Slow IT

Before you buy faster internet or new laptops, find where the delay is.

Slow IT can come from a laptop, the Wi-Fi, the internet link, an app or a cloud service. The fix depends on which, and guessing usually means paying for the wrong thing. Compare who is affected, which task and when, then change one thing at a time. Start with the triage tool below.

Microsoft details from Microsoft Learn and Microsoft Support, checked 31 October 2026.

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Compare, don't guess
Wi-Fi versus internet
Where-to-look triage

Reviewed by Blake Bath, General Manager, on 31 October 2026.

An office worker sits back with arms folded, waiting for her laptop to respond, while colleagues work behind her. — **Change one thing**Then repeat the same task. That's how you find the cause.

Start here

Three questions narrow it down fast.

Answer them before anyone buys anything.

Who is affected?

One person points to a device or account. A whole office points to the network or a shared service.

Compare a colleague
Same task
No shared logins

Slow IT triage

Where should you look first?

Four questions. You get the likely area, the next tests to run, and what to send IT.

Four questions about the slowdown. You get where to look first and the tests that narrow it down. A starting point, not a diagnosis.

Who is affected?

What is slow?

When does it happen?

Is it better on a network cable?

Look here first

The internet link, especially upload

During a bad call, check upload use, latency and packet loss, not just a speed test.
Look for backups or big uploads running at the same time.
Try the same task on a network cable. It quickly separates Wi-Fi from internet problems.

Send IT: the task, app, device, people affected, location, time, and any recent change. No passwords or client screenshots.

Get it looked at

Symptoms

Patterns, the next comparison, and what to record.

Pattern	Next comparison	Record for support
One person or device	Same task on another device or session	Device, account, app, and whether it differs
Several people in one office	Wired versus Wi-Fi during the problem	Location, connection type and time
One app everywhere	Service status; web versus desktop app	App version, error, affected workflow
Files or sync only	Local file versus shared file	File size, location, sync status
Calls fail at busy times	Upload use, latency and packet loss during calls	Call time, people, other transfers running

These point where to investigate. They are not a diagnosis.

Two different problems

Separate Wi-Fi from the internet link.

Compare cable and Wi-FiBetter on a cable points to the local wireless, not a faster plan.
Coverage and busy periodsPlacement, channels and the number of devices matter more than speed.
Measure during the problemUpload, latency and packet loss at the time, not a speed test at lunch.
Look for competing uploadsBackups and big syncs can fill the upload and break calls.

Evidence, not age

Devices and sync: measure the workload.

Find the resource under pressureCPU, memory, disk and free space while the slow task runs.
Check recent changesUpdates, drivers and new software, with IT.
Check sync statusQueues and errors in OneDrive. Don't unlink or delete folders to fix it.
Check what's syncingKnown Folder Move covers Desktop, Documents and Pictures, not Downloads by default.
Leave security onReschedule a clashing scan rather than disabling protection.

Windows 10 support ended on 14 October 2025. Extended Security Updates provide security fixes only. They don't make a slow device faster.

Our view

Most slow IT is fixable without buying anything.

When we investigate, the cause is often a full disk, a busy upload link during backups, a poorly placed access point, or a sync client stuck on one file. None of those are fixed by a faster plan or a new laptop.

We measure first, agree a change, then retest the same task. If something does need replacing, you'll know exactly why.

How we work

Fixing slow IT in five steps.

Step 1Describe it
Task, people, place and time.
Step 2Baseline
Measure device, network and app during the problem.
Step 3Change one thing
Agreed with you, with a way back.
Step 4Retest
The same task, the same way.
Step 5Review a month in
Check it stayed fixed.

Related guides

Performance in depth. Network, devices and cloud.

Where slowdowns usually live.

Get help your way

Six ways to reach us. Pick whichever suits you.

Helpdesk hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm AEST. On Advantage and above, emergencies get a response within 1 hour and outages within 2, with 24/7 best-effort escalation.

Questions

What people ask about slow IT.

Will faster internet fix slow computers?

Not necessarily. Faster download speed won't fix a full disk, poor Wi-Fi, a busy upload link or a problem with the app itself. Find where the delay is first.

Is a speed test enough to diagnose bad video calls?

No. Calls care about upload, delay (latency) and lost data (packet loss) at the moment of the call. A speed test is a snapshot of throughput.

Should we replace every computer over five years old?

Not on age alone. Check what the apps need, what the device is struggling with, its reliability and whether it still gets security updates.

Does OneDrive sync our Downloads folder?

Not by default. Known Folder Move covers Desktop, Documents and Pictures. Check your actual policies before assuming what is uploading.

Can we turn off antivirus or change DNS to speed things up?

Don't, without IT. Security tools and your DNS settings protect data and support internal systems. If a scan is clashing with work, reschedule it rather than switching protection off.

What should we send IT when something is slow?

The task, app, device, who is affected, where, when, and any recent change. Add a safe comparison or error message if you have one. Never send passwords.

Next step