Internet
Fact-checked

At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

How Do I Speed up Computer Software?

Jacob Queen
Jacob Queen

If you’re trying to speed up computer software, it’s usually a question of making computer hardware work more efficiently. This can be done by actually improving the hardware itself, reducing the number of tasks your computer is performing simultaneously, and by making sure everything is functioning at its peak. Depending on the kind of software you’re trying to speed up, there may also be some tweaks that will make it run faster for you, but that will vary quite a bit. The most general rule when trying to speed up computer software would be to set up your computer so that it can focus on whatever primary task you consider most important and consider improving your hardware if you need to.

There are many possible things that can lead to a slowdown in computer software performance, and in many cases, the first place to look is the quality of the computer you’re using. Software packages are generally updated on a yearly basis, and if you’re trying to use the newest software, chances are high that it was designed with more recent computer hardware in mind. This means you may not have enough random access memory (RAM), or processing power to run the software at peak efficiency. Sometimes when you find that your computer is getting a little outdated, you can do a hardware upgrade by buying additional memory, improving the processor, or something along those lines. In other cases, the computer in question may be too old to work with, or inconvenient to upgrade, and it may be better to simply buy a new system.

Adding more RAM may speed up computer software.
Adding more RAM may speed up computer software.

Another question you might need to ask when trying to speed up computer software is how many tasks your computer is performing at once. Every little thing your computer does at one time is going to have an effect on your overall performance. So if you’re trying to run a web browser, a photo-editing program, and a music player simultaneously, your computer may be a little overwhelmed. Even something like a high-resolution desktop picture can sometimes noticeably decrease system performance, especially on older computers.

Updates for tablet applications can be downloaded from the Internet.
Updates for tablet applications can be downloaded from the Internet.

In many cases, people can simply turn off applications to increase performance, but sometimes there are programs operating in the background that you may not know about. Some of these are necessary system processes, but others might be spyware or other malware programs. Running a system scan for the presence of these unwanted types of applications might help speed up computer software significantly. Various operating systems also have ways of checking the background programs and turning them off, but you should generally be careful in doing this to make sure you aren’t turning off something crucial to your system’s functioning.

Discuss this Article

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Adding more RAM may speed up computer software.
      By: Sergey Dashkevich
      Adding more RAM may speed up computer software.
    • Updates for tablet applications can be downloaded from the Internet.
      By: TAlex
      Updates for tablet applications can be downloaded from the Internet.
    • Some software can slow down hardware components that aren't designed to execute intense data instructions.
      By: Oleg Zhukov
      Some software can slow down hardware components that aren't designed to execute intense data instructions.