Everyday Computer Skills · Keeping It Running · Lesson 1 of 5

Why Computers Get Slow

What makes a computer slow down, and the simple fixes that help.

What slows a computer down

Most computers don't get slow because they are broken. They get slow because they are doing too many things at once.

Memory, also called RAM, is the computer's short-term workspace. It holds the apps and pages you have open right now. Think of it like the top of a desk.

Every open app takes up some of that desk. So does every tab, which is one web page open inside your browser. When the desk is full, the computer has to shuffle things around. That makes everything feel slow.

Common reasons a computer slows down:

• Lots of apps open at the same time
• Dozens of browser tabs left open for days
• Apps that start by themselves when you turn the computer on
• A computer that hasn't been restarted in weeks

Task Manager is a Windows tool that shows what is running and how much each thing uses. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open it. The Processes tab lists every running app.

Two columns matter most. CPU shows how hard the computer's brain is working for each app. Memory shows how much of the desk each app takes.

On a Mac, the same tool is called Activity Monitor. Find it by searching for it with Spotlight, the magnifying glass in the menu bar.

On the practice computer, open Task Manager, sort by CPU and then by Memory, find the app using the most, and close the extra browser tabs.

Simple ways to speed it up

You don't need special tools to make a slow computer feel faster. Start with these simple steps.

Close what you aren't using. If you are done with an app, close it with the X. In your browser, close tabs you no longer need. You can bookmark a page first so you can find it later.

Check your startup apps. Startup apps are apps that open by themselves every time the computer turns on. You met them in an earlier lesson. In Task Manager, the Startup apps tab lets you turn off the ones you don't need. Keep your antivirus turned on.

Restart now and then. A restart closes everything and starts the computer fresh. It clears out the desk, and it lets updates finish. Many people only close the lid, which puts the computer to sleep. Sleep is handy, but it doesn't clear things out the way a restart does.

• On Windows: Start, then Power, then Restart.
• On a Mac: the Apple menu, then Restart.

Be careful with "speed up" ads. Pop-ups that say your computer is slow and offer a cleaner app are often scams. Windows and macOS already have the tools you need.

Try one step at a time. Often, closing tabs and restarting is all it takes.