Removing toolbarsĮxtra web browser toolbars are a classic example of bloatware. Follow the instructions above to remove them and, if you're not sure what to get rid of, speak to one of our experts at the Which? Computing Helpdesk. If you find programs installed that you’ve never used, and have no intention of using, these could be bloatware that you can easily uninstall. Many pre-installed bloatware programs can be uninstalled easily, but the trick lies in knowing what can be safely removed and what you should keep. And it's perfectly normal to accrue more as you install further programs throughout the life of your PC. In the Disk Clean-up box, select the type of files that you want to delete and then click OK and then click Delete files.ĭespite the expectation of a digital clean slate, brand new PCs often come preloaded with all kinds of unnecessary programs known as 'bloatware'.For most people this will be the C: drive. In the list of Drives, click the hard disk drive that you want to clean.In the search box, type disk clean up and, from the list of results that appears, click Disk Clean-up. Windows’ Disk Clean-up utility can help boost your computer’s performance by removing temporary files and unnecessary system files: From the list of programs that appears, click the program you want to uninstall, then click Uninstall.Click Start > Control Panel > Uninstall a program.These may include trial versions of software that came with the computer when you bought it, out-of-date antivirus programs, old software or games that you no longer play. You'll want to make sure that your computer is running fast when you're using it, too.įree up storage space and memory by uninstalling programs that you don’t use. Speed increases don't end with startup times. Tech tips you can trust - get our free Tech newsletter for advice, news, deals and stuff the manuals don’t tell you Get rid of unwanted programs How fast your computer starts up depends on several things, including the hardware you’re using and the version of Windows installed. If you don't yet have a malware removal suite and aren't sure whether the built-in Windows protection is good enough, head to our antivirus software reviews to see which one to install. Then run a full scan of your hard disk and, if your package allows, set up regular scheduled scans. Launch your antivirus software and make sure it's up to date. Viruses can slow down your computer and cause data loss, while spyware can compromise security by monitoring your activity and collecting information about you. Run your antivirus software program regularly. It's widely recommended that you don't defrag an SSD yourself. If you have a solid-state drive (SSD) this process won't be necessary, as Windows will automatically do it for you from time to time in the background. If you're still running Windows 7 (or older), you may get a small speed boost by defragging your hard drive. Mac users shouldn't need to defrag at all. Windows handles data much more intelligently these days. However, in Windows 11 (and Windows 10 and 8/8.1 before it), it simply isn't necessary to run defragging software on your computer. This gave rise to 'defragging' software, which would, effectively, put the files back together in a more logical order, giving your PC a speed boost. As these files accumulated, the hard drive would take longer to access them. Traditionally, when a PC saved a large file to the hard drive, it would break it into smaller pieces and store them across several locations. Read our detailed guide on how to free up disk space if you suspect this is a problem. Whether it's demands from Windows for more space to update or a steady accumulation of apps and files, even the largest hard drives can fill up pretty quickly if left unattended. Free up some disk spaceĪ laptop with no room to breath is unlikely to be performing at its best. This includes web browsers, applications, drivers for devices such as printers and, most importantly, Windows itself, as Microsoft issues regular updates to plug security holes or fix glitches in the operating system. Make sure all your software is up to date.
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