There are several possible causes of a slow performing computer. The main culprit is usually a system drive full of unwanted files which are often leftover from an installation or uninstall.

Many Windows 8 users complain of slow performance in their computer even though the computer is equipped with adequate RAM and has powerful PC components. Let’s look at some solutions to fix this slow performance issue in Windows 8.

1. Go to the Desktop in Windows 8
2. Right-click on This PC
3. Click Properties
4. In the Control Panel window, locate and click Advanced System Settings (you will find it on the top left-hand side)
5. In the System Properties Window, click the Advanced tab
6. Under Performance, click Settings
7. Go to the Visual Effects tab
8. Click Custom
9. Remove check marks for all options except Smooth edges of screen fonts
10. Click OK

If that doesn’t help much you need to take a series of steps to resolve the slow performance issue

Take a look at your antivirus tool

Antivirus software can hog lots of system resources. You need to look at the resources used by your antivirus program and check the locations it is scanning more frequently. For example, if you are using virtual machines like Virtual box or VMware, ensure the folders of these machines are excluded from the scanning list.

To check the resources used by your antivirus program, use a Process Monitor offered by Microsoft that analyzes the processes and the resources used. If you find the antivirus is burdening your system, consider changing your antivirus tool and go for one that is lighter on resources but still effective.

Remove unwanted entries from Startup

Several programs run in the background and hog system resources without your knowledge. You can find out more about these programs from Startup. Microsoft has overhauled the Task Manager in Windows 8 and 10. The Startup component is part of Task Manager in Windows 8. To remove unwanted entries in Startup, do the following:

1. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and you will see the Task Manager option
2. You can also right-click the Task Bar to access Task Manager
3. Open Task Manager
4. Click More details
5. Go to Startup tab

The Task Manager uses a color scheme to inform you about the resources used by each program/process. The darker the color, the more resources are being used by the program. Look for any programs that you don’t want to get started automatically

1. Select any unwanted program from the list
2. Right-click on it and select Disable
3. Follow this for all unwanted startup entries

You may find that your computer speed increases significantly after making these changes. Please comment below if you have any other tips to speed up a Windows 8 PC.