Alex Ruben
How To Boost Windows 11 Speed: 10 Tips for Optimal Performance (2025)
Is your Windows 11 PC feeling sluggish? Yeah, that bugged me too. Especially after installing a bunch of apps or just the usual bloat. Over time, your system tends to get cluttered with unnecessary files, background processes, and who knows what else that slows everything down. So, here are some tried-and-true (and some slightly sneaky) steps to make that thing run smoother. Don’t expect miracle fixes, but they do help.
Preparation: Create a System Restore Point
Smart move before tossing too much at your registry or changing settings. You never know when something crashes and you gotta roll back. Here’s the quick lowdown:
- Click the Start button, type
create a restore pointand hit Enter. - Select Create a restore point from the search results.
- In the System Properties window, hit Create.
- Give it a name like “Before Optimizations,” then click Create again. Done.
Method 1: Disable Unnecessary Startup Apps
Only thing worse than slow boots is waiting forever for your apps to load. Disabling apps you don’t need at startup can save serious seconds (and maybe minutes). Why? Because Windows loads everything in the background, sometimes unnecessarily.
Here’s how to do that:
- Hit Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Yeah, it’s faster than searching.
- Click on the Startup tab. Sounds obvious, but not everyone finds it right away.
- Right-click apps you don’t need immediately — like Dropbox, Slack, or printer apps — and choose Disable.
Of course, some apps need to run all the time, so don’t just yank everything. It’s a balancing act, but this usually helps with boot speed.
Method 2: Uninstall Unused Applications
Accumulating apps you don’t use is like cluttering your house with junk. It eats up resources and, honestly, just looks messy. Here’s how to clear that out:
- Open Settings via Start > Settings or press Windows + I.
- Go to Apps > Installed apps.
- Scroll through and find the superfluous apps. Click the three dots next to them and hit Uninstall.
Some apps stubbornly refuse to uninstall, especially pre-installed bloatware, but every little bit helps.
Method 3: Update Windows and Drivers
Keeping Windows and your hardware drivers up to date is kinda like giving your PC a shot of adrenaline. Outdated drivers or system files can cause slowdowns, crashes, or weird bugs. Windows update checks are easy:
- Open Settings > Windows Update.
- Click Check for updates. If it finds anything, install it.
- For drivers, scroll down and click on Advanced options (or visit your device manufacturer’s site for latest drivers). Windows sometimes pulls driver updates automatically, but it’s good to double-check.
Method 4: Tweak Power Settings for Speed
Power options aren’t just about saving battery — switching to a performance mode can grant your CPU more juice. Especially useful if you notice sluggishness while plugged in.
Navigate via: Settings > System > Power & battery. Then select Best Performance mode if available.
Note: On some setups, you might need to enable this mode through the Control Panel > Power Options for more granular control.
Method 5: Reduce Visual Effects
Windows 11 is pretty flashy, but all those animations and transparency effects can add lag, especially on older gear. Cutting back can make navigation snappier.
Press Windows + R, type sysdm.cpl, hit Enter. Under the Advanced tab, click Settings under Performance. Here, either select Adjust for best performance or pick and choose effects you don’t need (like shadows or fading).
Method 6: Turn Off Animations & Transparency
This is a quick visual hack that actually helps speed things up:
- Open Settings > Accessibility > Visual effects.
- Switch off Animation effects and Transparency effects.
Not sure why it helps — maybe because Windows has to redraw less stuff. Whatever, it can make the UI feel snappier.
Method 7: Manage Windows Services
If your system is choking on background services you don’t need, disabling some can free resources. But be careful — not all services are safe to turn off.
Launch via: Run > services.msc. Look for services like Remote Desktop Services (if you don’t use remote access), and change their Startup type to Disabled. Right-click, choose Properties.
Method 8: Enable Storage Sense
This auto-cleaner can clear out temporary files, clutter, and empty your Recycle Bin on schedule. Handy for regular cleanup without manual effort.
Go to Settings > System > Storage, then toggle on Storage Sense. Customize when and how it deletes junk. Works behind the scenes, so you don’t have to think about it—until you notice your drive is cleaner and your PC is snappier.
Method 9: Defragment Your Hard Drive (If Using HDD)
This one’s only for those rocking an old-school spinning drive. If you got an SSD, skip it — defragging can reduce lifespan, and it’s unnecessary anyway.
Type defrag in the Start menu/search, and open Defragment and Optimize Drives. Select your HDD and click Optimize. It’s usually quick, but can make a noticeable difference in load times.
Method 10: Registry Tweaks (Advanced Stuff)
Okay, only try this if you’re comfortable editing the registry. Messing up can be bad, but small tweaks here can help speed things up a bit, especially on really old hardware.
Press Windows + R, type regedit, and hit Enter. Backup your registry first via File > Export. Then navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management.
Set the DisablePagingExecutive and LargeSystemCache values to 1 for a small speed boost — it’s kind of a hack, so don’t expect miracles. Should help if you’re trying to squeeze a bit more out of old hardware.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Some added tips that often get overlooked:
- Run regular malware scans — viruses can slow stuff down for no good reason.
- Switch to an SSD if still on a HDD. It’s like night and day.
- Use built-in tools like Disk Cleanup and Performance Troubleshooter.
Summary
- Disable startup apps you don’t need
- Remove unneeded programs
- Keep everything updated
- Adjust power and visual effects
- Manage services carefully
- Run regular cleanup and defrag (if HDD)
- Consider registry tweaks if confident
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. Not everything will work perfectly on every machine, but these are solid starting points to get your Windows 11 faster and happier.