Computer & device
Computer running slow? Try these first
Quick fixes (5 minutes)
- Restart properly. Select Start > Power > Restart. Shutting the lid or using Sleep isn't the same. Many slow computers simply haven't been restarted in weeks.
- Install updates. On Windows, go to Settings > Windows Update, install anything waiting, and restart. On a Mac, go to System Settings > General > Software Update.
- Close what you're not using, especially browser tabs. Dozens of open tabs use a lot of memory.
- Check your storage. On Windows, go to Settings > System > Storage. If the drive is nearly full, empty the Recycle Bin and move large files to OneDrive.
Is it the computer or the internet?
If only websites, Teams or email are slow but everything else is fine, it's probably your internet. See Internet or Wi-Fi not working?
Still slow?
Raise a ticket or chat with us. Tell us:
- the computer name if you know it (on Windows: Settings > System > About)
- when it's slow (all the time, at start-up, or in one program)
- anything that changed recently
For computers we manage, a technician can check the computer's health remotely, look for problems and run fixes, usually without needing to interrupt you. Any fix that needs to run on your computer is approved by a technician first.