The laptop slows down and slows down: what to do in 2026?

Has your laptop suddenly started to hesitate when opening tabs, programs take forever to launch, and the cursor jerks like a drunk? Don’t rush to take it to the service center - in 80% of cases the problem can be solved on your own in 10-30 minutes. We have collected all current reasons, why a laptop can slow down, and arranged them from the simplest to the most complex. Even if you have never delved into the settings, follow the instructions in order.

Modern laptops Windows 10/11, macOS or Linux can slow down for dozens of reasons: from a clogged browser cache to a dying SSD. In this article - concrete steps with explanations of which actions are safe for beginners, and where it is better not to take risks without experience. For convenience we have added interactive checklists, polls and warnings about common errors.

1. Check CPU and RAM usage

The first thing to do is determine which resource is a “bottleneck”. You don’t need software for this: built-in tools are enough.

On Windows click Ctrl + Shift + Escto open Task Manager. Go to the tab Performance and look:

• 🔥 Central processing unit (CPU): if the load is constantly above 80%, something is “eating” resources.
• 🧠 Memory (RAM): if 90%+ of the available capacity is occupied, the laptop does not have enough RAM.
• 💾 Disk: Loading to 100% for longer than 5 minutes is a sign of problems with the drive.

On macOS open System monitoring through Spotlight (Cmd + Space) → enter “Monitoring”. Pay attention to the tabs CPU, Memory And Disk.

⚠️ Attention: If there is a process in the Task Manager System Interrupts or DPC Watchdog Violation loads the CPU by 20%+, this may indicate driver problems (especially network cards or USB devices).

2. Close unnecessary programs and background processes

A common cause of brakes is background applications, which you didn't even launch. For example, Skype, Discord, OneDrive or NVIDIA GeForce Experience can consume up to 30% CPU in the background.

How to clean the system:

• 🚫 Close browser tabs: one tab with YouTube in 4K it can eat up 1-2 GB of RAM.
• 🔄 Reboot your laptop: This kills hung processes (especially relevant for Windows).
• ⚡ Disable startup:
  • B Windows: Start → Task Manager → Startup → disable unnecessary ones.
  • B macOS: System Preferences → Users and Groups → Login Items.

If after these steps the laptop still slows down, proceed to the next step.

3. Check your laptop for viruses and malware

Viruses and mining bots can secretly use up to 90% of laptop resources for cryptocurrency mining or DDoS attacks. Signs of infection:

• 🤖 The laptop slows down even on simple tasks (for example, Word).
• 🔋 The battery discharges 2-3 times faster than usual.
• 🌐 Suspicious network traffic (checked in Task Manager on the Network).

How to check:

1. Built-in antivirus:
   • B Windows: Start → Windows Defender → Full Scan.
   • B macOS: use XProtect (built-in protection) or Malwarebytes.
2. Third party utilities:
   • Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool (free portable version).
   • Dr.Web CureIt! - does not require installation.

⚠️ Attention: Some "cleaners" (for example, CCleaner) can themselves be a source of problems. After scanning with antivirus be sure to reboot laptop - some viruses disguise themselves as system processes.

4. Clean your disk from junk and optimize your system

Over time, it accumulates on the disk browser cache, temporary files, old updates and duplicates. This not only takes up space, but also slows down your work.

Cleaning methods:

Method	Windows	macOS	Linux
Built-in cleaning	Start → Settings → System → Storage → Clean Now	Finder → Programs → Utilities → Disk Utility → First Aid	sudo apt autoremove && sudo apt clean
Clearing browser cache	Ctrl + Shift + Del in Chrome/Firefox	Cmd + Shift + Del in Safari	~/.cache (delete manually)
Removing old updates	Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr)	~/Library/Updates (delete)	sudo apt-get autoclean

For deep cleaning in Windows you can use the command:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

This command repairs damaged system files (may take up to 30 minutes).

5. Update your drivers and operating system

Outdated drivers are one of the main reasons for slowdowns, especially after updating Windows or macOS. For example, a video card driver from 2020 can reduce performance by 40%.

How to update drivers:

• 🖥️ Video card (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel):
  • Download the latest version from the official website (NVIDIA GeForce Experience, AMD Adrenalin or Intel Driver & Support Assistant).
  • Remove old drivers via Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program.
• 🔌 Other devices:
  • B Windows: Device Manager → Update Driver (select "Automatic search").
  • B macOS: Driver updates arrive via Software update.

For Windows It is also critical to install the latest updates:

1. Click Win + I → Update and Security → Windows Update.
2. If updates are stuck at 0%, try downloading them manually from the website Microsoft by link.

What should I do if, after updating the drivers, my laptop starts to slow down even more?

Driver rollback: In Device Manager, select the device → Properties → Driver → Rollback. If the option is inactive, remove the driver and reboot: Windows will install the basic version.

