Purchasing a Windows PC comes with an inevitable truth. Regardless of its processor speed or the amount of RAM, regular usage over six months will lead to a noticeable decrease in performance. Web pages that once loaded quickly will take more time, network communication will develop lags and program loading times will increase.

The cause of this slowdown could be singular or multifaceted, making it impossible to solve with a single step. To regain some of your computer's initial pep and vitality, you might think about reinstalling Windows. However, there's no need to dive into a Windows reinstallation immediately.

There are numerous measures you can implement to encourage your computer to shake off its lethargy before resorting to a process that will erase all installed programs and settings from your hard drive. Some of these steps might need to be combined to breathe new life into your PC, but they could result in a noticeable performance improvement.

Any of your computer's hard disk drives (HDD) can become fragmented. In reality, it's the files on the drives that become fragmented, meaning they're stored in non-adjacent sections of the drive. Fragmented files, particularly programs, load and run slower than those stored contiguously.

This is because the operating system takes longer to locate and read the multiple parts of the file. This applies to large video clips, databases, or other frequently accessed files.Windows comes with a built-in disk defragmenter for computers that store and save files on HDDs.

You can access the defragmenting program by clicking on the Windows logo on your desktop and typing "Disk Defragmenter" in the search box. In Windows 11, your go-to choice will be the "Defragment and Optimize Drives" app.

All the storage drives in your computer will be displayed in a specific window. Select the "C:" drive (or any other drive that's causing issues), and click on either "Optimize" or "Analyze." Analyzing your drive to determine its fragmentation level (expressed as a percentage) can save time if fragmentation isn't the actual issue.

If the fragmentation percentage is high, defragmenting will make all the files on the drive contiguous, which means Windows will be able to locate and open them faster. However, remember that defragmentation is only beneficial for hard disk drives. If your drive's listed media type is "Solid state drive," defragmentation won't be necessary due to the design of SSDs

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We've all encountered bloatware, whether on our smartphones or computers. It's the video editing program from an unknown company, the social media app that was pre-installed on the PC before purchase, the PDF reader that requests an unusual amount of personal information, and so on.

With a few notable exceptions, the extra programs that come with your computer are typically not high-quality software, and they can even include spyware that the manufacturer is unaware of (like Lenovo's 2015 Superfish adware scandal).

Navigate to Windows Settings and select "Apps." Here, you can browse through the list and click on "Uninstall" next to any program you don't recognize or use. If the program is essential for Windows, a warning will pop up — it's advisable to heed this warning and cancel the uninstallation.

Windows also allows you to control which programs start automatically when you boot up, and the more programs added to the startup process, the slower your PC will boot up. Open the Windows Settings app, then click on "Apps" on the left. You'll see "Startup" in the list of options. Click on it, and toggle any program you don't want including in the startup to "Off."

All drives, particularly the one where Windows is installed, tend to slow down as they fill up. Your computer has to sift through numerous files to find the one you need, which can make it seem like your entire system is slowing down. If you're searching for items to delete, there are several common sources of drive clutter and unnecessary files:

• Duplicate files: If a file has (1) or (2) appended to its file name, it's a duplicate of another file in that folder. Duplicates and backups should ideally be stored on a separate, preferably removable, drive.

• Extremely large files: If you engage in video editing or music recording, some of the files you use or create can be exceptionally large. Try to avoid storing these files on your system drive, and instead keep them on a drive that you only connect to the computer when necessary. This will spare Windows from having to index these files, speeding up operations, especially at startup.

• Full recycle bin: Sending a file to the Recycle Bin doesn't remove it from your hard drive. If you haven't emptied your Recycle Bin in a while, all those files are still being accounted for by Windows and aren't fully deleted.

• Temporary files: Various programs you use, Windows itself, and your web browser all create temporary files to facilitate auto-saves or reduce the demand on your RAM.

In Windows 11, these files will be conveniently organized under "Storage" in the "System" section of your Settings app. You can select which categories you want to delete and which to keep.

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Hopefully, you don't allow your computer to connect to the internet without a robust anti-virus program installed and running. The online space is filled with individuals trying to infiltrate your computer, either to steal personal information or to control your computer for various malicious purposes. Even cautious users can fall prey to malware, as its creators are constantly developing new bugs, bots, trojans, and worms to bypass even the best protection.

If you're experiencing any of the following, your computer may be infected with malware (which you should address, whether it's slowing down your PC or not):

• Pop-up ads in programs that don't typically have them, or on web pages that wouldn't normally have them (www.irs.gov, for example).

• Frequent crashes, or restarts that you didn't initiate.

• Your web browser opens to a different home page than the one you set.

• Icons appearing on your desktop that shouldn't be there.

• Your anti-virus software is being turned off without your intervention.

• Your computer refuse to shut down or restart.

If you don't already have a reliable protection program, get one immediately. Once installed, have it perform its most comprehensive scan. This will eliminate any present malware before you face bigger issues than just a slow computer.

Since the introduction of Windows XP, aesthetic features have been incorporated into Windows to make computing more enjoyable and less monotonous. Simple colour themes were enhanced with a semi-transparent system tray, web pages that "whooshed" onto the screen, and menus that rolled down from the top of the screen instead of just appearing.

All these visual enhancements can consume a portion of your system's RAM. If your system memory is already stretched thin, the slowdown can manifest as lag or a glitchy appearance. Fortunately, from the outset, you've had the option to disable these effects via the Settings panel.

To disable system animations in Windows 11, navigate to the Settings app and select "Accessibility." Then, under "Vision," choose "Visual effects." Here, switch off both "Transparency effects" and "Animation effects." Afterwards, simply close the app.

This will free up the RAM previously allocated to these animations and eliminate the time it takes for each animation to run. While it may not have the most significant impact on system performance, it could be precisely what you need if your PC is teetering on the edge of reduced performance.

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Microsoft regularly releases updates for Windows to address a variety of issues: Some updates fix problems commonly experienced by Windows users, some incorporate improvements discovered by Microsoft, some introduce new features that weren't ready at the time of the version's release, and then there are security updates.

Even if you opt not to install any other Windows updates, it's crucial to stay up-to-date with its security updates. The narrative of computer security is akin to a game of cat-and-mouse, where the creation of a new virus or worm by a malicious actor is countered by Microsoft releasing an update to Windows that neutralizes the new threat. This cycle repeats as the same or another perpetrator creates an even more harmful code.

To update Windows on your PC, simply go to the Settings app. Windows Update has its own section on the left, where you'll find a list of all available updates and a button labelled "Install all." There's really no reason not to choose the "all" option, so go ahead and keep your version of Windows up-to-date. It may enhance your computer's speed, especially if you're a few updates behind, and at the very least, it will prevent you from contracting a virus that could further slow down your computer.

And there you have it – a collection of strategies and techniques to help your Windows PC regain its original performance, all without the need to reinstall Windows. With a bit of effort and understanding, you can revitalize your reliable computer and experience a quicker, more fluid computing experience. Enjoy your rejuvenated computing!