Let’s face it, in the age of digital we expect our electronic devices to work at breakneck speeds, and if they aren’t cooperating at the necessary capacity to maintain our attention we’ll consider a hardware upgrade (if funds permit!). Nevertheless, few moments in life can be more frustrating than waiting for your archaic computer to load 3 reports when you’re pressed for time. Maybe you can go make a cup of jo while your computer loads those spreadsheets? Regardless of your situation, here are some key tips to help you improve your machine’s efficiency.
1. Remove the Junk
Your computer isn’t your house, you don’t need to hoard every last program and file like they are all sentimental relics passed down as family heirlooms. Instead, take some time to figure out what programs you use (or might use), then delete the rest. The same goes for your files – in bulk, documents, videos and photos take up a ton of space. One quick way to alleviate your concern of losing precious files in digital format is to purchase an external hard drive. External hard drives offer additional space and can be backed up with other external hard drives to ensure your files are securely stored.
2. Update your Operating System
This one should be automatic. Most modern computers will automatically update on their own but you should double check the settings to make sure this is happening with your device. For PC users you can do this through your Windows control panel, whereas Mac users can access this setting by opening system preferences. Furthermore, updating your operating system will help prevent your system from being overexposed to new viruses and malware.
3. Utilize a Video Converter
For video gurus, movie enthusiasts and film professionals that need to store large quantities of video data, it’s helpful to be aware of storage-saving software. It may sound counterproductive to add new software to your computer, but in this case, software comes to the rescue. Think of it as a return on investment in respect to your data storage. As it turns out DivX offers one of the best, free video converters on the market. But to which format should you convert your video files? The answer: HEVC. But how does this work? The DivX HEVC plugin allows users to compress video files by as much as 50% while maintaining the video quality – even up to 1080p.
4. Eat your Cookies
By “eat your cookies”, I really mean “clean them out” – or disable them on your browser setting altogether. If your unfamiliar with cookies, they are little pieces of information that your computer picks up from different websites you’re visiting. Over time, as you head to more and more websites, your system begins to accrue and store extra information. In aggregate, this data can really bog things down. Head to your browser settings and clear your cookies. This can usually be executed where you clear your browsing history…
5. Accelerate your Computer’s Startup Speed
This one sounds like a difficult task, but in reality it’s quite simple. Most people are unaware that many computer programs are set to automatically load upon startup. So, do you ever feel like starting your computer is like watching a turtle and snail complete a marathon? And then when you want to open a high priority application right away, everything else seems open first? For windows users type in msconfig and deselect the programs you don’t need to get your computer cooking.
