How to Speed Up a Slow Windows PC
A slow Windows PC is usually not broken, it is just doing too much at once. Programs launch at startup, apps run in the background, and visual effects eat resources you would rather spend on your actual work. A few settings changes can make a noticeable difference without buying anything.
Follow these steps
- Stop unnecessary apps from launching at startup. Open Settings, then Apps, then Startup, and turn off apps you do not need the moment you sign in. Keep security software and anything you genuinely use every day, and turn off the rest. Fewer startup apps means a faster start.
- Close apps running in the background. Open Settings, then System, then Background apps, or check the apps listed under Apps and their permissions, and stop apps you rarely use from running when you are not using them. A messaging or music app does not need to run all day if you only open it occasionally.
- Restart the computer properly. If the computer has been on for days, with programs opened and closed, a full restart clears temporary slowdowns. Use Start, then Power, then Restart, rather than just closing the lid, which only puts it to sleep.
- Check the power plan. Open Settings, then System, then Power, and make sure the power mode is not set to the lowest, most power-saving option when the computer is plugged in. On a laptop, Balanced is a good middle ground; Best power efficiency can feel sluggish.
- Turn down visual effects. Search for Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows, open it, and choose Adjust for best performance, or turn off animations and transparency individually. The computer will look plainer, but windows will open and move faster.
- Free up space and check storage. A nearly full drive slows Windows down. Use Storage Sense and the large-file check in our free-up-space guide to clear temporary files, then see if the computer feels faster. If it is still slow, the drive itself may be the bottleneck.
- Update Windows and your drivers. Open Settings, then Windows Update, and install pending updates. Outdated drivers and system updates can cause slowness, and keeping them current removes that variable before you consider anything more drastic.
What NOT to do
- Install a PC optimizer or speed booster. These rarely help and often add background software of their own, making the problem worse.
- Delete system files or turn off security software to save resources. Both can leave the computer unstable or unprotected.
- Turn off every startup app blindly, including security and hardware tools you actually need. Turn off only apps you recognise and do not need at startup.
- Assume you need a new computer. Try the settings in this guide first; a slow PC is usually a settings problem, not a hardware death sentence.
A faster PC is mostly a quieter PC: fewer apps launching, fewer apps running in the background, and enough free space to breathe. If it is still slow after these steps, note whether it is slow everywhere or only in one program, because that points to the next fix.