How to Fix a Slow Laptop

If your laptop has gradually gone from snappy to sluggish, the cause is almost always one (or more) of a handful of things — not old age.

1. Check whether you're still on a hard disk drive

If your laptop uses a traditional HDD instead of an SSD, this is very likely the single biggest reason it feels slow. An SSD upgrade is often the most cost-effective fix available for an older laptop.

2. Look at startup programs

Software that launches automatically at startup adds up over the years. Trimming unnecessary startup apps can noticeably shorten boot time.

3. Check available storage

A drive that's nearly full slows down significantly. Clearing space — or upgrading storage — helps restore performance.

4. Rule out malware

Unexplained slowness, especially combined with pop-ups or a hot-running fan, can point to malware running in the background.

5. Consider a RAM upgrade

If you regularly multitask across many browser tabs and apps, a RAM upgrade can relieve the bottleneck.

If you've tried the basics and your laptop is still slow, bring it in for a full speed diagnosis — we'll tell you honestly what's worth fixing.