My Computer or Laptop is Running Slowly

Overview

If your computer or laptop has become slow, freezing, or taking a long time to open programs, there are several simple steps you can try before contacting the ICT Service Desk.

Many performance issues can be resolved in just a few minutes.

Common Symptoms

You may experience one or more of the following:

Programs take a long time to open.
Outlook is slow to load.
Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge freezes.
Files take a long time to open.
The computer is generally sluggish.
The mouse or keyboard is slow to respond.
Applications display "Not Responding."

Step 1 – Restart Your Computer (Recommended)

Restarting your computer clears temporary files, refreshes system resources, and installs pending updates.

Save any open work.
Click Start.
Select Power.
Click Restart.

Do not simply close the laptop lid, as this often leaves the computer running for weeks without restarting.

After restarting, check whether performance has improved.

Step 2 – Close Unused Programs

Having many applications open at once can slow your computer.

Close programs you are not currently using, such as:

Google Chrome (unused tabs)
Microsoft Edge
Adobe Acrobat
Excel
Word
Teams
Other applications you no longer need

Leaving fewer programs open allows your computer to perform better.

Step 3 – Reduce Browser Tabs

Having dozens of browser tabs open can consume a large amount of memory.

Try to:

Close tabs you no longer need.
Close extra browser windows.
Bookmark pages instead of leaving them open.

Step 4 – Check Your Internet Connection

If only websites or cloud applications are slow, the issue may be your internet connection rather than your computer.

Try:

Opening a different website.
Disconnecting and reconnecting to Wi-Fi.
Moving closer to the wireless access point if working remotely.

If everything else is fast except websites, it may be a network issue.

Step 5 – Allow Windows Updates to Finish

Your computer may be installing updates in the background.

If you see messages such as:

Working on updates
Installing updates
Restart required

Allow the update process to finish before continuing to work.

Step 6 – Check Available Disk Space

A nearly full hard drive can affect performance.

To check:

Open File Explorer.
Click This PC.
Check the free space on the C: drive.

If the drive is almost full, contact the ICT Service Desk for assistance.

Step 7 – Disconnect Unnecessary USB Devices

External devices can occasionally affect performance.

If not required, disconnect:

USB drives
External hard drives
Unused docking station accessories
Card readers

Step 8 – Restart Microsoft Teams

If only Microsoft Teams is slow:

Close Teams completely.
Wait a few seconds.
Open Teams again.

Step 9 – Restart Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge

If only your web browser is slow:

Close all browser windows.
Re-open the browser.
Test again.

Step 10 – Be Patient After Signing In

Immediately after logging in, your computer may still be:

Loading your profile
Syncing OneDrive
Opening Teams
Starting Outlook
Applying security updates

Waiting 2–5 minutes after logging in can significantly improve performance.

Still Having Problems?

If your computer is still slow after completing the steps above, please contact the ICT Service Desk.

When submitting your request, include:

Your computer name (if known)
Whether the issue affects all programs or only one application
When the problem started
Whether a restart improved the issue
A screenshot of any error messages (if applicable)

Frequently Asked Questions

My computer is only slow when using Outlook.

Try restarting Outlook first. If the issue continues, restart your computer.

My computer is only slow on Wi-Fi.

The issue may be related to your internet connection rather than the computer itself. Try moving closer to the Wi-Fi access point or reconnecting to the network.

My laptop becomes slow after being on for several days.

This is common if the computer has not been restarted recently. Restarting regularly helps maintain performance.

How often should I restart my computer?

For best performance, restart your computer at least once a week, or sooner if you notice it becoming slow.

Need More Help?

If these steps do not resolve the issue, please submit an ICT support request. Providing as much detail as possible will help us diagnose and resolve the issue more quickly.

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LAPTOP OR COMPUTER SLOW? TRY THIS