Why is my computer so slow?
Working out which of the five real causes applies to your machine, rather than guessing at fixes.
beginner30 min2 min read
Technology
Phones, laptops, home networks and accounts — with a bias towards fixing what you have rather than replacing it, and towards security advice that is actually worth the effort.
590 guides
Will an SSD make my old laptop faster?
Why it is the single most effective upgrade on an old machine, when it is not, and what to check before buying.
intermediate20 min4 min readHow do I choose a laptop?
Which specifications actually affect how a laptop feels to use, which are marketing, and how to match a machine to what you'll do with it.
beginner45 min3 min readWhy does my wifi keep dropping?
Separating a router problem from an interference problem from a broadband problem, and fixing each.
beginner40 min2 min readHow do I fix a laptop that won't charge?
Isolating whether it is the charger, the port, the battery or the software, in that order.
beginner20 min2 min readHow do I get a printer working with a new computer?
Get it on the network first, then add it — and why the manufacturer's software is usually unnecessary.
beginner30 min2 min readHow do I get on top of an overflowing inbox?
Archive the backlog, then reduce what arrives — processing thousands of old emails is not the job.
beginner1 hr2 min readHow do I make a video call work properly?
Upload speed, not download, plus the camera and lighting fixes that cost nothing.
beginner25 min2 min readHow do I move my data to a new phone?
The transfer itself is easy; what gets left behind is not. What to sort out before you wipe the old phone.
beginner1 hr 30 min2 min readHow do I organise photos so I can find them later?
Why folders fail and search succeeds, the one date convention that makes everything findable, and getting years of backlog under control.
beginner3 hr3 min readHow do I report a scam text, email or website?
The free UK reporting routes for texts, emails, calls and fake websites, which one to use for what, and why reporting is worth the two minutes.
beginner10 min3 min readHow do I secure my home WiFi?
The router settings that matter for security — the admin password, encryption type, firmware updates and guest networks.
beginner45 min3 min readHow do I set up a computer for someone older?
Fewer choices, larger text, and a way for you to help remotely — plus the conversation about scams.
beginner1 hr 30 min2 min readHow do I set up emergency contacts and medical information on a phone?
The lock-screen medical record every modern phone has, what to put in it, and the other emergency features worth turning on.
beginner20 min4 min readHow do I speed up a slow phone?
What actually makes a phone feel slow, in order — storage, background apps, updates and battery health — and what to do about each.
beginner30 min2 min readHow do I stop a thief who has seen my passcode from taking over my phone?
Street phone theft is not about the handset. A thief who watched you type your passcode can reset your accounts, drain your wallet and lock you out of your own life — unless you have turned on the specific protections that stop exactly that, which take ten minutes.
beginner25 min8 min readHow do I stop paying for streaming I do not watch?
Find them all, rotate rather than stack, and the cancellation trap that catches people.
beginner30 min2 min readHow do I stop unwanted notifications?
Turn everything off and add back only what earns it — the approach that actually reduces the count.
beginner25 min2 min readHow do I test my broadband speed properly?
Most speed tests measure your wifi, not your broadband — how to test the thing you are actually paying for.
beginner20 min2 min readHow do I transfer photos off my phone?
Getting photos onto a computer or drive properly, and verifying the transfer before deleting anything.
beginner45 min2 min readShould I upgrade my computer or replace it?
The two upgrades that transform an old machine, and the point at which spending more stops making sense.
beginner25 min2 min readWhat do laptop specifications actually mean?
The four numbers that matter, what they do, and the ones that are mostly marketing.
beginner20 min2 min readWhat happens to my photos if I stop paying for iCloud or Google One?
What actually happens over the days and weeks after payment stops, the state your phone is left in, and the order to do things so nothing is lost.
beginner20 min4 min readWhy does my computer take so long to start up?
Startup programs, a full drive and an old hard disk — the three causes, and which one an upgrade actually fixes.
beginner30 min2 min read
Going deeper: DecisionHQ
Product and option comparisons with explicit criteria, rather than a single recommendation.
DecisionHQ is in development — GuideHQ covers the practical answers in the meantime.