Make windows run lightning-fast in three simple steps

The Windows 10 release from Microsoft is the company's attempt to adopt “rolling” upgrades, and will be a focus of attention in the coming months. With the legacy of compatibility with all previous versions of Microsoft's operating system behind it, users will face a range of common problems, the most significant of which is speed.

If Windows starts to feel sluggish and your PC slows down significantly, don't rush to take drastic measures such as formatting and reinstalling. Instead, give it an extra boost with these simple tips.

1.Stop programs from running automatically

Prevent programs on your computer from making Windows load certain functions when the operating system starts. This happens so that those programs can run faster when you need them, but it can significantly slow down your computer's startup or restart.

How to do it: Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the Task Manager window. Select the Start-up tab to see all the programs that launch when Windows starts. Then select the Disable button to stop the selected program from launching automatically.

2. Free up some disk space

Windows works better when it has free space. If your drive (that's the C drive) is full, make sure you free up some space for temporary files and virtual memory.
How to do it: Move personal files such as photos, videos, films, etc. elsewhere to free up disk space. You can also get Windows to remove temporary files from old updates, which usually take up many gigabytes.

Go to Start → Windows Administrative Tools → Disk Clean-up, select the C drive and then select Clean up system files. You may well be impressed by how many Megabyte you can free up with this simple process.

3. Reduce the eye candy

The term eye candy describes the effects and animations that make Windows look more attractive. Although they enhance the user experience, they don't actually add any functionality and can even reduce performance. For this reason, you can disable them.

How to do it: Right-click the Start button and select «System» →«System Info» →«Advanced System Settings». In this window, follow the options «Advanced» →«Performance» →«Settings». Now select the «Visual Effects» tab and disable them, or select «Adjust for best performance».

For any other questions about your computer's operating system, simply contact a specialist technician from The Fixers team.