6. Check the status of your hard drive or SSD

If your laptop is older than 3-4 years, there is a good chance that the drive is worn out. Signs:

• 🐢 The laptop freezes for 10-30 seconds when opening files.
• 🔊 The hard drive (HDD) makes clicking or squeaking noises.
• 📉 Read/write speed has dropped by 2-3 times (checked by the program CrystalDiskMark).

How to diagnose:

Disk type	Checker program	Critical indicators
HDD	CrystalDiskInfo or Victoria	“Pre-refusal” status, quantity Reallocated Sectors > 10
SSD	SSDLife or HWiNFO	Wear > 80%, quantity Program Fail Count growing

If the disk actually dies:

• 💾 Make a backup immediately important data (use Macrium Reflect or Time Machine for macOS).
• 🔧 Replace the drive on SSD (even budget Kingston A400 will speed up the laptop 3-5 times).

7. Add RAM or optimize its use

Lack of RAM is one of the most common causes of slowdowns. How to understand that there is not enough memory:

• 📊 In the Task Manager Memory constantly loaded at 90%+.
• 🖥️ The laptop starts to lag when opening 3-4 browser tabs + Word/Excel.
• 💻 Swap file (pagefile.sys) takes up tens of gigabytes of disk space.

Solutions:

1. Add RAM:
   • Check the maximum amount of RAM for your model on the manufacturer's website (for example, Crucial System Scanner).
   • For office tasks, 8 GB is enough, for games/editing - 16 GB+.
2. Optimize your current memory:
   • B Windows: turn off visual effects (Settings → Accessibility → Transparency effects).
   • Use lightweight programs (for example, LibreOffice instead of Microsoft Office).

⚠️ Attention: If you are adding a RAM stick to an existing one, make sure that:

• 🔹 They have the same frequency (for example, DDR4-2400).
• 🔹 The volume is the same (for example, 4 GB + 4 GB, not 4 GB + 8 GB).

Otherwise the memory will work in single channel mode, which will reduce productivity by 15-30%.

8. Reinstall the system or return to factory settings

If all else fails, the last resort is: clean OS installation. This will remove all programs, viruses and system junk, returning the laptop to its original speed.

How to reinstall Windows 10/11:

1. Download Media Creation Tool from the site Microsoft and create a bootable USB flash drive (requires 8GB+ USB drive).
2. Boot from the flash drive (click F2, F12 or Del when turning on to enter the BIOS and select the boot device).
3. Select Custom Install and format the drive C: (all data will be deleted!).

For macOS:

1. Reboot the laptop with the Cmd + R (recovery mode).
2. Select Reinstall macOS (Internet connection required).

After reinstallation:

• ✅ Install drivers first of all (especially the chipset and video card).
• ❌ Do not install “optimizers” like Advanced SystemCare - they often become the cause of the brakes themselves.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about laptop brakes

🔋 Why does the laptop slow down on battery power, but works fine on mains power?

This is due to energy saving settings. In battery mode, Windows or macOS automatically reduces CPU and graphics card performance to extend battery life.

How to fix:

• B Windows: Control Panel → Power Options → High Performance.
• B macOS: System settings → Battery → Optimize video streaming (disable).

⚠️ But remember: this will reduce battery life by 20-40%.

🎮 The laptop slows down in games, although the hardware is powerful. What to do?

The reasons may be different:

1. Throttling (frequency reset due to overheating). Check temperatures with program HWMonitor — if the CPU/video card heats up above 90°C, the thermal paste needs to be cleaned or replaced.
2. Outdated drivers. Update your video card driver via NVIDIA GeForce Experience or AMD Adrenalin.
3. Background processes. Close Discord, Steam, Chrome and other programs through the Task Manager.
4. Game Settings. Disable ray tracing (Ray Tracing) and lower the resolution to 1920×1080.

💻 How to find out which component is slowing down your laptop?

Use these diagnostic tools:

Problem	Checker program	Critical indicators
CPU	HWMonitor, Core Temp	100% load when idle, temperature > 95°C
RAM	MemTest86	Errors in the test (even 1 error = malfunction)
Disk	CrystalDiskInfo	Pre-refusal status, read speed <50 MB/s
Video card	FurMark, 3DMark	Artifacts on the screen, low FPS in tests

🔄 The laptop slows down after updating Windows. How to roll back?

If the brakes started after the update, you can return the old version:

1. Open Settings → Update & Security → Recovery.
2. Click Start See the "Go back to a previous version of Windows" section.
3. Follow the instructions (takes 20-40 minutes).

⚠️ This is only possible during 10 days after the update. If the option is not available, you will have to reinstall the system from a flash drive.

🛠️ Is it worth taking your laptop to a service center if it slows down?

Contact the service if:

• 🔥Laptop overheats (turns off due to high temperature).
• 💥 Yes physical damage (for example, after a fall).
• 🔧 Needed replacement of components (thermal paste, cooler, SSD).
• 🐛 Do you suspect virus, which is not removed by antiviruses.

In all other cases (software brakes, garbage in the system), you can handle it yourself.