How to Speed Up a Slow Windows PC (Step by Step)
Ten fixes for a slow Windows PC, in the order worth trying: restart, updates, startup apps, disk space, browser tabs, malware, and when to reset or upgrade.
Most slow Windows PCs aren't broken. They're busy: too many apps starting with Windows, a nearly full drive, forty browser tabs, or updates half-installed in the background. Work through the steps below in order. The first four take about fifteen minutes and fix most cases.
The quick fixes
1. Restart. Choose Start, then Power, then Restart. It's on Microsoft's own list of fixes for a reason: it clears whatever has piled up since the PC last started fresh.
2. Install updates. Go to Start, Settings, Windows Update and select Check for updates. Microsoft also suggests checking Advanced options, then Optional updates, for driver updates. A PC halfway through a big update is often a slow one, so let it finish and restart again.
3. Cut the startup list. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and select Startup apps. Each entry shows a startup impact from Low to High. Disable anything you don't need the moment Windows starts: game launchers, chat apps, updaters for software you rarely open. Keep your antivirus and anything you recognize as a driver. Disabling an app here doesn't uninstall it; it just stops it launching itself.
4. Close what's eating resources. Still in Task Manager, open the Processes tab and sort by CPU or Memory. If one app sits at the top all the time, close it and see whether things improve. Often the culprit is a browser.
Free up space
Windows needs room to work. Microsoft says a feature update can need 6 to 11 GB of free space or more, and a drive that's almost full slows everything down.
5. Let Windows clean up. Go to Start, Settings, System, Storage. Select Cleanup recommendations, review what it suggests and select Clean up. Then turn on Storage Sense, which deletes temporary files and empties the Recycle Bin automatically over time.
6. Uninstall what you don't use. Settings, Apps, Installed apps. Sort by size and be ruthless with trial software and old games. Many new PCs arrive with extras you never asked for.
You don't need to defragment anything by hand. Windows optimizes drives once a week by default: hard drives are defragmented, SSDs are trimmed.
Tame the browser and the background
7. Put browser tabs to sleep. Modern browsers can freeze tabs you aren't using. In Chrome, go to Settings, Performance and turn on Memory Saver. In Edge, go to Settings, System and performance and check that sleeping tabs are on; by default Edge sleeps a tab after two hours of inactivity, and you can shorten that.
8. Choose performance over looks. On a laptop that's plugged in, go to Settings, System, Power & battery and set Power mode to Best performance. On an older machine, also search the Start menu for "Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows" and choose Adjust for best performance. Windows looks plainer but feels quicker.
Rule out malware
9. Run a proper scan. Open Windows Security, then Virus & threat protection, then Scan options. A quick scan is a start; a full scan checks every file. If you suspect something is hiding, choose the Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan), which restarts the PC and scans before Windows loads.
While you're here: don't install "PC cleaner", "driver updater" or registry cleaner apps to fix the slowdown. They duplicate what Windows does, often push paid upgrades, and the worst of them are scams. The FTC notes that real security warnings never ask you to call a phone number.
When it's still slow
10. Reset Windows, keeping your files. Go to Settings, System, Recovery and select Reset PC, then Keep my files. Windows reinstalls itself and removes the apps you installed, but keeps your documents. Back up first, and if your drive is encrypted, have your BitLocker recovery key ready.
If a reset doesn't help, the hardware is the limit. Check it against what Windows 11 needs:
Windows 11 minimum requirements
- Processor
- 1 GHz or faster, 2 or more cores, compatible 64-bit
- Memory
- 4 GB
- Storage
- 64 GB or larger
- Firmware
- UEFI, Secure Boot capable
- Security chip
- TPM version 2.0
- Graphics
- DirectX 12 or later, WDDM 2.0 driver
4 GB of memory is the minimum, not a comfortable amount; with a modern browser and a few apps open, we'd treat 8 GB as the practical floor. And if your PC still has a spinning hard drive rather than an SSD, replacing it is the single upgrade most likely to make an old computer feel new. SSDs load data much faster than hard drives, and Windows starts and opens apps accordingly.
One last check: if the PC runs Windows 10, support ended on October 14, 2025. Microsoft's Extended Security Updates program keeps security fixes coming until October 12, 2027, free if you sync your settings with a Microsoft account, or for $30. Use that time to plan the move to Windows 11 or a new machine.
Questions readers ask
Do PC cleaner or registry cleaner apps help?
Not in our view. Windows includes its own disk cleanup and startup controls, and registry cleaners can break things they don't understand. Some 'optimizer' ads are outright scams that show fake warnings to sell you software or support.
Should I defragment my SSD?
No need. Windows optimizes drives on a schedule by itself: hard drives are defragmented and SSDs are trimmed, which is the SSD equivalent. Leave the weekly schedule on.
My PC runs Windows 10. Is that why it's slow?
Not directly, but support ended on October 14, 2025. You can still get security updates until October 12, 2027 through Microsoft's Extended Security Updates program, and if your PC meets the requirements, the upgrade to Windows 11 is free.
Will resetting Windows delete my files?
Not if you choose 'Keep my files'. It reinstalls Windows and removes the apps you installed, but keeps your personal files. Back up anyway before you start.