Ask any techie what their biggest annoyance is with modern computers and hand-held devices, and they’re likely to tell you that it’s their slower performance over time. A sluggish phone, tablet, or computer can be even more irritating when trying to quickly complete a task. Maybe you want to snap a photo of something quickly with your smartphone, or you might not be able to navigate your computer for more than ten seconds without getting aggravated. Either way, slow devices are a hassle.
Read ahead to get a few ideas of what might be causing your devices to run slower than you would like:
Loads of Background Processes/Apps
One of the biggest culprits for slow devices is a large group of apps or programs hogging resources in the background. To defeat this common problem on your smartphone/tablet, find a task killer that can eliminate all running background apps with a touch of a button. Your stock task killer is likely not enough. On a computer, be sure to configure all non-essential software from starting when the computer does. You can edit your start-up programs by typing “msconfig” into a “Run” prompt.
Installing Newer, Heavier Operating Systems
Another culprit popularly associated with slow devices is installing operating systems that are too resource-heavy for older smartphones, tablets, or computers. Before installing the next, big operating system release for your device or computer, make sure the technical specifications match up to the software’s requirements. Failing to do so could result in a pretty lousy user experience and your growing frustration as the device slows down and isn’t performing how you had hoped.
Failing to Restart from Time to Time
It never hurts to turn your device or computer off and back on every once in awhile, either. You have probably already made it a habit to turn your computer off and on regularly, but what about your phone? Give your phone the chance to empty out its temporary memory and cache by turning it off and back on. Don’t wait until something goes wrong to try turning the phone on and off—give it a little rest every now and again.
Full Memory
Filling your phone/tablet’s memory or computer’s hard drive with files can also be a huge strain on the device. Be sure to uninstall any apps or programs that don’t serve a regular purpose, and get rid of any files that are just taking up space on the device. Obviously, there will be some apps or programs that you use more than others, but if you do a little searching, you’ll see that there are some you aren’t using at all. Picking and choosing your apps will help out a lot with speed.
Malware
Lastly, it’s a good idea to never rule out the possibility of malware being on a device. Malware is notorious for slowing various types of devices down due to hogging resources and slowing internet connections. Scan your device or computer using an anti-malware app/program and remove any threats that appear in the results.
In the modern day, we expect things to happen instantaneously and we get frustrated when our devices are “slow.” More than just catering to your impatience, monitoring your devices and what is slowing them down is necessary for proper device maintenance. If you want your device to last and serve you well, then you need to check up on these pesky things that try to slow down the device. As you clear away the junk, you make it easier for the device to run, and it’s more likely to last longer for you.
AUTHOR BIO: This article was written by Dixie Somers, a freelance writer who loves to write for business, finance, women’s interests, and technology. Dixie lives in Arizona with her husband and three beautiful daughters. Dixie got her advice for this article from the professionals of the Local Circuit, who specialize in computer repair in Denton, TX.
