How to Improve Performance on a Slow Dell Computer or Laptop

Before You Begin

• Complete the Support Library quick steps first. They cover restarting, SupportAssist Boost performance, driver, BIOS, and Windows updates, freeing disk space, uninstalling programs, malware scans, cleaning air vents, thermal profiles, hardware diagnostics, startup programs, disk error checks, and browser cleanup. Go to the Make Your Computer Faster: Boost Performance and Speed Up Your PC support library page.
• Sign in as an administrator. Safe Mode and System Restore require administrator rights.
• Back up your personal data before Step Five and Step Eight.

Summary

A Dell computer runs slowly when its processor (CPU), memory (RAM), storage drive, or cooling cannot keep up with the work being asked of it, or when software, drivers, or settings waste those resources. This article explains how to identify which resource is the bottleneck, how to test for software causes with Safe Mode, how to use System Restore, how to decide whether a RAM or SSD upgrade will help, and how to restore factory settings as a last resort. It also answers common questions about slow computers.

Symptoms

Your Dell computer may have a performance problem if you notice one or more of these:

• The computer takes a long time to start, or is slow after you sign in.
• Applications take a long time to open or respond.
• Clicking, typing, or scrolling is delayed, or the computer stops responding.
• Shutdown or restart takes a long time or stops responding.
• Web browsers or other applications freeze or stop responding often.
• The computer was fast before and became slow suddenly.

Causes

The table below links each common cause to the place in this article or in the Support Library where it is fixed.

Why is my computer so slow?

A computer is slow when demand on its CPU, memory, storage, or cooling is greater than what it can supply. This can happen because the hardware is limited (for example, little RAM or an older hard disk drive), because software is using too many resources (background apps, malware, outdated drivers), or because heat is forcing the processor to slow down. Use Step One to see which resource is limiting performance on your computer, then use the table above to find the fix.

What is slowing down my computer?

Four resources set the speed of a computer: the CPU, memory (RAM), the storage drive, and temperature. Whichever one is running at or near its limit while the computer feels slow is the bottleneck. Background apps, startup programs, and malware are common reasons a resource becomes saturated. Do not guess. Step One shows exactly which resource is under load.

Why is my Dell laptop running slow?

In addition to the causes in the table above, laptops have several specific factors:

• Windows power mode set to save battery instead of performance (see Step Three).
• Reduced speed from heat when vents are blocked or dusty.
• Memory that is soldered to the system board and cannot be upgraded (see Step Six).
• An older model with a hard disk drive instead of a solid state drive (see Step Sevin).
• An AC adapter with lower wattage than the one supplied with the laptop (see Step Three).

Why is my PC running slow?

A PC can be a desktop, an all-in-one, or a laptop running Windows. The causes in the table above apply to all of them. On desktops and all-in-ones, also check for dust in the air vents and for external devices or docks that slow the system (see Step Two). Start with Step One to identify the bottleneck.

Why is my computer suddenly slow?

A sudden slowdown usually has a trigger. Common triggers are a recent Windows update, driver, or application install; malware; a drive that filled up after a large download or file transfer; overheating; or an early hardware failure. To find the trigger:

1. Open Reliability Monitor (Step One, option C) and look for errors or installs on the date the slowness began.
2. If the slowness began after a change, test in Safe Mode (Step Four) and then try System Restore (Step Five).
3. If you also see error messages or unusual drive noises, run the hardware diagnostics described in the Support Library.

Why does my laptop take so long to start?

A long startup is most often caused by too many apps and services loading at startup, a hard disk drive instead of a solid state drive, outdated drivers or BIOS, a nearly full drive, or corrupt operating system files. Check your drive type in Step One. If it is a hard disk drive, an SSD upgrade (Step Seven) gives the largest improvement. Steps to manage startup programs and update drivers and BIOS are in the Support Library page Make Your Computer Faster.

Why is my computer slow after startup?

After you sign in, Windows loads startup apps and runs background tasks such as updates, file indexing, antivirus scans, and cloud file syncing. On a computer with a hard disk drive, limited RAM, or many startup apps, this can make the computer slow for several minutes. If the slowness lasts long after sign-in, use Step One to see which resource is saturated. Steps to manage startup programs are in the Support Library page Make Your Computer Faster.

Resolution

The steps below are ordered from least disruptive to most disruptive. Each step can be done on its own. Dell Technologies recommends reading the warnings in each step before you begin.

How do I fix a slow computer?

Work in this order and stop when performance returns to normal:

1. Identify the bottleneck (Step One).
2. Rule out external devices (Step Two) and power settings (Step Three).
3. Test for software causes in Safe Mode (Step Four).
4. Roll back recent changes with System Restore (Step Five).
5. Add memory or a solid state drive if (Step One) shows that memory or disk is the bottleneck (Step Six and Step Seven).
6. Restore factory settings as a last resort (Step Eight).
7. Contact Dell Technical Support if the problem remains (Step Nine).

