Windows 10 Slow: Why Is My Computer So Slow All Of A Sudden [ 7+ How-To Fixes]

Computer or laptop is running slow all of a sudden! If you are bothered by the extremely slow and unresponsive Windows 11/10/8/7, you can solve your problem right now. Follow this tried and true guide, solve the slow issue and speed up the slow Windows 11/10/8/7.

Today I'm going to show you how to resolve Windows 10 slowly from scratch. When your computer running slow all of a sudden, it is frustrating. It is hard for beginners to figure out why the computer is so slow all of a sudden.

Overview - Computer Becomes So Slow All of A Sudden Windows 11/10

In this guide, I'll show you exactly how to troubleshoot Windows 10 running slow on your computer.

Why Is My Computer So Slow All of a Sudden

How often do you feel frustrated with your computer acting up, being slow, or freezing up? So why is my PC so slow all of a sudden?

If you are having the same doubt in your mind, the list here covers some top reasons. And it should give you a head start on understanding what causes slow performance specifically for Windows-based machines. Here are some common reasons why is Windows 10 suddenly running so slow:

• Your computer was running for a long time without a reboot
• Not enough free hard drive space
• Hard drive corrupted or fragmented
• The computer is infected with a Virus or Malware
• Too many background programs
• Computer or processor is overheating
• Your version of Windows or other software is out of date
• Bad network drivers, faulty or missing drivers
• Hardware failure...

Aside from bad network drivers, faulty or missing drivers for hardware elements may also cause your computer slow, such as the chipset, hard drive, hard drive controllers, graphics card drivers, etc. Follow the below quick fixes and full solutions, you'll efficiently get rid of Windows 10 slow issues from software and hardware aspects.

Read Also: Brand New ASUS Laptop Running Slow Windows 11

Quick Fixes for Windows 10 Running Slow Issue

Now that you have known the reason why your computer running slow Windows 10 or even not responding, you can follow the quick fixes to solve your problem and speed up your PC or laptop.

Method 1. Reboot your computer

If your computer has not been rebooted recently, make sure to reboot it before following any of the fixes below.

• Click the "Start" icon.
• Go to "Shut down or sign out > Restart."

Method 2. Scan for malware or viruses

If your computer is infected with one or more viruses, this can cause your computer to run slow. Use your antivirus software to scan your computer. You can also try to remove the virus without using antivirus software 

• Run the Windows Command Prompt with the Admin privilege.
• Type the command: attrib g:*.* /d /s -h -r -s and hit Enter. (Replace the drive letter g with your own external hard drive's drive letter.)

Method 3. Close background programs

One of the chief culprits for a slow computer can be too many programs running in the background. This could eat up your memory, processing power, laptop battery life, and internet bandwidth. Removing or disabling any TSRs and startup programs that automatically start each time the computer boots can efficiently speed up your PC.

To see what programs are running in the background and how much memory and CPU they are using:

• Press Windows + Ctrl + Del keys to open "Task Manager".
• View that is taking up the most memory in the Process bar.
• Choose useless ones and close them from running in the background.

Method 4. Update Windows 

Make sure that you have the latest Windows updates installed on your PC. If you are on the Internet when your computer is slow, make sure all browser plugins are up-to-date.

• Click the "Start" icon
• Go to "Settings > Update & Security settings > Windows Update".

Do these fixes remove your error? If they do, don't hesitate to share them with your friends.

Advanced Solutions Fix Windows 10 Slow All of A Sudden Error 

If the quick fixes fail to solve the computer or laptop running slow Windows 10, follow the advanced methods below to try out and speed up Windows 10.

Fix 1. Delete temp files

As a computer runs programs, temporary files are stored on the hard drive. Deleting these temp files can help improve computer performance. You can use Disk Cleanup to delete temp files, and you can also automatically delete temp files.

Fix 2. Free up Windows 10 disk space and increase C drive space

For some serious hard drive issues that might cause a hard drive overloaded and sluggish, you need the advanced help of professional toolkits! Here, EaseUS CleanGenius is recommended. Use it to clean up all the junk files at once for more free space.

1 - Clean up junk files

Step 1. Download and install EaseUS Partition Master Suite on your PC. Click to download PC Cleaner on panel.

Step 2. Install EaseUS CleanGenius on your PC. To begin with, navigate to "Cleanup" and click "Scan."

Step 3. EaseUS CleanGenius will start immediately to scan all the useless files, select system junk files and invalid entries, and click "Clean" over all your PC.

Step 4. Once completed, you can see clearly how many MBs or GBs of data are cleaned. Click "Done" to finish the process.

2 - Increase system C drive

If cleaning up junk files doesn't make too much free space for you, another effective solution to Windows 10 suddenly slow problem is to simply expand your C drive with EaseUS Partition Master. Do it with the following steps.

Step 1. Click "Adjust with 1-Click" to extend C drive.

When your C drive is out of space, hover your mouse over the C drive, you will see the Low Disk Space alert on EaseUS Partition Master. Click "Adjust with 1-Click" to extend it.

Step 2. Click "OK" to extend C drive automatically.

By clicking "OK", EaseUS Partition Master will automatically allocate space to your C drive to solve the low space issue.

Extra Option: You can also click "Manual Adjustment" to extend the C drive manually.

When turning to Manual Adjustment, select the C drive, and drag dots rightward to add more space to C drive. Click "OK" to confirm.

Step 3. Confirm to resolve low disk space in C drive

Click the "Execute Task" button at the top corner and start all pending operations by clicking "Apply".

Fix 3. Erase computer and start over 

If none of the above solutions resolves your issues, another option is to either reinstall Windows or erase everything and then start over.

Note: Do remember to back up data before you take action to erase data.

Erasing everything and starting over can increase performance by getting rid of old software or drivers that may be on the computer and causing the computer to be slow. Installing a fresh copy of Windows, software programs, and the latest drivers help verify there are no software related issues causing your computer to be slow.

Conclusion

Thanks to this guide, you don't need to spend hours searching for Windows 10 slow solutions. You have got everything you need to speed up your Windows 10/8/7 computers. As you can learn from this full guide, Windows slow issue is caused by many reasons and can be solved by many solutions. From all the solutions, I recommend Quick Fixes. These solutions are easy and effective. Most users can solve the computer running slow issue when they have restarted their computers.

Windows 11/10 Slow Related Questions

Let's take a look at the three hot questions that users are most concerned about Windows 10 slow problem.

1. Can I speed up my computer with Windows 10?

How to speed up Windows 10? Try effective solutions below.

• Restart your PC
• Install the latest Windows 10 update
• Change the power plan
• Disable startup programs
• Defragment and optimize drives
• Use ReadyBoost to speed up Windows 10...

2. How do I stop Windows 10 from lagging?

• Go to "Settings". Click "Update and Security".
• Go to Windows Update and click "Advanced options".
• Click on "Delivery Optimization", then choose "Choose how updates are delivered".
• Turn off "Updates from more than one place".

3. Why is my computer so slow all of a sudden?

A slow computer is often caused by too many programs running simultaneously, taking up processing power, and reducing the PC's performance. Virus infection, malware, hardware issue, high memory usage, etc., all could cause your computer to run slow.

4. How do you find out what is slowing down my PC?

Windows has a built-in tool named Performance Monitor which can assist you in viewing the computer's activity in real-time. Here is how to do so:

Open Run and type perfmon and click "OK". Once the Performance Monitor opens, go to Data Collector Sets and click "System", click "System Performance" and "Start". Let this tool test your computer, it'll last about 60 seconds. Then go to Report and click "System", you'll see the Performance report in the System Performance section.