Three ways you can speed up your Windows computer

Simply deleting programs or switching off system services will achieve hardly any speed increases in the case of modern operating systems.

There are plenty of oft-repeated tips for speeding up a faltering computer, but many no longer apply to today's devices.

Simply deleting programs or switching off system services will achieve hardly any speed increases in the case of modern operating systems such as Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, according to a recent test by PC Magazin.

However, there are a few things you can do if your Windows computer has slowed to a crawl. Here are three of them:

Install an SSD hard drive

Replacing the old magnetic disk with SSD memory is usually the most effective way to accelerate your system. Windows and programs will both start faster and the time required to open and save documents is also reduced.

Tweak the autostart

By going into the Task Manager, Windows 10 users can see which programs are automatically activated when the computer starts up. The fewer this is, the quicker startup will be so it makes sense to keep the number of programs which autostart at a minimum.

Adjust the performance options

In Windows 10 type "performance" in the search box on the taskbar and select "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows." Many settings can be chosen here which can help the computer run a little faster, for example by turning off the animation of menus. — dpa