Saturday, September 20, 2025

How to Speed Up Windows 11 (Performance Boost Guide)

 





How to Speed Up Windows 11 (Performance Boost Guide)

Windows 11 is modern and powerful, but sometimes it can feel slow or laggy due to unnecessary apps, background processes, or misconfigured settings.

This complete guide covers every step-by-step method to boost performance on Windows 11.

🔹 Step 1: Disable Startup Programs

  1. Right-click Taskbar → select Task Manager.

  2. Go to Startup apps.

  3. Disable all unnecessary apps (e.g., Spotify, Teams, and OneDrive if not needed).
    👉 This reduces boot time.

🔹 Step 2: Uninstall Unwanted Apps

  1. Press Windows + I → Apps → Installed apps.

  2. Uninstall bloatware (games, preinstalled apps, trial software).
    👉 Keep only essential programs.

🔹 Step 3: Adjust Visual Effects

  1. Press Windows + R → type:

    sysdm.cpl

  2. Go to Advanced → Performance Settings.

  3. Select Adjust for best performance or manually disable effects (e.g., animations, transparency).
    👉 Makes the UI faster.

🔹 Step 4: Enable Storage Sense

  1. Open Settings → System → Storage.

  2. Enable Storage Sense.

  3. Configure it to automatically delete temp files and recycle bin items.

🔹 Step 5: Free Up Disk Space

  • Run Disk Cleanup:

    1. Press Windows + S → type Disk Cleanup.

    2. Select drive C: → Check Temporary files, Windows Update cleanup, Recycle Bin → Click OK.

🔹 Step 6: Disable Background Apps

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps.

  2. Select unwanted apps → Advanced Options.

  3. Under Background app permissions, set to Never.

🔹 Step 7: Optimize Power Settings

  1. Press Windows + I → System → Power & battery.

  2. Change Power mode → Best performance.

🔹 Step 8: Defragment or Optimize Drive

  1. Press Windows + S → type Defragment and Optimize Drives.

  2. Select your SSD/HDD → Click Optimize.
    👉 For SSDs it runs TRIM, for HDDs it defrags.

🔹 Step 9: Disable Unnecessary Services

  1. Press Windows + R → type:

    services.msc

  2. You can disable services like:

    • Fax

    • Remote Registry

    • Windows Search (only if you don’t use search much).

⚠️ Don’t disable critical services.

🔹 Step 10: Update Windows & Drivers

  • Windows Updates:

    • Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates.

  • Drivers:

    • Use Windows Update or download from manufacturer website (Intel, NVIDIA, AMD, etc.).

🔹 Step 11: Disable Transparency Effects

  1. Settings → Personalization → Colors.

  2. Turn off Transparency effects.

🔹 Step 12: Increase Virtual Memory (Pagefile)

  1. Press Windows + R → type:

    sysdm.cpl

  2. Go to Advanced → Performance → Settings → Advanced → Virtual memory.

  3. Set custom size:

    • Initial size = Same as RAM (e.g., 8GB RAM → 8192MB).

    • Maximum size = 2x RAM (e.g., 8GB RAM → 16384MB).

🔹 Step 13: Use ReadyBoost (for HDD users only)

  1. Insert a USB drive.

  2. Right-click USB → Properties → ReadyBoost.

  3. Use it to improve system performance.

🔹 Step 14: Disable Notifications & Tips

  1. Settings → System → Notifications.

  2. Disable tips and suggestions.

🔹 Step 15: Advanced Tweaks

  • Registry Optimizations (Optional – for power users):

    1. Press Windows + R → type regedit.

    2. Navigate to:

      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Serialize

    3. Create a new DWORD: StartupDelayInMSec → Value = 0.
      👉 Removes startup delay.

Final Recommendations

  • Keep antivirus updated (Windows Defender is enough).

  • Regularly clean temp files (Win + R → temp, prefetch, cleanmgr).

  • Upgrade to SSD if still using HDD.

  • Add more RAM if performance is still slow.