything thats plugged into your computer could be making your computer work harder than it should, causing it to run slow.
Since this is an easy issue to fix, try this first: unplug anything thats plugged in to your Dell, like an external hard drive, SD card and printer. Then, restart your PC without any accessories and see if the issue can be fixed. If yes, there may be a compatibility issue [like using an old printer with a new computer]. Or sometimes the device is working in the background for example, setting up automatic backups to an external hard drive will cause a PC to slow down while the files are being copied in the background.
2. Check for malware and spyware
Hidden software pre-installed or later downloaded into your computer is a big culprit for a slow computer. Malware and spyware can run in the background, taking up valuable RAM without giving you anything in return. The easiest way to check for malware issues and remove them is to use Bitdefender Antivirus Plus the most powerful, easy to use security software in 2018 that will search your Dell hard drive for virus, adware, and malware, and if any is detected, theyll get eliminated right away.
3. Defragment your hard drive
Over time, data can become separated or fragmented, which makes your computer work harder to find the information. Running the defragment process will fix any stray pieces of data and put them back where they belong but only for Dells with hard disk drives [HDDs]. If you purchased a computer with an SDD instead of a standard hard drive, or later upgraded to an SDD, DO NOT run the defragmentation program.
4. Keep multitasking to a minimum
Technology ages quickly, and sometimes computers that are a bit older have a hard time managing todays more advanced programs. The solution? Cut back on the multi-tasking. The more programs you run at once, the harder the computer has to work and the slower it will run. Its also a good idea to check Task Manager on Windows 10 to see if theres a particular program thats eating up all your RAM. Sometimes, this can be fixed by using a different program, like trading Firefox for Chrome.
5. Clean up your hard drive
While the RAM that stores all the data you are currently using often causes computers to run slow, a full hard drive can cause performance issues as well. If your Dell hard drive is over 85% full, youll see a quick boost in performance after cleaning it up. Do this with CleanMyPC a tool that helps keep the hard drive clean automatically.
Another [manual] way to clean up a full hard drive is to use an external hard drive or online cloud storage to store files that you dont often use. Furthermore, remove applications you no longer use, run disk cleanup or remove temporary files. If you are a computer person, go clear out these caches, histories, plugins etc. that reside in your web browser.
6. Clear system clutters and errors
Over time, hidden system errors can slow down your computer as well. Whats the best way to find and fix such hidden issues? We like using Advanced SystemCare because its easy and quick to use and can help you detect all different types of system errors automatically and by addressing them you could improve your PCs overall performance.
7. Disable Intel SpeedStep utility
SpeedStep is a technology developed by Intel. It has been built into many Intel microprocessors [e.g. i5, i7]. Basically its primarily designed to adjust CPU processing speed based on performance needs, thus aim to minimizing overheating issues. While the technology sounds fancy, it sometimes leads to serious slowdowns reported by many users who have SpeedStep enabled, according to this Dell knowledge article.
Dell laptops, especially the Inspiron and Latitude series, have pre-installed SpeedStep utility. Disabling the service can sometimes resolve certain performance issues you are experiencing. To turn off SpeedStep, youll need to enter BIOS first. Shut down your computer first, press the Start button, then hold F12 key. Now select BIOS setup options > Performance > SpeedStep, select the option to disable the utility. Hit Apply and exit.
8. Update outdated device drivers or BIOS settings
Drivers allow computer software to communicate with hardware and if drivers go wrong, that can cause your computer to run slow. The BIOS [Basic Input Output System] driver, for example, activates hardware when your computer powers up. To check and see if a driver error could be causing your Dell to run slow or freeze, follow the instructions here.
9. Prevent overheating by with a fan system cleaning
If your computer is several years old and youve never cleaned out the fan, chances are that dust build-up in the fan is causing your computer to overheat, which will affect the performance. First, locate the fan by finding the vent on your computer. Use a can of compressed air to gently blow out the fan, clearing the dust. For extreme cases, you may need to remove a panel to access the fan and clean it out, but that process varies a bit depending on what model Dell you own.
10. Update software programs
Complete freezes are usually the result of software, and not the actual computer [though sometimes that may not be the case]. If your laptop is freezing or running slow when a particular program is open, its time for update. You can do this in two ways: updating Windows 10, and updating the individual programs with the latest version. The process varies for individual programs, but theres often an update option under File [try Account Settings or Help].
11. Upgrade the RAM
If youve tried everything else on the list, you may be looking at a hardware upgrade in order to get the most out of your PC. The RAM is the computers short term memory, more RAM will allow you to run multiple programs at once or run more high-demand programs quickly. If you have less than 4 GB of RAM, an upgrade will significantly improve your computers performance. Thankfully, most Dell computers are easy to update, but youll have to find your specific model for the exact instructions.
12. Replace an HDD with an SDD
Solid State Drives or SSDs, unlike traditional hard drives, have no moving parts, so they are much faster. Most Dell computers are fairly simple to upgrade [if you see removable panels on the back of your computer or laptop, the process is simpler than if you have a computer without easy access panels]. You can take your laptop into a local computer shop, or for the tech savvy, install an SSD by yourself. Heres a useful video tutorial.
Like any computer, Dell laptops and desktops can run slow over time. If it is brand new and it runs slow, be sure to contact the Support so you can fix it at no cost. Methods such as cleaning up the hard drive, scanning for malware and upgrading to an SSD can also help speed up a slow Dell. Hope you find these tuneup tips useful, and thanks for reading.