Windows Running Slowly

Windows Running Slowly

Use this when: Everything is sluggish — apps take an age to open, typing lags, the machine feels bogged down.

Steps

Do this

What should happen

1. Restart (not Shut Down), then use it normally for ten minutes.

Resolves most slowness. Do not skip it.

2. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) > Processes and sort by CPU, then Memory.

The heaviest items rise to the top.

3. Close what you recognise, are not using, and did not need — especially browsers with many tabs.

This is usually the single biggest win.

4. Check for a pending update or restart: Settings > Windows Update. Install and reboot if one waits.

A half-applied update runs in the background and drags everything until it is finished.

5. Check free disk space: Settings > System > Storage.

Below about 10% free, Windows slows badly. Go to “Low Disk Space” if you are near that.

6. Restart your browser if it has been open for days.

Browsers grow heavier the longer they run.

If that did not work

One process you do not recognise sits at the top constantly. Do not force-quit at random. Screenshot the list and put it in your ticket.

It hangs on one specific app every time. That is an app problem, not a Windows one — name the app in the ticket.

Still slow after a restart, updates, and free space. Ticket point. It may be hardware or a machine due for a refresh.

Important: Do not install “PC cleaner”, “optimiser”, or “driver updater” tools. They range from useless to malware. If your machine needs cleaning up, we do it through the managed tools.

Log a ticket

MEDIUM — Same day — Still slow after restarting, updating, and freeing space. Include a screenshot of Task Manager.


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