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How to Speed Up Windows 11: 10 Easy Tips

By David Park Jun 20, 2026 10 min read Windows

Windows 11 is a beautiful operating system, but it can slow down over time. Maybe your computer used to start up in seconds, and now it takes minutes. Maybe programs lag when you switch between them. Maybe you are seeing the spinning circle more often than you would like.

The good news is that you can fix most slowdowns yourself. These 10 tips will help you speed up Windows 11 quickly and easily. No technical skills required, and most of them are completely free.

Tip 1: Restart Your Computer Regularly

This sounds too simple, but it works. Restarting your computer clears the memory, closes background processes that are using resources, and installs pending updates. If you have not restarted your computer in weeks or months, do that first before trying anything else.

Do not use Shut down in Windows 11 - by default, it uses Fast Startup which does not fully reset everything. Instead, click the Start button, then the Power icon, and select Restart. This gives your computer a proper fresh start.

Tip 2: Disable Startup Programs

Many programs automatically start when you turn on your computer. Each one takes time to load and uses system resources. You probably do not need most of them right away.

Here is how to disable startup programs:

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
  2. Click the Startup apps tab on the left (you may need to click More details first)
  3. You will see a list of programs that start automatically
  4. Look at the Startup impact column - focus on the High and Medium ones
  5. Right-click any program you do not need at startup and click Disable

Safe to disable: Spotify, Adobe updaters, Discord, Steam, Skype, chat apps, printer software. Keep enabled: your antivirus, your touchpad or mouse drivers, and anything related to your graphics card.

Tip 3: Clean Up Disk Space

When your hard drive gets full, your computer slows down. Windows needs free space for temporary files, updates, and virtual memory. Aim to keep at least 15-20% of your drive free.

Use Storage Sense (automatic):

  1. Open Settings then System then Storage
  2. Turn on Storage Sense
  3. Click Configure Storage Sense or run it now
  4. Choose how often you want it to clean files (recommended: every month)

Clean manually:

  1. In the same Storage settings page, click Cleanup recommendations
  2. Check the boxes for temporary files, previous Windows installations, and recycle bin
  3. Click Clean up

You can also use the Disk Cleanup tool - search for it in the Start menu and select the files to delete.

Tip 4: Uninstall Programs You Do Not Use

Over time, you accumulate programs you no longer need. Each one takes up space and some run background processes that slow down your computer.

  1. Open Settings then Apps then Installed apps
  2. Sort by Size to see which apps take up the most space
  3. Go through the list and click the three dots next to any app you do not use
  4. Click Uninstall

Be careful not to uninstall anything that looks important (drivers, Microsoft Visual C++ redistributables, or anything with Microsoft in the name). If you are not sure, search online before uninstalling.

Tip 5: Adjust Visual Effects for Performance

Windows 11 has many visual effects - animations, shadows, transparent windows. These look nice but use system resources, especially on older computers.

  1. Open Settings then Accessibility then Visual effects
  2. Turn off Transparency effects and Animation effects

For even more performance:

  1. Search for Performance in the Start menu
  2. Click Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows
  3. Select Adjust for best performance (this turns off all visual effects)
  4. Or select Custom and uncheck specific effects you do not need

This makes Windows look less fancy but can significantly improve speed on older computers.

Tip 6: Scan for Malware

Sometimes your computer is not slow because it is old - it is slow because it has malware running in the background. Malware uses your computer resources to send spam, mine cryptocurrency, or perform other tasks without your knowledge.

  1. Open Windows Security (search for it in Start)
  2. Click Virus and threat protection
  3. Click Scan options and select Full scan
  4. Click Scan now and let it run (this takes 1-2 hours)

You can also download and run Malwarebytes for a second opinion.

Tip 7: Remove Bloatware (Pre-installed Apps)

New Windows 11 computers come with apps you probably do not use - Xbox, Clipchamp, LinkedIn, various games, and more. These can be uninstalled.

  1. Open Settings then Apps then Installed apps
  2. Find apps you do not use (Candy Crush, Spotify, Xbox, etc.)
  3. Click the three dots and select Uninstall

Some pre-installed apps cannot be uninstalled the normal way. For those, you can use PowerShell commands, but it is safer to just leave them alone if you are not comfortable with advanced methods.

Tip 8: Change Power Settings to High Performance

Windows sometimes limits performance to save battery, even when you are plugged in.

  1. Open Settings then System then Power and battery
  2. Under Power mode, select Best performance
  3. If you have a laptop, make sure this is set for both On battery and Plugged in

Tip 9: Upgrade to an SSD (If You Still Have an HDD)

This is the one tip that costs money, but it makes the biggest difference. If your computer still uses an old mechanical hard drive (HDD), upgrading to a solid-state drive (SSD) will make it feel like a brand new computer.

An SSD is much faster than an HDD at reading and writing data. Boot times go from 2-3 minutes to 10-15 seconds. Programs open instantly instead of taking 30 seconds. This is the single best upgrade you can do for an older computer.

You can buy a 500GB SSD for about $40-50 and a 1TB SSD for $80-100. If you are not comfortable installing it yourself, most repair shops will do it for $50-100.

Tip 10: Keep Windows and Drivers Updated

Windows updates often include performance improvements and bug fixes. Driver updates ensure your hardware works efficiently with the operating system.

  1. Open Settings then Windows Update
  2. Click Check for updates
  3. Install any available updates
  4. Also click Advanced options then Optional updates and install driver updates if available

When to Consider a Fresh Start

If you have tried all these tips and your computer is still slow, you might want to reset Windows. This reinstalls Windows 11 while giving you the option to keep or remove your files.

  1. Open Settings then System then Recovery
  2. Click Reset PC
  3. Choose Keep my files or Remove everything
  4. Choose Cloud download for a clean installation
  5. Follow the prompts to complete the reset

This gives you a completely fresh Windows installation and often resolves performance issues that nothing else can fix.

Conclusion

Speeding up Windows 11 does not have to be complicated. Start with a simple restart, then disable startup programs, clean up disk space, uninstall unused apps, and adjust visual effects. If your computer is still slow, scan for malware, remove bloatware, and check your power settings. For older computers still using a hard drive, upgrading to an SSD is the best investment you can make. These tips will help your Windows 11 PC run faster and smoother without spending money on new hardware.