How to Speed Up Windows 11 (Performance Boost Guide)

 

1. Disable Startup Apps (Major Speed Boost)

Many apps automatically run when Windows starts, slowing down the boot time.

Steps:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager

2. Go to Startup Apps

3. Disable apps with High or Medium impact

4. Restart your PC
   

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2. Turn Off Background Apps

Windows 11 allows apps to run in the background and consume RAM.

Steps:

1. Go to Settings

2. Click Apps → Installed Apps

3. Select an app → Advanced Options

4. Set Background Apps Permissions to Never

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3. Clean Temporary Files (Storage Boost)

Windows generates many temp files that slow down the system.

Steps:

1. Press Windows + R → type:

   temp
   

2. Delete all files

3. Again press Windows + R → type:

   %temp%
   

4. Delete all files

5. Empty the Recycle Bin

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4. Enable Storage Sense

Storage Sense automatically deletes junk files.

Steps:

1. Open Settings → System → Storage

2. Turn on Storage Sense

3. Click Configure and enable

   • Temporary file cleanup

   • Automatic recycle bin delete

   • Cache removal

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5. Uninstall Unnecessary Apps

Remove apps you don’t use.

Steps:

1. Go to Settings → Apps → Installed Apps

2. Sort by Size

3. Uninstall large apps you don’t need

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6. Disable Visual Effects (For Low-End PCs)

Windows animations look good but slow down performance.

Steps:

1. Press Windows + R, type sysdm.cpl

2. Go to Advanced → Performance Settings

3. Select Adjust for best performance

4. Apply

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7. Update Windows and Drivers

Old drivers cause slowdowns.

Steps:

1. Go to Settings → Windows Update

2. Install updates

3. Open Device Manager → Update drivers for:

   • Graphics

   • Network

   • Chipset

   • Bluetooth

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8. Run Disk Cleanup

Steps:

1. Search Disk Cleanup

2. Select your C drive

3. Tick:

   • Temporary internet files

   • Windows update cleanup

   • Thumbnails

4. Clean files

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9. Disable SysMain (for HDD users)

SysMain boosts SSD performance but slows HDDs.

Steps:

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc

2. Find SysMain

3. Right-click → Stop

4. Set Startup Type: Disabled

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10. Scan for Viruses or Malware

If your PC suddenly becomes slow, malware may be the cause.

Steps:

1. Open Windows Security

2. Click Virus & Threat Protection

3. Run a Full Scan

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11. Defragment Hard Drive (HDD Only)

Steps:

1. Search Defragment and Optimize Drives

2. Select HDD

3. Click Optimize

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12. Increase Virtual Memory (RAM Boost)

Useful if your PC has less than 8GB RAM.

Steps:

1. Press Windows + R, type sysdm.cpl

2. Go to Advanced → Performance Settings

3. Open Advanced tab → Virtual Memory

4. Set Custom Size:

   • Initial Size: 2048

   • Maximum Size: 4096

5. Apply

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13. Disable Auto-Start Apps from Settings

Steps:

1. Go to Settings → Apps → Startup

2. Turn off unnecessary apps

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14. Turn Off Notifications You Don't Need

Steps:

1. Settings → System → Notifications

2. Disable notifications from apps you don’t use

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15. Upgrade to SSD (Best Speed Boost)

If your PC still feels slow, upgrading to an SSD is the biggest improvement.

✔ Boot time becomes 10x faster
✔ Apps open instantly
✔ System performance becomes smooth

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16. Add More RAM

If you are running 4GB or 8GB RAM, upgrading to 16GB will significantly improve performance.

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17. Reset Windows 11 (Last Option)

If nothing works:

Steps:

1. Settings → System → Recovery

2. Reset this PC

3. Choose Keep my files

4. Reinstall Windows