Let Claude Find What’s Slowing Your PC
Seven prompts to find what’s slowing your computer and fix it safely with Claude
Hey smarties 👋
Your computer feels slow. You restart it, close a few tabs, and hope that was enough. This week, we’re taking a closer look: seven prompts to help Claude check what’s happening, decide what’s worth changing, and see whether a change actually helped.
In this MonDive
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THE BIG QUESTION
Why Is Your Computer So Slow?
When a computer starts lagging, the hard part is working out why. Is one app eating all the memory? Is the drive nearly full? Or does too much open every time you turn it on?
Claude can now help diagnose and fix those problems, the job an IT technician charges around $100 an hour to do. With computer use turned on, it opens the apps you allow, reads what’s on screen and works through them the way you would. Ask why your laptop is slow, and it checks memory, startup apps and storage, then tells you what’s most likely causing it.
BEFORE YOU START
Set Up and Access
How to get started:
Download Claude Desktop from claude.com/download and sign in. If you already have it, update to the latest version.
Go to Settings > Capabilities and turn on Enable computer use. In some versions, it’s under Settings > System > This computer.
Start a Cowork session: select Cowork in the message box, then describe your task.
Grant access to each app when Claude asks. Allow only the ones the task needs.
Computer use currently requires a Claude Pro or Max subscription.
On a Mac, also allow Claude under Accessibility and Screen Recording when macOS asks.
Note: Your computer has to stay awake, with Claude Desktop open, while Claude works. On macOS 15 or later, Claude works in background windows, so you can keep using your Mac.
THE PLAYBOOK
Speed Up Your Computer in 7 Prompts
Start with Prompt 1, then use the others to follow up on whatever looks unusual. Run them one at a time in the same Cowork session, so Claude can build on what it finds.
Prompt 1: Find Out Why My Computer Is Slow
Inspect my computer’s performance. Check CPU, RAM, storage, and background processes. Identify what’s slowing it down, explain the causes, and recommend fixes in order of importance.What it does: Claude opens Task Manager on Windows or Activity Monitor on a Mac, checks your storage and ranks what’s slowing you down. A short spike is normal. What matters is anything that stays high.
Prompt 2: Speed Up My Computer’s Startup
Review all applications that launch when I turn on my computer. Identify unnecessary startup programs and recommend which ones I can safely disable. Ask for approval before making changes.What it does: Claude checks the Startup apps tab in Task Manager on Windows, or System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions on a Mac, and waits for your OK. Turning an app off there only stops it opening at startup. The app stays installed.
Prompt 3: Stop Apps That Waste Memory
Check which applications are consuming the most RAM and CPU. Identify programs that are slowing down my computer and suggest safe ways to reduce their resource usage.What it does: Use it when one app keeps everything else waiting. On a Mac, Apple says yellow memory pressure in Activity Monitor means you might need more RAM, and red means you do.
Prompt 4: Free Up Storage Space
Open my computer’s built-in storage settings and check its cleanup recommendations. Identify temporary files, large downloads, and unused applications. Show me what can safely be removed, but don’t delete anything without my permission.What it does: Windows (Settings > System > Storage > Cleanup recommendations) and macOS (System Settings > General > Storage) already suggest what’s safe to remove, so Claude works from those instead of guessing. Check anything in Downloads or your personal folders yourself before deleting it.
Prompt 5: Make My Browser Faster
Inspect my browser’s extensions, tabs, and performance settings. Identify anything that could be making browsing slow and suggest improvements without deleting my passwords, bookmarks, or browsing history.What it does: Chrome and Edge have their own task manager (Shift+Esc on Windows) that lists every tab and extension by memory, the quickest way to spot the culprit. Claude suggests the changes, and you make them.
Prompt 6: Check for System Problems
Review my operating system’s update status, available security reports, and system health information. Identify outdated software, failed updates, or warning signs that could affect performance. Recommend safe fixes.What it does: Claude checks Windows Update and Windows Security on a PC, or Software Update on a Mac, and lists anything waiting for you. A clean screen is good news, but it can’t rule out every hardware problem.
Note: Back up your files before Prompt 7. Use File History or OneDrive on Windows, or Time Machine on a Mac.
Prompt 7: Give My Computer a Complete Tune-Up
Based on everything you’ve found, create a prioritized plan to improve my computer’s speed, startup time, and responsiveness. Apply only the changes I approve, avoid risky system modifications, and summarize the results.What it does: It turns everything Claude found into one plan and applies only the changes you approve. If Windows or macOS asks for your password or admin approval, that step is yours to do.
BEFORE YOU RELY ON IT
What Claude Can’t Fix
It sees what you see: Claude takes screenshots to find its way, so it can see anything open in the apps you allow. Close private files and apps before you start.
There’s no sandbox: Anthropic says nothing sits between Claude and your apps, and its safeguards aren’t absolute. Watch it work, and stop it anytime.
Keep approvals on: Cowork starts in Auto mode on Pro and Max. For a tune-up, switch the mode selector in the message box to Manual, so Claude asks before each action, and avoid Skip all approvals.
Some apps are off-limits: Trading and crypto apps are blocked by default, and you can block more.
Screen work is slow: Clicking through apps takes time, and longer jobs can need a retry.
It can’t fix hardware: Claude can’t help a computer that won’t start. If memory pressure stays red after a cleanup, the answer is more RAM or a new machine.
READER POLL
Last Edition’s Poll Results
Thank you to everyone who voted. Here’s how you rated the last MonDive.
Amazing!
66.7%
Good, but could be better.
33.3%
Not impressive.
0%
YOUR TURN
When you vote below, add a quick comment.
“What’s the one app that slows your computer down the most?”
Next week: We’ll share our favorite answer right here.
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Thanks for reading. See you next Monday.
