How to Speed Up a Slow Windows Computer for Free

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A comprehensive tutorial on speeding up your PC
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As your computer ages, it accumulates fragments of temporary files, and your drive becomes encumbered as a result. After enough time has passed, you will likely notice a significant difference in your computer's processing speed. While you can't completely negate computer slow-down as it pertains to age, you can do a few things to speed up your computer's processing speed and startup time.

How to Speed up Computer for Free

  • Disable any startup programs you don’t need to be running when you boot the PC.
  • Clear up space by deleting unused applications, optimizing your disk, clearing registry errors, or installing additional storage drives.
  • Toggle the Fast Startup setting and turn off the Visual Effects option to see if that speeds your PC up.
Method 1
Method 1 of 8:

Disabling Startup Programs (Windows 10 & 11)

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  1. This will bring up your PC's task menu. If you have myriad programs starting when you log into your computer, you'll likely have to deal with several minutes of general slow-down. Disabling startup programs will fix this issue.
    • This process is identical for both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
  2. This will open your computer's Task Manager, from which you can alter or end PC processes. [1] After that, click on "More details".
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  3. This is near the top of your Task Manager window; doing so will bring up a list of the programs that boot up when you start your PC.
  4. Note that "disabling" a process will not disable it from running at all; rather, it will prevent the program from starting up automatically.
  5. This is in the bottom right corner of your Task Manager window.
    • You can also right-click a process and then click "Disable" in the context menu.
  6. Some common high memory-usage culprits include Skype and Steam
    • If you're unsure of which programs to disable, look at the "Startup impact" column on the right side of the Task Manager window; generally speaking, you should disable any "High"- or "Medium"-rated programs.
    • It is recommended that you leave your antivirus enabled; otherwise, your antivirus might not run at startup, and thus, you would be unprotected from viruses.
  7. To get the most out of this process, you'll also need to clear out the Hidden Icons menu.
  8. This is the upward-facing arrow on the right side of your taskbar and to the left of your clock. Click or tap it to open your menu.
  9. Often, you'll find background processes running here (e.g., Dropbox or Google Drive). Killing these processes will free up random access memory (RAM), which will, in turn, increase your computer's processing speed. You can end these processes from within this menu.
  10. For example, if you aren't using your computer's cloud storage app, consider ending this process.
  11. This usually prompts you to confirm your decision by clicking "Exit (App Name)". You'll need to repeat this process for every single process you want to end.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 8:

Scrubbing Your Computer with a Cleaning Program

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  1. “Cleaners” are programs that optimize your PC by fixing registry errors, removing temporary files, and fixing any bugs in the Windows code that may be slowing your PC down. The programs are free. Just make sure you choose a reputable cleaner. Some of the most popular options include:
    • CCleaner
    • BleachBit
    • Fortect
    • IObit SystemCare
    • Glary Utilities
  2. Once you’ve downloaded the program of your choice, open it and click the “Scan” or “Run” button. Select the drives you’d like to optimize and wait for the program to finish its tasks.
    • You will likely need to restart your PC once you’re done.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 8:

Enable or Disable Fast Startup (Windows 10 & 11)

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  1. Search for the Control Panel in the Search bar near the bottom right corner of your screen.
    • Fast startup speeds up the startup time on your computer. However, it has been known to cause hiccups during the boot phase. If your computer is running slow and you haven’t enabled Fast Startup, turning it on may help. At the same time, if your computer is running slow and Fast Startup is on, try disabling it to see if that solves your problems. [2]
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Method 4
Method 4 of 8:

Turning Off Visual Effects (Windows 11)

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  1. Press ⊞ Win + U to pull up the Accessibility menu. Alternatively, you can type ”accessibility” in the search bar to pull it up manually. [3]
    • Visual Effects aren’t as memory-intensive in Windows 11 as they were in Windows 10 and Windows 8, but they still take up a fair bit of juice. Turning them off should streamline your PC and make it faster.
  2. ”
  3. This will disable the extra animations that take up a good amount of memory.
    • You may need to restart your PC to get the changes to take effect.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 8:

