Microsoft has tried everything to get you to have Windows 10 on your computer. It makes it free, removes support for old versions of Windows , puts it as a "recommended" update (wink-wink). It's supposed to be designed to even be used in a coffee maker, but it has so many features that it's rare that any don't affect performance . In fact, not a few users complain that the system becomes desperately slow . And if the computer is new, not to get pissed off. But don't worry, we are going to show you some tricks to improve the performance of your Windows 10 PC.
1. Remove startup programs
In addition to having background processes well controlled , one of the most popular tips is to reduce the list of programs that run automatically when the computer starts up. It is an old trick, but there are still many people who do not take it into account. Also, it is surprising how many programs sneak into this list without the slightest need.
Click the right button of the mouse on the start button Windows , and select Task Manager. If you get a very small window, click More details . Now, select the Startup tab , and be terrified of everything that runs as soon as you turn on your computer.
The list tells us which programs are enabled and their impact on startup. Except for the drivers (graphics, sound, etc.), the antivirus or the elements of the system, almost nothing on this list is essential for the computer to work well, so disable everything you know and think is necessary . If you have reasonable doubts or notice that something is wrong, you just have to re-enable it .
2. Windows 10 nice, but less
Another classic that continues to be overlooked. Windows 10 looks great, but that cute look eats resources . If you can live without those cool animations, right click on the Windows start button and go to System . In the options on the left, choose Advanced system settings . In the window that appears, click on the Advanced Options tab , and in the Performance section click on Settings . Within the Performance Options , go to Visual Effects.
Letting Windows decide for you what is best for your computer can be tempting, but the ideal thing is that you adjust the performance according to your needs . If you choose Adjust for the best performance , you will gain in speed, but you are still a bit shocked by the rough appearance that you will find. This is because this option also disables “antialiasing,” that is, edge and font smoothing, and creepy “saw teeth” appear everywhere. You can always choose the Custom option , turn off anything that seems superfluous, and leave the Smooth edges option on for screen fonts .
3. Say goodbye to Cortana
The Siri fan club is so huge that Microsoft scratched its face with envy, so it designed its own virtual assistant: Cortana . They did a great job, although Cortana insists on knowing everything about us. Disabling it may not have much of an impact on the performance of some computers, but it will certainly improve our privacy.
Cortana is represented by a circle on the taskbar. If you click on it, the wizard will appear. Click on the gear wheel to display the options, and deactivate everything you think is convenient . Unless you disable it completely, you can always use Cortana by clicking on its icon, but this way it will not be aware of everything you do.
4. Did you know that there is a quick start?
It was Windows 8 that introduced the Quick Start function , which is used to optimize the system so that it starts up faster, starting from the shutdown computer. This option is a bit curious. Windows has it active by default, but on some computers it can cause the opposite effect to what it should have . Look at you what grace.
To find out how it affects you, please right click on the button Start , and then select Power Options . In the menu on the left, find Choose the behavior of the Start / Off buttons . In the new window, click on Change unavailable settings , and you can now check the Quick Start function (if it is not already checked). Remember to save the changes. If the option does not appear, it is because your computer configuration does not support it. If it turns out that the start becomes anything but fast, you know what you have to do.
5. Reboot, you fools!
Look how silly ... but it works . If you have been playing Skyrim with full graphics, closing it does not release all the memory it has occupied, so it is very likely that the computer works almost with its tongue out. A reboot leaves the memory so clean that you can almost see your reflection in it. If you use a laptop and you have a habit of closing the lid when you finish doing what you are doing, the computer does not turn off, but goes to sleep . It may seem obvious, but it is worth remembering that it is best to turn off your computer if you are not going to use it for a few hours.
6. Put Windows on full blast
You may not know it, but the most common is that Windows slows its own performance to benefit the consumption and health of your computer. If you think you need to unleash the fury of the operating system or have a PC that would leave the NASA in shorts, simply click with the right mouse button on the start of Windows and go to Power Options . Once there, you will see the different energy management plans available. It is possible that the High Performance plan is hidden, but this world is for the brave, so click on Show Additional Plans , choose High Performance, and fly.
I also tell you one thing. If you are on a laptop, the battery will last you less than a cold beer in August , and it is more than likely that you will notice an increase in temperature . If your computer is already a veteran, the cure may be worse than the disease. It's up to you.
7. My connection is for me
The Internet is built on the healthy principle of sharing information, but Windows 10 takes this to another level. The update system can make you download content both from the network and from other computers, and in turn, other computers can connect to yours and use it as a server . The result is that your Internet connection can slow down to despair.
Click the left mouse button on the Windows start icon , and press the gear wheel . Within Windows settings , select Update and Security , then Advanced Options , and finally click on Choose the way you want the updates to be delivered . Finally you will find Updates from more than one place , and you can deactivate that diabolical option.
8. Clearing the cache is a thing of the past
If you and Windows already have a long and stable relationship, surely you have heard of "cleaner" programs that delete unnecessary files, clean the cache and other unknown processes. Microsoft may have its buts, but Windows 10 is better than its bigger brothers. That is to say, the maintenance that we believed essential in Windows XP , in Windows 10 can really mess things up.
The cache affects web browsers. When you enter a page, many small downloads are made that allow you to view the content of the web without any problem. These files allow that, in future visits to the same website, everything goes much faster. What happens if you clear that cache? That when you return to the page, you will have to download everything again . The consequence is obvious: the computer is slower .
Moreover, the cache also contains the thumbnail images of your photo folders. If you delete them, Windows will have to create them again when you go back through those folders.
There are more hassles we can put together with our good intentions, so let's stick with the basics: let Windows 10 do what it wants with its cache.
9. Defragment? What is that?
The same can be said for the famous defragmentation . Before it was vital, but today Windows 10 does it on its own. On many occasions we are in front of the computer without doing anything, but the hard drive continues to ruminate. It is more than likely that this rattle is due to Windows itself defragmenting its drives by itself. In fact, we can open File Explorer , right-click on the disk or partition where the system is stored (the famous C :), and open Properties . In the Tools tab there is an option to Optimize and defragment the disk. If you click on it, you will see that your hard drive does not need any defragmentation.
10. What if I want to free up space?
As we have already seen, Windows has tools to manage your privacy. Open the Properties menu that we have indicated in the previous section, but this time stay in the General tab . There, we will see how much hard disk we have left and a beautiful button that says Free up space . If we press it, a quick diagnosis of the unit will be carried out and it will show us everything that we can eliminate without Windows being affected by it.
You just have to carefully scrutinize the list of files , select the ones you want and click Clean system files .
If these tips have helped you, we are glad! Or are you already an expert and have them more than trite? In that case, feel free to share in the comments some other trick to complete the list.
