How to Speed Up a Slow Windows 11 Laptop (15 Easy Tips)

✓ Updated: November 2026 · Works on Windows 11 laptops and desktops

Is your Windows 11 laptop slow? Maybe it takes ages to start, apps freeze, or the fan runs loudly while you just browse. You don't always need a new computer. Most slow laptops can be made noticeably faster with free settings that take a few minutes each.

In this guide, you'll learn why Windows 11 slows down over time and 15 simple ways to speed up a slow Windows 11 laptop, starting with the changes that make the biggest difference.

Quick fix

Restart your laptop, turn off apps that start automatically (Ctrl + Shift + Esc > Startup apps), install Windows updates, and free up space on your C: drive. These four steps fix most slow laptops.

Why does Windows 11 get slower over time?

Your laptop isn't broken. Over months of use, small things pile up and quietly use your computer's power:

Too many startup apps: programs you installed (and some that came with the laptop) start every time Windows starts.
Background apps and services: apps keep running and syncing even when you aren't using them.
A full storage drive: when your C: drive is almost full, everything slows down.
Old updates and drivers: missing updates can cause bugs and poor performance.
Visual effects: animations, shadows and see-through effects look nice but use memory and graphics power.
Heat and dust: a hot, dusty laptop slows itself down to avoid overheating.
Viruses and junk programs: malware can secretly use your computer's resources.
Old hardware: a hard drive (HDD) instead of an SSD, or only 4–8GB of RAM, limits speed no matter what you change.

The good news: you can fix almost all of these yourself, and you don't need to type any commands.

Good to know

Since June 2026, Microsoft has added a feature called Low Latency Profile to Windows 11. It briefly boosts your processor when you open apps, the Start menu or Search, so they open faster. It turns on automatically through Windows Update, but it's rolling out gradually. That's one more reason to keep Windows updated (Tip 2).

Tip 1: Turn off startup apps (the biggest win)

If you only do one thing from this list, do this. Many programs, like Teams, Spotify, OneDrive, WhatsApp and the laptop maker's tools, start automatically every time you switch on your laptop. Turning them off makes startup much faster. The apps still work normally when you open them yourself.

Open Task Manager Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
Open the Startup apps list Click Startup apps on the left side.
Sort by impact Click the Startup impact column to see the apps that slow startup the most.
Disable what you don't need Right-click each app you don't need right away and choose Disable.

Keep these on

Don't disable your antivirus, touchpad, audio or graphics drivers (names like Realtek, Synaptics, Intel or NVIDIA). If you're not sure what an app is, leave it on.

Tip 2: Install Windows updates

Updates fix bugs, close security holes and often improve speed, including new features like Low Latency Profile.

Open Windows Update Go to Settings > Windows Update.
Check for updates Click Check for updates, then download and install everything.
Check optional updates Go to Advanced options > Optional updates and install any driver updates listed there.
Restart your laptop Many updates only finish after a restart.

Tip: save your data bundles

Windows updates can be large. If you use mobile data or a limited Wi-Fi bundle, connect to unlimited Wi-Fi first, or set your connection as metered in Settings > Network & internet so updates download only when you choose.

Tip 3: Update your drivers

Drivers are small programs that let Windows talk to your hardware, like the graphics card, Wi-Fi and touchpad. Old drivers, especially graphics drivers, can make scrolling, videos and windows feel slow.

Use your laptop maker's app: most laptops come with one, like HP Support Assistant, Lenovo Vantage, Dell SupportAssist, MyASUS or Acer Care Center. Open it and install the recommended updates.
NVIDIA graphics: use the NVIDIA App or download drivers from nvidia.com.
AMD graphics: use AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition from amd.com.
Intel graphics: use the Intel Driver & Support Assistant from intel.com.

Tip 4: Uninstall apps you don't use

Unused programs take up storage space, and many run in the background. Removing them frees space and power.

Open your apps list Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
Sort by size Use Sort by > Size to find the biggest apps first.
Uninstall Click the three dots (…) next to an app you don't need and choose Uninstall.

Tip 5: Free up storage space

When your C: drive is nearly full, Windows has no room to work and everything slows down. Try to keep at least 15–20% of your drive free.

Turn on Storage Sense Go to Settings > System > Storage and switch on Storage Sense. Click it and set it to run every week, so it deletes temporary files and old Recycle Bin items automatically.
Run Disk Cleanup Search for Disk Cleanup in the Start menu, choose your C: drive, then click Clean up system files. Tick items like old Windows Update files and temporary files, then click OK. This often frees several gigabytes.
Move big files Move videos, photos and old downloads to an external drive or cloud storage.

Only for hard drives (HDD)

If your laptop has an older hard drive (HDD), search Defragment and Optimise Drives, choose the drive and click Optimise. If you have an SSD, Windows handles it automatically, so you don't need to defragment. To check which you have, open Task Manager > Performance > Disk.

Tip 6: Scan for viruses and malware

Viruses and unwanted programs can secretly use your processor and internet. Windows 11 has free, built-in protection that works well.

Open Windows Security Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Windows Security > Open Windows Security.
Update protection Click Virus & threat protection, then Protection updates > Check for updates.
Run a Quick scan Go back and click Quick scan.
Run a deep scan if needed For a stronger check, click Scan options > Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now. Save your work first: the laptop restarts and the scan takes about 15 minutes.

