We're never averse to linking to other sites when content is good. In this case, one of the best, succinct lists of performance tips for Windows 10 that I've seen. When faced with a family member's computer seemingly on its last legs, most of us know a few tricks and things to look for, but wouldn't it be nice if there was a check list to follow, to make sure nothing was missed? This is what Mauro Huculak has attempted over on Windows Central - very successfully.

The full list is here, but a from the intro and index:

Although Windows 10 is a fast system (especially on modern hardware), at some point, the performance will start degrading as a result of many factors, including compatibility issues and bugs, viruses or other types of malware, hardware problems, and more.

If you notice that your device is getting slower, it does not necessarily mean you have to replace it immediately. A few simple software and hardware tweaks can significantly speed up the Windows 10 experience.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through 20 ways you can try to speed up, optimize, and improve the performance of your computer – whether it has an older or modern hardware configuration.

1. Restart device
2. Disable startup apps
3. Disable relaunch apps on startup
4. Disable background apps
5. Uninstall non-essential apps
6. Install quality apps only
7. Clean up hard drive space
8. Use drive defragmentation
9. Configure ReadyBoost
10. Perform malware scan
11. Install latest update
12. Switch to high performance power plan
13. Disable system visual effects
14. Disable search indexing
15. Increase page file size
16. Restore previous working state
17. Repair Windows setup files
18. Reset device to factory defaults
19. Upgrade to faster drive
20. Upgrade system memory

Well worth bookmarking, I think. And worth noting that the list is in a specific order, i.e, try the items at the top first and then work your way down. 

I've had to do this for so many people's PCs in the last 20 years that much of it is second nature - but regardless, when you're stressed out and technology is misbehaving, it's good not to miss something obvious!

What's also interesting is whether any of these are relevant for Windows 10 Mobile, or - indeed - any smartphone. I'd argue that nos. 1, 5, 6, 7, 11 at the very least are relevant. Even if no. 7 should read 'flash storage' for 'hard drive' - one of the most common phone slowdowns I've seen is when the OS runs out of flash memory for its temporary files. On a desktop, always keep 10GB free as an absolute minimum, on a phone, make that 2GB, I'd say.