Turning Off Visual Effects (Windows 10)

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  1. This is in the bottom left corner of your computer screen. Visual effects in Windows 8 and 10 were designed for relevant brand-new machines; if you updated to one of these operating systems with an older computer, you've probably noticed some significant slow-down. Turning down the visual effects will speed up your computer's processing immensely.
    • You can also tap the ⊞ Win key to open Start.
  2. You can do this by typing "control panel" into Start's search bar or manually open Control Panel from the "Windows System" folder at the bottom of the Start menu.
  3. The search bar is in the top right corner of your Control Panel window.
  4. This should be near the top of the "System" group on the left side of the Control Panel window.
  5. You have a few options in this menu:
    • Adjust for best appearance - This will turn Windows effects all the way up, which is effectively the opposite of what you should do.
    • Adjust for best performance - This will turn Windows effects down considerably, speeding up your computer in the process.
    • Custom - Un-check the box next to any feature you wish to disable. For optimal performance on an older machine, disable every feature.
  6. For older machines, using the Custom option to disable all visual effects is your best course of action, while the "Adjust for best performance" option will take care of most mid-range computers.
  7. You may notice a decrease in the presentation quality on your computer, but its processing speed should have increased.
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Method 6
Method 6 of 8:

Cleaning Up Your Hard Drive (Windows 10 & 11)

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  1. This is in the lower-left corner of your screen.
  2. You should see an app appear at the top of the Start screen.
  3. Disk Cleanup is a standard utility on a Windows computer; it rids your computer of temporary files, processes, and other small bits of information that can slow down your PC's processing speed. [4]
    • The Disk Cleanup app runs automatically on a schedule in Windows 10 and 11, so if the app says your disks are already optimized, there’s no need to run the program.
  4. This will clear the following items from your computer's cache:
    • Downloaded program files
    • Temporary internet files
    • Recycle Bin contents
    • Temporary files
    • Thumbnails
    • You may also see other options here depending on which default apps shipped with your device. It's perfectly safe to check any box in this menu, so check these too.
  5. This will get rid of your computer's temporary files. If you don't perform this cleanup often, you can find several gigabytes' worth of temporary files and such here.
  6. This will locate the disk defragmentation app on your computer.
  7. This should be at the top of your Start menu. When your hard drive has been around for a while, its subfolders and their respective contents get scattered around it (in other words, your drive's "fragments"). Running the Disk Defragment tool will consolidate your files and these fragments, increasing the speed at which your hard drive can access information.
    • Do not run the Disk Defragment program if your computer has a solid-state drive installed. SSDs are made to resist fragmentation, so running a defrag on them can seriously damage your files.
  8. It should be labeled something like "OS:C".
  9. This will begin to defragment your drive. Depending on how long it has been since your last defrag, this can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.
  10. Hard drives recall the first 50 percent of storage placed on them much quicker than they do the bottom 50 percent; for example, if you have a 500 gigabyte hard drive, the first 250 gigabytes of information you put on your hard drive will be quicker to access. You'll notice significantly less slow-down on your PC if you limit your file storage to half of that of your hard drive's capacity. The best way to do this is by increasing your hard drive capacity with an external flash drive or hard drive.
    • You can also move your files to any one of several free cloud storage services (e.g., Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox).
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Method 7
Method 7 of 8:

Uninstalling Unnecessary Programs (Windows 10 & 11)