Step 1: How do I check what is slowing down my PC?

Short answer: Open Task Manager, select the Performance tab, and note which resource (CPU, Memory, Disk, or GPU) stays near its maximum while the computer is slow.

Option A: Task Manager Performance tab

1. Right-click the Windows icon and select Task Manager.
2. Select the Performance tab. If the left menu is hidden, select the menu icon in the upper-left corner.
3. Use the computer normally, or repeat the action that is slow, for a few minutes.
4. Select CPU, Memory, and Disk in turn and note the utilization shown in each graph.
5. Select Disk and read the drive type shown in the upper-right corner (HDD or SSD).

Option B: Resource Monitor

1. In the Search box type, Resource Monitor and open it.
2. Select the CPU, Memory, or Disk tab to see which processes use the most of that resource.

Option C: Reliability Monitor

1. In the Search box type, View reliability history and open it.
2. Look for red X marks (failures) and information icons (installs and updates) on or just before the date the slowness began.

How to read the results

Step 2: Disconnect external devices

Dell Technologies recommends disconnecting external devices before troubleshooting. This shows whether the problem is the computer or a connected device, such as a dock, printer, or external drive.

1. Shut down the computer.
2. Disconnect printers, docking stations, external drives, extra monitors, and other non-essential USB devices. Leave the keyboard and mouse connected if they are required.
3. Start the computer and test performance.
4. If performance is normal, reconnect the devices one at a time, testing after each, until the slowness returns.

Expected result: The device that is connected when the slowness returns is the likely cause. Check that device for updated drivers or firmware or contact its manufacturer.

Step 3: Set Windows power mode for performance

Power modes that favor battery life can reduce computer speed.

Windows 11

1. Right-click the Windows icon and select Settings > System > Power & battery.
2. Next to Power mode, select Best performance.
3. If Battery saver is on, turn it off.

Windows 10

1. Select the battery icon in the taskbar.
2. Move the power slider to Best performance.

Laptop AC adapter: Use the AC adapter that came with the laptop, or a Dell adapter with the same wattage. An adapter with lower wattage can cause the laptop to reduce its speed.

Expected result: The computer responds faster when plugged in on the Best performance setting. If not, go to Step Four.

Step 4: Test in Safe Mode

Safe Mode loads only essential drivers and apps. It shows whether slow performance is caused by software.

1. Save your work and close all applications.
2. Right-click the Windows icon and select Settings > System > Recovery. On Windows 10, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Recovery.
3. Next to Advanced startup, select Restart now.
4. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
5. When the Startup Settings screen appears, press 4 or F4 for Safe Mode, or 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
6. Use the computer for several minutes and compare its speed with normal mode.
7. Restart the computer to return to normal mode.

Expected result and next action:

• If the computer is fast in Safe Mode: the cause is most likely a driver or software. Go to Step Five.
• If the computer is still slow in Safe Mode: the cause is more likely hardware or operating system files. Go to Step Six, Step Seven, or Step Eight based on your Step One results.

Step 5: Use System Restore

System Restore returns Windows system files, installed applications, the registry, and settings to an earlier point in time. Windows creates restore points automatically when an application, driver, or Windows update is installed.

See Dell Knowledge Base article How to Use System Restore in Microsoft Windows.

If System Restore is not available: System Protection may be turned off, or no restore points may exist. Go to Step 8.

For more information, see How to Run System Restore in Microsoft Windows.

Step 6: Upgrade the computer memory (RAM)

Use this step only if Step One showed memory staying near its maximum.

NOTE: Some Dell laptops, including some Ultrabook models, have memory soldered to the system board. This memory cannot be replaced or upgraded.

See Dell Knowledge Base article How to Install or Upgrade RAM or System Memory in a Dell Computer.

Expected result: Memory usage in Task Manager stays well below its maximum during the same workload.

Step 7: Upgrade a hard disk drive to bigger mechanical hard drive or a solid state drive (SSD)

Use this step only if Step One showed that your drive type is HDD and disk usage stays near 100 percent. A solid state drive uses flash memory, reads and writes data faster than a hard disk drive, uses less power, and can extend laptop battery life. Upgrading can significantly improve performance.

A hard drive upgrade is often considered to increase the storage space or to enhance the performance of the computer. Upgrading from a traditional hard disk drive (HDD) to a solid state drive (SSD) helps improve the performance of the computer.

See the following hard drive specifications that must be considered before purchasing an upgraded hard drive.

• For mechanical hard drives:
  • Form factor - Mechanical hard drives come in either 3.5" used in desktops or 2.5" used in laptops.
  • Storage capacity - Hard drives come in a wide range of storage capacities, capping out at 18 TB per drive due to physical limitations.
  • Transfer speed - Many factors determine the performance of a consumer-grade hard drive, but revolutions per minute (RPM) is an important one. Higher RPM means faster transfer of data to and from the drive. For example, a 7200RPM drive is faster than a 5400RPM drive.
  • Cache - A larger cache enables the data to transfer faster because more information can be stored at one time. Modern hard drives can have cache sizes ranging from 8 MB to 256 MB.
• For SSDs:
  • Interface - solid state drives come in various interface types such as 2.5" SATA, mSATA, M.2 SATA, or NVMe.
  • Storage capacity - solid state drives come in a wide range of storage capacities.

