How to Fix Your Laptop: Remedying the Most Common Issues

There are many issues that can befall one’s computer, and there’s a solution for everyone. We’ll teach you how to fix your laptop no matter the issue.

Did you know that the computer repair industry was valued at nearly $18 billion in 2020? This number is expected to increase in the upcoming years as laptops become more complex and need more thorough maintenance procedures.

But when it comes to common issues, do you know how to fix a laptop? Some problems can be solved locally by the owner, without having to take the laptop to a repair shop. If you don’t know how to fix common PC issues, keep reading to find out.

Laptop Overheats and Shuts Down

This happens a lot of times, especially when you’re playing games or watching high-resolution videos. Today’s laptops come with fans to cool them down when they get too hot. When proper ventilation is obstructed in some way, the laptop overheats.

It will also shut down to protect its internal components. You can avoid this by placing the laptop on hard surfaces. This allows proper air circulation and the laptop might not overheat. Placing the laptop on soft surfaces, such as your lap, obstructs airflow.

If the problem persists even if you keep the laptop on a table, you might want to take a look at the fan. Its blades might get filled with dust and this prevents proper ventilation. Use a handheld vacuum cleaner to suck the dust out of your laptop’s fan and this should solve the problem.

Laptop Runs Very Slowly

This can be caused by various issues. Most commonly, your laptop has been infected and third-party programs are running in the background. As a result, your laptop has little to no resources available for running your applications.

Make sure that you install an antivirus program and perform a thorough scan. This should find malware or viruses and eliminate them. You might have picked up these viruses when you downloaded files from unverified sources.

Another reason why your computer is slow is because of too little RAM. The RAM memory is responsible for running applications and programs. If you have too little RAM, there is less space for complex programs and your laptop will be slow. Adding at least 4GB or more of RAM memory will fix this issue.

Laptop Has Poor Internet Connection

An internet problem is easy to fix, but you have to diagnose it properly. If you try to navigate the internet and you get error messages, try the most basic thing – restart your laptop. This should work in most cases.

If after restarting your PC you still have no access to the internet, try to power off your router. Wait for 30-60 seconds then power it back on. This should reset the router’s settings and allow you to enjoy internet connectivity again.

If the problem persists, check to see if your Wi-Fi connectivity is turned on. Some old laptop models have a button to turn the Wi-Fi on and off. If the Wi-Fi is on, check to see if you’re connected to the right network.

Lastly, if nothing works, you can run your laptop’s built-in troubleshooter and attempt to diagnose the problem. Maybe you need to install additional drivers before connecting to the internet. Talking with the guys from your ISP could also help if it comes to the worse.

Laptop Freezes and Takes No Commands

This is a common problem as well. Even if you have a powerful laptop, at some point it might freeze and become unresponsive, no matter what keys you press. In such scenarios, restarting the laptop seems like the best solution.

But why would a laptop freeze in the first place? One answer is that you’re running too many applications and programs at once. Another reason is that it loads your next game, web page, or program, so you have to wait for a while.

A real problem is when your laptop freezes several times each day. In this case, you should scan for malware and see if this fixes the issue. You might also want to consider expanding the memory of your laptop as this is what might cause it to become unresponsive.

It’s highly recommended to keep your operating system updated too. Make sure that you routinely download and install the last updates and security patches. These updates will fix security vulnerabilities and make your laptop run faster.

Ideally, you should back up your files in the cloud to prevent hackers from stealing or erasing your data. Read here what is time machine backup and how it can help you preserve your files.

Laptop Battery Gets Drained Too Quickly

One of the best things about laptops is that you can use them anywhere, anytime. This is possible because of their batteries that provide power for hours. However, if your laptop battery lasts too little, this can be a problem.

First of all, make sure that the battery is fully charged. Run it through a few charging and discharging cycles, especially if the laptop is new. Secondly, pay attention to what apps you use when the battery is drained too quickly.

For example, certain games or video-editing programs can drain your battery in one or two hours. You should either open these applications when you’re next to a power outlet or limit the impact they have on your battery. This can be done from the app’s settings or your laptop control panel.

If the battery still gets drained too quickly, it might be old and worn-out. You might need to take your laptop to a repair shop and get a new battery that’s compatible with your laptop model. If your laptop is older than 2-3 years, the battery might need to be replaced.

Now You Know How to Fix a Laptop!

As you can see, it’s easy to fix a laptop once you have diagnosed the problem correctly. It’s a matter of having patience and knowing that each laptop or computer problem has a solution. Contrary to the popular belief, hitting your laptop won’t make it work better, so don’t try that!

For more useful tips and tricks on how to deal with your laptop, make sure that you check out the other articles on our website.