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  1. You can view all of your PC's programs and apps from inside the Start menu; simply scroll down to view them.
    • You will also see folders here; they often contain more apps, so click them to view their contents.
  2. Generally speaking, apps like "News" or a radio app that ships with your OS are completely unnecessary (and easily replaced with better programs or online plugins). [5]
    • If an app is crucial to your computer's functionality, you won't be able to delete it; that said, most mandatory apps take up minimal processing power.
  3. This will prompt a context menu.
  4. This will immediately uninstall your app or program, negating the need to visit the "Programs and Features" folder.
    • You may have to click "More" at the bottom of the context menu to access the "Uninstall" option.
  5. Most Windows computers ship with many stock apps, plugins, programs, and free trials; these should all be candidates for deletion. [6]
  6. For every stock installed app, there is at least one viable alternative: [ citation needed ]
    • Replace Microsoft Edge with Chrome or Firefox. Both of these browsers are faster, easier-to-use alternatives to Edge. [ citation needed ]
    • Replace "Groove" with iTunes. Again, you can't delete Groove, but it takes much more processing power to run Groove than it does to run iTunes. [ citation needed ]
    • Replace your default video player with VLC. VLC can play almost any video format and has a simpler, cleaner interface than default Microsoft video players, translating to quicker processing speed. [ citation needed ]
  7. After implementing these changes, your computer should be running much faster now!
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Method 8
Method 8 of 8:

Upgrading Your PC

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  1. Install more RAM to speed your PC up. If you built your PC or have an upgradable PC, upgrading the RAM is one of the easiest ways to speed your PC up. If you have 8 GB of RAM, move up to 16 GB. If you’re already at 16 GB and need more power, go up to 32 or 64 GB. Simply turn your PC off, open the case, and insert new RAM sticks in the slots on your motherboard. [7]
    • RAM is short for Random Access Memory. It’s the short-term memory that handles all of the memory-related tasks when you run programs or open files. Increasing RAM is one of the most cost-efficient upgrades if you enjoy multitasking or do a lot of gaming or video editing.
  2. Hard disk drives are largely considered old tech these days. If your PC is using physical hard disk drives, transfer your data to a new solid state drive and install it in your PC. [8]
    • If you have an M2 SSD, install it on an M2 slot on your motherboard (usually under the CPU or GPU slot). Install any SATA SSDs by connecting them to your PSU and motherboard.
    • Solid state drives have no physical components that move. That means they don’t need to “turn on” when you perform a task that requires the drive. As a result, SSDs are much faster than traditional HDDs.
    • If you’re simply low on space, install another storage drive of any type to free up some memory.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I speed up my PC performance for free?
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    Expert Answer
    An easy way to make your computer faster is to increase your RAM. You can do this by uninstalling apps that you don't use much and by deleting files that you no longer need.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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  • Question
    How do I speed up my computer's copying speed?
    Natfor gaming
    Community Answer
    That is connected to your hardware already. Your RAM, Processor, Hard Drive, USB are the ones in control of the copying | reading speed.
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  • Question
    My Gateway laptop is slow. How do I make it speed up the system?
    Community Answer
    Follow the steps in this article.
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      Tips

      • While it isn't technically part of your physical computer, clearing your browser's cache and cookies will improve your web browsing speed.
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      • Make sure your computer is running in high-performance mode. If you're on a "Power Saver" plan or something similar, you will notice decreased processing speed when using high-performance apps or games. You can check this by clicking the battery icon on the right side of your taskbar.
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      • Practicing good technology habits--such as keeping your computer charged and turning your machine off regularly--will increase both your machine's lifespan and its running speed significantly.
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      Warnings

      • Refrain from downloading third-party apps to clean up your computer. Everything one of these apps might accomplish will be easily doable by you with the technology available by default on your Windows PC.
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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.pcworld.com/article/3030200/windows/how-to-make-windows-10-faster-5-ways-to-speed-up-your-pc.html
      2. ↑ https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/how-to-enable-or-disable-fast-startup-on-windows-11
      3. ↑ https://mcmw.abilitynet.org.uk/how-to-turn-off-animations-in-windows-11
      4. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/15055/windows-7-optimize-windows-better-performance
      5. ↑ Luigi Oppido. Computer & Tech Specialist. Expert Interview. 10 June 2020.
      6. ↑ Luigi Oppido. Computer & Tech Specialist. Expert Interview. 10 June 2020.
      7. ↑ https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to/install-ram-in-a-pc
      8. ↑ https://uk.crucial.com/articles/about-ssd/how-to-install-solid-state-drive

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Open the Task Manager.
      2. Click the Start-up tab.
      3. Select a process.
      4. Click Disable .
      5. Repeat for other processes that you don't need to open automatically.
      6. Reboot your PC.

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