Many people seek to speed up their computers in order to achieve better performance and complete tasks as quickly as possible. At the same time, everyone needs to secure their operating system against viruses and cyber attacks. The best way to do this is by using antivirus and security software. But can these tasks conflict with each other? In other words, can antivirus programs affect the computer’s performance and speed? In fact, this is possible because any program or application running on a computer consumes a portion of the resources, such as the processor or RAM. However, antivirus programs are not always the cause of slowing down the computer. Here is an explanation of this issue and how you can enhance your computer’s security without compromising its performance.
Why Antivirus Programs May Affect Performance?
Antivirus programs need to work constantly in the background to protect the computer from viruses and malicious software from various sources, whether through the internet, external storage devices, or any other connected device. The concept of antivirus programs relies on comparing data on the operating system and various programs with a very large database, allowing them to detect malicious software and viruses. However, this process consumes a significant amount of processing power, RAM, and other device resources. But in return, it protects your device from virus infection.
At this point, we can say that security and antivirus programs may play a role in affecting the computer’s performance and slowing it down. However, considering the important benefits these programs offer, you may not be able to do without them at all. Here, you will need to look at other reasons that may affect the computer’s performance and address them first before blaming security programs. Here are some of the most important reasons.
Related: How to Temporarily Disable Security Software Without Uninstalling It
Running a Large Number of Programs
One common mistake among many computer users is running too many programs at the same time. This mistake is very detrimental because each program puts additional pressure on the system and device resources. For example, these programs could be a browser, media player, antivirus program, and other background programs that run automatically when the computer starts. All of this could lead to decreased performance and slow down the device.
Therefore, you should first stop running too many programs together at the same time, especially if your device capabilities are limited. Additionally, disable programs that run automatically when Windows starts. You can access these programs through Task Manager by pressing [Ctrl + Shift + Esc] and navigating to the Startup tab. Here, you will find the programs that require permission to run at startup, and to disable any program, right-click on it, and choose Disable.
To further enhance your computer’s performance, you can also reduce the number of background programs running, as they may affect the speed and performance of the computer. Easily disable them through Windows settings by clicking [Win + I], selecting Privacy, scrolling down to background apps, and clicking on it. Here, you can disable any program from running in the background by toggling the switch next to it.
Not Updating Your Operating System
Whether you are using Windows or another operating system, you must update it regularly whenever new updates are available. This is because poor computer performance may be due to a system problem that significantly affects it. These issues are often resolved in new updates, along with addressing security vulnerabilities. You can easily update Windows by going to Settings, selecting Update and Security, checking for new updates, and downloading and installing them on your device.
Issues with the Hard Drive
The hard drive significantly affects the speed of the computer because the data read and write speed plays a crucial role in the speed of the operating system and installed programs. Therefore, any problem related to the hard drive could lead to decreased device performance. You should ensure that you resolve any issues related to it, such as insufficient space, viruses, corrupted files, or high temperatures. You can also consider upgrading your hard drive to a faster type, which will greatly improve the speed and performance of the device.
Related: Computer Components That Should Be Upgraded to Speed Up the Computer
Preventing Security Programs from Slowing Down the Computer
