Back up your files and make note of any programs you will want to reinstall. You can use a free system information utility to see the specs of your hardware. These tools are helpful if you’re planning on replacing hardware so that you don’t have to open your computer just to check on things. For example, if you want more RAM, you can use a system info tool to confirm the type and amount you already have so you know what to buy.

If you want to improve the system performance as much as possible, you can exclude specific locations to prevent the indexer from using resources excessively. Viruses and malware are known to slow down your computer’s performance. In an age where most people won’t notice faster CPUs and graphics processors, solid-state storage will offer the single biggest boost in overall system performance for most people. Since most devices running Windows 11 already feature a Solid-State Drive (SSD), I won’t talk about how upgrading from a traditional hard disk drive (HDD) will make a difference. While Windows provides various built-in tools for performance optimization, using a comprehensive solution like Glary Utilities simplifies and enhances the process. Its features cover everything from cleaning up junk files and managing startup items to optimizing memory and repairing the registry.

It’ll automatically defragment mechanical hard drives in the background. Solid-state drives don’t really need traditional defragmentation, although modern versions of Windows will “optimize” them — and that’s fine. After you complete the steps, the system will optimize the computer for gaming by turning off non-essential processes to free up more resources.

It’s worth noting that Microsoft says the gaming performance gain will vary by search device, depending on the hardware configuration and other factors. In contrast, on high-end workstations, you may not experience significant performance gains, but turning off visual effects can still lead to a snappier user interface. Once you complete the steps, opening, minimizing, maximizing, closing, and other actions will no longer feature animation effects, making the system feel like it’s more responsive. The Ultimate Performance power mode is designed to deliver the highest possible final fantasy performance for demanding tasks, such as gaming or content creation. This plan optimizes your system to reduce micro-latencies—small delays that can occur due to power management adjustments, ensuring smooth performance even under heavy workloads.

Distance Learning Upgrades for your Laptop

Fortunately, optimizing your Windows performance is absolutely achievable, and you don’t need to be a tech expert to do it. This guide will walk you through practical, actionable tips suitable for all levels of Windows users, helping you improve and maintain your PC’s speed and efficiency. Laptops tend to slow down faster than desktops due to their design differences, largely impacted by size. If malware sneaks into the system, it can cause significant damage, ranging from sluggish performance to startup failures. If you suspect your Windows 11 device is infected, running a full antivirus scan is critical.

Or, let Norton Utilities Ultimate help speed up and clean up your machine automatically so you can enjoy more space and faster performance. Disabling visual effects can free up resources and improve performance. If your PC feels like it’s taking forever to open apps or load websites, you’re not alone.

Adjusting these settings can significantly improve performance, especially on older machines. You’ll lose some of the better visuals but your computer will run smoother, and you likely won’t notice the difference. These simple steps on how to speed up your PC (Windows 11) can make a big difference, especially if it has been slowing down over time.

ReadyBoost is a disk caching software by Microsoft, which was developed for Windows Vista. To resolve this and speed up Windows 10, close any apps that you don’t need as well as any browser tabs or programs that aren’t in use and see if your computer performs better. Windows provides numerous interesting visual effects including animated windows and fading menus. These extras are usually fine to have turned on, but they’re only worth it if you have enough system memory. These errors can cause things to lock up, halt program installs and updates, and generally prevent a smooth computer experience.

Viruses, spyware, and other malicious software can significantly slow down your computer by consuming resources and causing instability. Regular scans with antivirus software can help identify and remove these threats, protecting your system’s integrity and performance. Limiting startup processes is an effective way to improve your computer’s performance because the system has fewer tasks to execute before it becomes usable. If you are using a Linux distro, like Ubuntu, you should be able to uninstall programs via an application in settings.

Find Resource-Hungry Programs

Limiting the number of programmes that automatically start when you turn on your PC can significantly enhance performance. While some programmes may be essential, others may not require immediate startup. Disabling unnecessary startup programmes reduces the time it takes for your PC to boot up and improves overall responsiveness. For details, see point #3 in our article on how to speed up Windows 10. The Samsung 870 EVO is one of the most popular Solid-State Drives (SSD) because of its reliability and price.

One of the first things I usually do to easily give my PC a little performance bump is disable an option called Animation effects and Transparency effects. Windows 11 includes animation effects that play when you perform certain actions, such as opening or closing a window or minimizing an app. While they may seem relatively harmless, depending on your PC’s hardware, they can slow things down. Upgrading your RAM can greatly improve the speed and performance of your PC. To check what specific kind of RAM your PC needs, open Task manager (Ctrl + Alt + Delete), then click ‘Performance’.

Install system, driver, and app patches

You may just be experiencing a slow internet connection due to a faulty router, a bad connection, or the limited speed offered by your ISP. The great thing about doing this is that you essentially have a new computer, free of years’ worth of software and registry changes and errors that you don’t even know you have. However, you should really think more than twice about doing this because it’s irreversible and is one of the last decisions you can make to speed up your computer.