Increasing the Speed of Thinkorswim Platform

Introduction

• Presenter: Josiah from easycators.com
• Topic: Tips to increase the speed of the Thinkorswim platform
• Context: Josiah experienced slow performance on the Mac version after a recent update
• Goal: Share various methods to improve Thinkorswim's performance

Method 1: Collect Garbage

• Navigate to the Help screen in Thinkorswim
• Go to the System page and click 'Collect Garbage'
• This clears memory and frees up space
• It happens automatically but can be manually triggered
• Not highly effective but worth trying

Method 2: Adjust Quote Speed

• Suitable for swing traders and long-term investors
• Common advice is to increase quote speed, but this uses more resources
• Steps:
  • Go to Application Settings > System
  • Adjust quote speed (options: real-time, fast, moderate)
• Reducing quote speed helps save system resources
• Psychological benefit: Reduces emotional trading by avoiding constant quote updates

Method 3: Adjust Memory Settings

• Restart Thinkorswim and go to the launch screen
• Go to Settings > Memory Usage
• Adjust minimum and maximum memory allotment
• Example: 6000 MB = 6 GB
• Set values based on your system's RAM (e.g., 8 GB RAM can allow 4-6 GB for Thinkorswim)

Method 4: General System Optimization

• Ensure your system meets Thinkorswim's requirements
• Upgrade system if needed
• Conserve system resources:
  • Reduce the number of monitors or lower their resolution
  • Close unnecessary programs
  • Turn off unnecessary system features

Method 5: Clear User GUI Folder

• Locate the Thinkorswim folder in Program Files (Windows) or Applications folder (Mac)
• Find and delete the usergui folder
• Backup the Thinkorswim folder before deleting
• The folder will be rebuilt on the next launch, improving performance

Method 6: Modify thinkorswim.vmoptions File

• Locate and open the thinkorswim.vmoptions file in a text editor
• Copy and paste optimized settings
• Example settings: min RAM 1024 MB, max RAM 2048 MB
• Backup the Thinkorswim folder before making changes
• Potential for performance improvement

Additional Tips

• Upgrade internet speed (e.g., 100 Mbps fiber)
• Regular system upgrades as needed

Conclusion

• These tips aim to help improve Thinkorswim performance
• Biggest impact observed from clearing the user GUI folder and upgrading internet speed
• For more tips and feedback, visit easycators.com

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