Is Your Computer Slow? Quick Speed‑Up Methods (Windows 10/11)

Symptoms of a slow computer

If your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC is running slow, here are the signs: long boot times, apps opening slowly, and frequent 100% disk or CPU usage. This guide explains how to speed up Windows safely using proven methods.

• Boot takes longer than 60–90 seconds
• Apps freeze; Task Manager shows high CPU, memory, or disk
• Browser tabs are slow; pop‑ups or extensions consume resources

Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc and sort by CPU, Memory, and Disk to find bottlenecks.

Quick fixes to make Windows faster (5–10 minutes)

1) Disable startup programs

1. Open Task Manager → Startup apps.
2. Disable non‑essential items: Spotify, Discord, Adobe Updater, game launchers, etc.
3. Reboot to see a faster startup time.

2) Clean temporary files (Storage Sense)

1. Go to Settings → System → Storage.
2. Enable Storage Sense; run Cleanup recommendations.

3) Uninstall bloatware & heavy apps

1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
2. Sort by Size or Install date and remove unused programs.

Clean junk files & fix high disk usage

Disk Cleanup (classic)

1. Press Win + R, type cleanmgr, press Enter.
2. Select drive C:, tick Temporary files, Delivery Optimization, Thumbnails, etc.

Check drive health (SMART)

wmic diskdrive get model,status

If status is not OK, back up data and consider replacing the drive.

Keep enough free space

Maintain at least 15–20% free space on your system drive. Low space can cause slow performance and 100% disk usage.

Update Windows & drivers to improve performance

Windows Update

1. Open Settings → Windows Update and install updates.
2. Reboot; if performance drops, roll back the problematic update via Update history.

GPU & chipset drivers

• Use GeForce Experience / AMD Software / Intel Driver & Support Assistant.
• For laptops, check the manufacturer’s support page for model‑specific drivers.

Remove malware & adware safely

1. Run Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Quick scan.
2. Use an on‑demand scanner (e.g., Malwarebytes Free) to remove adware and PUPs.
3. If issues persist, boot to Safe Mode with Networking and scan again.

If your homepage or search engine keeps changing, reset your browser and remove unknown extensions.

Speed up Chrome/Edge: reduce browser bloat

1. Disable or remove heavy/unknown extensions.
2. Clear cache/cookies for “All time”.
3. Use the browser’s Task Manager (Shift + Esc in Chrome) to find resource‑hungry tabs.

Power settings, heat & hardware health

Choose the right power plan

On laptops, use Balanced for battery life or Best performance when plugged in.

Thermal tips

• Keep vents clear; remove dust if fans are loud.
• Use a cooling pad and avoid soft surfaces that block airflow.

Memory pressure

If RAM sits at 80–100% with just a few apps, upgrade memory to avoid constant swapping.

Optional performance tweaks

• Search indexing: Limit indexed folders to reduce background activity.
• Background apps: Set permissions to Power optimized.
• Visual effects: Choose performance‑friendly settings.

Best upgrades: SSD & RAM

• SSD upgrade: Huge improvement over HDD—faster boot and app launches.
• RAM upgrade: 8 GB minimum; 16 GB is the modern sweet spot.

We can install SSDs, migrate data, and add RAM. Get a Quote.

FAQ

Will these steps delete my files?

No—steps above are safe. Still, always keep backups.

Should I use optimizer/registry cleaner tools?

We don’t recommend most of them. Windows’ built‑in tools and reputable scanners are safer.

When is a reset worth it?

If problems keep returning after scans/updates or the system is deeply corrupted, a Reset this PC (keeping files) can help.