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โšก How to Speed Up Windows 11 in 2026

Updated: March 2026 ยท 5 min read

Is your Windows 11 PC feeling slow? These 10 steps will make a noticeable difference โ€” and they're all free.

Step 1: Disable Startup Programs

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc โ†’ Startup apps tab โ†’ Disable everything you don't need. This alone can cut boot time in half.

Step 2: Run Disk Cleanup

Search for Disk Cleanup in the Start menu โ†’ Select C: drive โ†’ Check all boxes โ†’ Click Clean up system files. This removes Windows Update leftovers, temp files, and the Recycle Bin.

Step 3: Enable Storage Sense

Settings โ†’ System โ†’ Storage โ†’ Turn on Storage Sense. Windows will automatically delete temp files and empty the recycle bin on a schedule.

Step 4: Adjust Power Plan

Search for Power plan โ†’ Choose Balanced or High Performance. Laptops set to Power Saver mode artificially limit CPU speed.

Step 5: Update Drivers

Device Manager โ†’ Right-click your GPU โ†’ Update driver. Outdated GPU drivers cause lag in games and video playback.

Step 6: Disable Visual Effects

Search Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows โ†’ Select Adjust for best performance. Removes animations that consume GPU resources.

Step 7: Check for Malware

Windows Security โ†’ Virus & threat protection โ†’ Quick scan. Hidden malware is a common cause of unexplained slowdowns.

Step 8: Increase Virtual Memory

Search Advanced system settings โ†’ Performance โ†’ Settings โ†’ Advanced โ†’ Virtual memory โ†’ Change โ†’ Set to 1.5ร— your RAM size.

Step 9: Defragment Your HDD (skip for SSD)

If you have a traditional hard drive (not SSD), search Defragment and Optimize Drives and optimize your C: drive monthly.

Step 10: Reset Windows (last resort)

Settings โ†’ System โ†’ Recovery โ†’ Reset this PC โ†’ Keep my files. This reinstalls Windows cleanly while keeping your personal files.

Full Windows Guide โ†’