The type of hard drive (HDD or SSD) that is supported on your Dell computer depends on the hard drive interface (Serial-ATA or SATA, mSATA, M.2 SATA, or M.2 NVMe) that is available on the system board. To learn what type of hard drive is supported on your Dell computer, see the technical specifications in the documentation of your Dell computer.

To buy a replacement hard drive from Dell, perform the following steps:

1. Browse to Self-repair, Maintain, or Upgrade Parts for Your Dell Device page.
2. Select Find Parts under Parts for your Dell.
3. Using the Drop-down menus select the Brand and Model of your computer, and then click Search, select Hard Drives & Storage to see the options available.
   NOTE: When you do not know the model number of your computer, see Dell Knowledge Base article How to find the product model number of your Dell computer.
   NOTE: When SupportAssist is installed on your computer, it identifies your computer and displays the Brand and Model under We detected your device. Select Browse Parts. and then select Hard Drives & Storage.

Step 8: Restore the computer to factory settings

Use this step as a last resort when slowness continues after the steps above. It reinstalls the operating system.

1. Back up your personal data.
2. Follow the instructions in Dell Knowledge Base article Repair and Restore your Computer Using SupportAssist OS Recovery.
3. After the restore completes, install Windows updates and the latest Dell drivers and BIOS (see the Support Library page How to Update Drivers on My Dell Computer).

Expected result: If the computer is still slow after a clean restore, the cause is likely hardware. Go to Step Nine.

Step 9: Contact Dell Technical Support

If the problem remains, go to Contact Dell Technical Support. Have this information ready:

• Your Service Tag.
• Any error code and validation code from Dell hardware diagnostics.
• The date the slowness began and anything that changed before it.
• The steps you already tried, including results from Step one and Step Four.
• Your Windows version.

Out of warranty? Go to Dell.com/support, enter your Service Tag, and view available offers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I fix a slow laptop?
Follow the order in the section How do I fix a slow computer? For laptops, also set Windows power mode to Best performance and confirm you are using the correct AC adapter (Step Three), keep the air vents clear and check the thermal profile (Support Library page), and check whether the memory is soldered before you plan a RAM upgrade (Step Six).

How do I fix slow computer performance?
Measure first, then fix. Run Step One to find the resource that is near its limit, then use the results table in Step One to go to the matching fix: more RAM for memory, an SSD for disk, cooling steps for heat, and Safe Mode and System Restore for software causes.

How do I fix a sluggish computer?
A sluggish computer responds late to clicks and typing. Test in Safe Mode (Step Four). If the computer is responsive in Safe Mode, a driver or software is the cause, so use System Restore (Step Five) and the update and startup steps in the Support Library. If it is still sluggish in Safe Mode, check memory and disk in Step One and run hardware diagnostics from the Support Library.

How do I speed up my computer?
Start with the software steps in the Support Library page Make Your Computer Faster. If the computer is still slow and Step One shows a memory or disk bottleneck, hardware upgrades give the largest gain: add RAM (Step Six) or replace a hard disk drive with a solid state drive (Step Seven).

How do I make my Dell laptop faster?

1. Set Windows power mode to Best performance (Step Three).
2. Use the correct Dell AC adapter (Step Three).
3. Keep vents clear, and drivers, BIOS, and Windows current (Support Library page).
4. Add RAM or an SSD if your model supports it and Step One shows the need (Step Six and Step Seven).

Can low storage make my computer slow?
Yes. Windows uses free drive space for virtual memory, temporary files, and updates. When a drive is nearly full, the computer slows down. The effect is larger on solid state drives. Dell recommends keeping about 10 to 15 percent of a hard disk drive free, and about 25 to 30 percent of a solid state drive free. See the Free Up Disk Space in Windows section in the Make Your Computer Faster support library page. If the drive is full of files you need, move files to external storage or upgrade to a larger drive (Step Seven).

Can more RAM make my laptop faster?
Yes, but only when memory is the bottleneck. More RAM helps if Task Manager shows memory staying near its maximum, or if the laptop slows down as you open more apps or browser tabs. More RAM does not help if the slowness comes from the CPU, a slow hard disk drive, heat, or malware. Some Dell laptops have soldered memory that cannot be upgraded. Check your User Manual and follow Step Six.

Related Resources

• Make Your Computer Faster: Boost Performance and Speed Up Your PC (Support Library)
• How to Install or Upgrade RAM or System Memory in a Dell Computer
• How to Get Rid of a Virus and other Malware from Windows computers
• Repair and Restore your Computer Using SupportAssist OS Recovery