Why does your computer seem slower every year? And what can you do?

Have you started to feel like your phone or computer is getting slower lately? You’re not alone. As the years go by, devices tend to slow down a bit. Tech giants would like us to assume that it’s all about the same old device and that we should just upgrade to their latest, superior device.

But don’t rush into upgrading — there’s usually more to the story. There are a number of factors that contribute to poor performance, from infrequent software updates to clutter. We’ll cover the most common reasons why your device slows down and how you can take practical steps to get it back up to speed and improve performance. Check out Are you looking to upgrade your smartphone? Questions to ask before you do.

1. Operating system updates and increased resource requirements

When you first open the box of your phone, laptop, or other device, you’ll find that everything works smoothly as it should. The operating system is perfectly optimized for that device. But over time, tech companies release new models with better processors, more memory, fancier cameras, and so on. So operating systems like Windows, iOS, and Android are updated to take advantage of these upgrades, which is great for newer devices but can make older devices struggle to keep up with the processing required.

You’ll feel lag and slow response times more on phones than others, as phone manufacturers seem to release new models every year. While they focus on the latest phones, older phones don’t always get software updates specifically designed to match their specs. Updates can require resources they don’t have, and before you know it, your once-fast phone will start to feel slower.

iPhones have a slightly better advantage with Apple’s long support cycles. However, Apple phones may eventually struggle with the latest versions of iOS as the software outperforms the older components under the hood over the years.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can try to revive a slow device. Upgrading your computer’s RAM or storage can give it a new lease on life. You can also skip non-critical updates if you think a few might slow things down. For really old devices, lightweight Linux distributions for PC or custom Android ROMs may work better than standard versions.

2. Your storage space is more crowded

It’s easy to download apps just to try them out and then forget about them altogether. The problem is that these unused apps take up space on your phone, with some running in the background and using up your phone’s resources even when you’re not really using them. To make matters worse, unnecessary apps that come preinstalled (and can be difficult to remove) also contribute to a lot of clutter. App updates also waste storage space in the long run. As developers add new features and tweak old ones, app sizes tend to balloon over time. While updates usually improve things, they also use up more storage space and potentially system resources.

In addition, modern high-end smartphones, with their advanced cameras capable of capturing 4K footage, exacerbate the problem. Just one minute of 4K video can eat up a gigabyte in a short time, and that’s without taking into account all your other files.

When your storage space gets close to full, it starts to cause problems. The system has a harder time finding available space to save new items, which leads to fragmentation that slows everything down. You may notice apps taking longer to open or slower performance in general.

Clearing cached app data is one way to free up storage space and speed up your backup process. It’s also worth reviewing which apps you’re still using. If you haven’t opened something in a while, it’s time to uninstall it. If your device is still running slow after that, a factory reset will help completely wipe out its data and may help fix performance issues from all the junk that’s built up. You can also keep large files like photos and videos in the cloud or on an external drive instead of internal storage. Check out the best portable SSDs available for more storage space.

3. Your expectations change as technology advances.

The insane pace of technological advancement means we’re always seeing newer, faster devices and more powerful apps. This constant exposure can subtly change what we consider “fast” or “smooth.” A device that wowed us two years ago might now seem a little slow, not because your phone has slowed down, but because your frame of reference has changed with all the newer stuff.

I think all the hype from tech companies doesn’t help either. They’re always talking about the latest and fastest thing. This makes any stuttering or lag more noticeable, even if it didn’t bother you before. A brief stutter or app loading that you didn’t care about before really stands out now.

To combat this perception, it’s a good idea to check how your device is performing its basic functions. Is it still doing what you need it to? Or is the slowdown holding you back rather than feeling a little annoyed and stressed out by high expectations? Recalibrating your perspective can help you avoid feeling frustrated about normal performance.

4. Planned obsolescence may affect the performance of your device.

The idea of ​​planned obsolescence has been around since the early 20th century. Basically, it means that tech companies design products with limited lifespans, either through technical limitations or by constantly releasing “new and improved” versions, so that older versions actually look old.

With electronic devices like phones, planned obsolescence can happen in several ways. One is to make the devices difficult or expensive to repair, so it’s easier to replace them when something goes wrong. Another is to use marketing to make older devices look weak compared to newer versions, even if the older devices still work fine.

If you want to fight planned obsolescence, we have some practical tips that can help. The suggestions are easy things you can do to make the things you buy last longer before you feel pressured to upgrade or make unnecessary purchases.

5. Your device may be infected with malware.

These days, sneaky malware tries to be stealthy rather than seek attention. Gone are the flashy screens and instant crashes of old. Modern malware developers know that they need to fly under the radar to increase their shady profits. So, they design their creations to do their dirty work quietly in the background, using barely enough resources to keep various tasks hidden while still achieving their mischievous goals. These sneaky background tasks slowly eat away at your device’s speed. You may not notice the change from day to day, but as months or years pass, it becomes clear that things aren’t as fast as they used to be.

Some malicious malware even targets the startup process. By adding itself to boot files, it automatically launches every time you turn on your device, causing longer boot times and a sluggish feel right from the start.

In this case, you should run regular malware scans with a reputable antivirus application. Also pay attention to how your device performs over time. Noticeably slower performance, sudden increases in data usage, strange pop-ups, or faster battery drain could all be signs that your device has been infected with malware. You can now read Why You Don’t Need to Spend a Lot on a Laptop Even Though I Have an Expensive One.