How to Fix HP Laptop Running Slow [2021 Guide]
Is your HP laptop performing slowly or lagging for no apparent reason? You’re not the only one who feels this way. Similar issues have been reported by many people, and they are rather widespread.
The good news is that certain known solutions are available. Continue reading to find out what they are…
Try these fixes…
Other customers have reported success with the following remedies for the “HP Laptop Running Slow” issue. You might not need to try all of them; simply work your way down the list until you discover one that works!
2: Check for memory-hogging programs
3: Disable unnecessary startup items
4: Keep your laptop up-to-date
Fix 1: Restart your laptop
This may seem self-evident, but we want to make sure we start with the basics before moving on to more sophisticated topics. It’s very critical to restart your laptop every two to three days, especially if it’s performing slowly.
Your computer’s RAM will be flushed, your CPU will be freed up, and any recent updates will begin to take effect when you restart your laptop.
If restarting your laptop doesn’t repair the problem, move on to the next step.
Fix 2: Check for memory-hogging programs
High RAM utilization isn’t generally a cause for concern, but if your laptop is slow, it’s conceivable that some apps have taken up too many resources, preventing your laptop from running at a higher speed. Here’s how to look for memory-intensive programs:
1. Right-click your taskbar and select Task Manager from the drop-down menu.
2. Look for processes that are consuming a lot of RAM under the Processes tab. Take Chrome, for example, and right-click it before selecting End Task.
Check to see if your laptop performs faster now that you’ve closed the time-consuming programs.
If that’s the case, try not to run all of those programs on your laptop at the same time. When your laptop is already slow or you want to keep it from becoming slower, multitasking is not a good idea.
If turning down memory-hogging programs doesn’t help, move on to the next step.
Fix 3: Disable unnecessary startup items
Excessive starting programs and services can cause your laptop to run slowly. It’s possible that some of the startup tasks were operating in the background. As a result, even if you aren’t using resource-intensive programs, your laptop may be slow. Here’s how to find the starting things you don’t require and disable the ones you don’t:
1. Right-click your taskbar and select Task Manager from the drop-down menu.
2. Move to the Startup tab, and disable the items you don’t need at startup.
3. Reboot your laptop.
Check to see whether your laptop is still slow. If this doesn’t work, try the next step.
Fix 4: Keep your laptop up-to-date
Every now and again, Windows Update pushes out new updates. You should always apply available updates so that specific system issues can be repaired, which will help your laptop work more smoothly. Simply follow these simple instructions:
1. Type update into the search bar next to your Start button, then click Check for updates.
(If the search bar isn’t visible, click the Start button and it will appear in the pop-up menu.)
2. Any available updates will be scanned by Windows. You’ll see a You’re up to date indicator if there are no available updates. You may also select View all optional updates to see if any are available and apply them if necessary.
If updates are available, select Install updates.
3. Allow it to take effect by restarting your computer.
If this doesn’t work, move on to the next step.
Fix 5: Clean up your hard drive
Your laptop may slow down if your hard disk is full or if there are too many old programs and files on it. Regularly cleaning out your hard drive can assist, and there are two things you can do:
2: Use cloud storage for large files
1: Use the Disk Cleanup tool
The Disk Cleanup tool is a built-in function of Windows that is simple to use. Here’s how to do it:
1. Type disk cleanup in the search bar next to the Start button, and then choose Disk Cleanup from the list of results.
2. The Disk Cleanup program scans your files and displays what can be deleted.
Before you delete any files, make sure you go over them thoroughly.
Tip: If you want to clean up your hard drive with a professional tool, we recommend CCleaner. It’s simple to use and does an excellent job of removing unnecessary files.
2: Use cloud storage for large files
Large files, such as films and project files, can take up a lot of storage space. Consider employing cloud storage services for massive files that aren’t used frequently.
For Windows users, Microsoft OneDrive is a good option. You can join up for a free 5GB plan or pay $1.99 per month for a 100GB plan. If you require additional storage, an Office 365 subscription includes a 1000GB option.
If clearing your hard disk doesn’t help, move on to the next step.
Fix 6: Update your drivers
Your laptop may slow down if any of your drivers are too old to perform the required activities. This is when your drivers must be updated.
You can get the correct drivers for your laptop in one of two ways: manually or automatically.
Manual driver update – You may use Device Manager to update your drivers. To test the issue, install any available updates as Device Manager suggests and restart your laptop.
Automatic driver update – If you don’t have the time, patience, or computer skills to manually update your drivers, you can use Driver Easy to do it for you. Driver Easy will automatically detect your system and identify the drivers that need to be updated, as well as your Windows version, before downloading and installing them correctly:
1) Download and install Driver Easy.
2) Launch Driver Easy and select Scan Now. After that, Driver Easy will check your computer for any problem drivers.
3) To automatically download the right version of the drivers, click the Update button next to the flagged drivers. You can then manually install them (you can do this with the FREE version). For example, if I want to update my graphics driver and network adapter drivers, I may do it by clicking Update and following the prompts.
Alternatively, you can select Update All to have all the missing or out-of-date drivers on your system immediately downloaded and installed. (The Pro version is required for this, which includes full support and a 30-day money-back guarantee.) When you click Update All, you’ll be asked to upgrade.)
Tip: The Pro version of Driver Easy comes with full technical support.
If you need assistance, please contact Driver Easy’s support team at support@drivereasy.com.
For the new drivers to take effect, restart your laptop. If updating drivers does not resolve your issue, proceed to the next step.
Fix 7: Scan for virus and malware
Viruses and malware will not only slow down your laptop, but they will also expose it to risks such as data leaking and security assaults. To protect your laptop from being hacked, you should run malware scans on a regular basis.
It can be done in a variety of ways. You may inspect your laptop with Windows Defender and eliminate anything that isn’t working. If you want professional antivirus software, here are some suggestions:
If scanning for viruses and spyware doesn’t help, try the last option.
Fix 8: Clear browser cache
If your laptop is slow, especially when you’re viewing the web, it’s probably due to an overabundance of cache. Clearing your browser cache is straightforward and only takes a few minutes. The procedures for doing it in Chrome are shown here, but they should be similar in other browsers. (You can also open this window by pressing Ctrl and Shift and Delete on your keyboard in most browsers.)
Hopefully, this post was helpful in resolving your issue, and your HP laptop is now up and running! If you have any questions or recommendations, please feel free to leave a remark.