Ubuntu Linux Lagging? Try My 10 Go-to Tricks To Speed It Up

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Unless you're utilizing a machine from nan '90s aliases early 2000s, typically speaking, Ubuntu runs very good connected astir machines. I've recovered it to beryllium reasonably predictable successful that respect. However, thing is perfect, and you mightiness tally into an lawsuit wherever nan open-source operating strategy doesn't execute up to your standards.

So, what do you do? Do you hop to a different distribution? You surely could, arsenic location are plentifulness of Linux distributions that work perfectly connected older hardware. If you want to instrumentality pinch Ubuntu, location are ways you tin eke retired a spot much velocity from that OS.

Also: Thinking astir switching to Linux? 10 things you request to know

What are they? 

Read connected and find out. 

1. Manage Startup Applications

One origin of slowdowns could beryllium excessively galore applications moving astatine bootup. Some of these applications are evidently basal (such arsenic Wayland), while others (especially GUI apps) whitethorn not be. Every exertion that runs uses strategy resources. Too galore startup applications could slow things down. 

Fortunately, Ubuntu ships pinch a Startup Applications utility, which makes it easy to alteration aliases disable applications that commencement automatically erstwhile you log in. When I request to make specified adjustments, I ever support startup applications to a minimum.

2. Use a lightweight desktop environment

OK, portion of nan logic why group usage Ubuntu (aside from it being 1 of nan astir reliable and user-friendly distributions) is because of nan desktop environment. The Ubuntu developers and designers person done a awesome occupation tweaking nan GNOME desktop to make it look and behave rather special. 

Also: Don't for illustration your Linux desktop? Here's really to instal an alternative

That being said, if you find your Ubuntu machine moving slowly, you tin ever opt to instal a different desktop environment, specified arsenic Xfce, Enlightenment, LXDE, LXQT, i3, Cinnamon, MATE, aliases Blackbox. Each of those lightweight desktop environments will beryllium considerably faster than nan default.

3. Use Preload

Preload is simply a daemon that learns really you usage your machine and past preloads often utilized applications into memory. This has nan effect of making those apps commencement faster. One caveat to support successful mind is that Preload will not make your strategy footwear faster, arsenic this is each astir applications. Preload is recovered successful nan modular repositories, truthful it's easy to install, and there's zero configuration necessary.  

4. Install ZRAM

ZRAM is simply a kernel module that allows you to create compressed artifact devices successful RAM. Essentially, what this does is summation nan usable RAM connected your strategy by compressing nan information stored successful RAM. When you usage ZRAM, you tin person much applications moving simultaneously, without affecting nan computer's speed. This is particularly adjuvant if you're utilizing a instrumentality pinch constricted RAM.

5. Clean unnecessary files

You should make a wont of cleaning up impermanent files, caches, and aged apt packages to free up retention abstraction and amended nan capacity of your machine. How you do this will dangle connected nan applications you use, but location are plentifulness of devices (such arsenic BleachBit) that greatly simplify this process.

Also: The champion Linux distros for beginners: You tin do this!

7. Remove unused software

At nan aforesaid time, you should remove applications you nary longer usage to trim nan load placed connected your system. I would propose you do this carefully, particularly if you're caller to Linux. You don't want to region a basal portion of software, which could origin problems pinch your computer. Think astir it this way: if it's a GUI exertion that has thing to do pinch immoderate benignant of strategy aliases personification settings, time off it alone. If it's an app you installed (and nary longer use), get free of it.

8. Disable ocular effects

Animations and different visual effects summation nan load placed connected your computer's GPU and CPU. You tin ever disable those effects to summation a spot much capacity from a low-end system. The location to do this is typically successful Settings > Accessibility > Seeing. Click nan On/Off slider for Animations until it's successful nan Off position, and you're done.

Also: When Windows 10 support runs out, you person 5 options but only 2 are worthy considering

9. Check for overheating

Now we commencement getting into nan beingness facet of nan process. I've knowledgeable respective instances wherever an overheating instrumentality caused important slowdowns. When that happens, nan rumor has almost ever been blocked instrumentality intake/outtake vents. Check nan backmost of your machine to spot if immoderate of nan vents are blocked pinch particulate aliases pet hair. If so, region it. If that doesn't work, cheque to make judge your computer's instrumentality is working. I've had instances wherever a instrumentality has gone bad, which led to overheating. After I replaced nan fan, everything went backmost to normal.

10. Consider hardware upgrades

When each other fails, upgrade. The minimum recommended strategy resources for Ubuntu are a 2GHz dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM, and 25GB of free difficult thrust space. If your instrumentality doesn't meet that, see upgrading truthful it does. However, don't spell for nan minimum. I would at least double nan magnitude of RAM and quadruple nan magnitude of free difficult thrust space. RAM is particularly important, but you besides don't want to upwind up pinch a afloat difficult drive, which tin bring a strategy to a halt.

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