Avoid "PC cleaner" apps

Be careful with free "speed booster", "RAM cleaner" or "registry cleaner" programs. Many show fake warnings, add adverts, or install junk that makes your laptop even slower. Windows already has the tools you need.

Tip 7: Choose the best power mode

Windows may be saving battery by slowing down your processor. Changing the power mode can make apps open faster.

Open power settings Go to Settings > System > Power & battery.
Change Power mode Set Power mode to Best performance.

Laptop tip

Use Best performance when your laptop is plugged in. On battery it drains the battery faster and makes the laptop warmer, so switch back to Balanced when you unplug. Also make sure Battery saver is off when you need speed.

Tip 8: Turn off visual effects

Animations, shadows and transparent windows look beautiful, but they use memory and graphics power, especially on laptops with 8GB of RAM or less.

Quick way Go to Settings > Accessibility > Visual effects and turn off Transparency effects and Animation effects.
Full control Search performance in the Start menu and open Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows.
Choose best performance On the Visual Effects tab, select Adjust for best performance.
Keep text and thumbnails nice Tick Show thumbnails instead of icons and Smooth edges of screen fonts again, then click Apply.

Tip 9: Stop apps running in the background

Some apps keep running in the background to send notifications or sync, even when you never open them.

Open your apps list Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
Open Advanced options Click the three dots (…) next to an app and choose Advanced options. Not every app has this option.
Change background permission Under Background apps permissions, choose Never, or Power optimised to let Windows decide.

Focus on apps that don't need to run in the background, like games, streaming apps and tools you open yourself.

Tip 10: Close heavy apps and browser tabs

Every open browser tab uses memory. Twenty Chrome tabs can slow down a laptop with 8GB of RAM.

See what's using your laptop Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and click Processes. Click Memory or CPU to sort.
Close what you don't need Close heavy apps and tabs. If something is frozen, select it and click End task.
Restart regularly Restart your laptop at least once every few days. Many people only close the lid for weeks, and slowdowns build up.

Tip 11: Pause OneDrive syncing

OneDrive backs up your files to the cloud, but syncing many files uses your processor, storage and internet, which can slow everything down.

Open OneDrive Click the OneDrive cloud icon on the right side of the taskbar.
Pause syncing Click the settings gear > Pause syncing, and choose 2, 8 or 24 hours.
Resume later Come back to the same menu and click Resume syncing when you're not busy.

Tip 12: Use Efficiency Mode for heavy apps

Efficiency Mode tells Windows to give an app less priority, so your other apps stay fast.

Open Task Manager Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc and click Processes.
Select an app Click an app running in the background that you don't need to be fast.
Turn on Efficiency mode Click Efficiency mode at the top and confirm. Some apps can't use it, and some already use it by default.

Tip 13: Reduce search indexing

Windows scans your files in the background so searches are faster. On slow laptops, this scanning can use a lot of power. You can limit it to the folders you actually search.

Open Indexing Options Type index in the Start menu search and open Indexing Options.
Click Modify You'll see which folders Windows scans.
Untick what you don't search Remove locations you rarely search, then click OK.

The trade-off: searches in those folders become a little slower, but your laptop feels faster overall.

Tip 14: Keep your laptop cool

When a laptop gets too hot, it slows itself down to protect its parts. This is very common in hot weather and dusty places.

Use it on a hard, flat surface: beds, pillows and laps block the air vents.
Clean the vents: dust blocks the fan over time. A technician can clean inside the laptop safely. Don't open it yourself if you're not experienced.
Use a cooling pad if your laptop runs hot often.
Keep it out of direct sunlight while you work.

Tip 15: Make menus open faster (advanced)

Windows waits a short moment before showing some menus. You can remove this delay with one small registry change. It's safe if you follow the steps exactly, but only try it if you're comfortable.

Create a restore point first

A wrong registry change can cause problems. Before you start, search Create a restore point, click Create, and give it a name. If anything goes wrong, you can go back.

Open the Registry Editor Press Windows + R, type regedit and press Enter.
Go to the right folder Paste HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop into the address bar at the top and press Enter.
Change MenuShowDelay Double-click MenuShowDelay and change the value from 400 to 0 (or 100 if 0 feels too fast).
Restart Click OK, close the Registry Editor and restart your laptop.

Settings that won't help much

You'll see these tips everywhere online, but they rarely make a normal laptop faster:

Turning off Game Mode: Game Mode only acts when a game is running, so turning it off usually makes no difference. It's harmless to turn off if you never play games (Settings > Gaming > Game Mode).
Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling: this setting mainly helps gaming and video editing on laptops with a separate graphics card (NVIDIA or AMD). For everyday use, the change is small.
"RAM booster" and "registry cleaner" apps: these can do more harm than good (see Tip 6).

Still slow? Check your hardware

Settings can only do so much. If your laptop is still slow after these tips, the problem may be the hardware itself.

Check your RAM for problems

Faulty memory (RAM) can make a computer slow, freeze or crash. Windows has a free test:

Open the memory test Search Windows Memory Diagnostic in the Start menu.
Restart and test Choose Restart now and check for problems. Save your work first.
Wait for the result The test runs before Windows starts, takes about 10–20 minutes, and shows the result after you sign in.

Upgrade to an SSD (the biggest hardware boost)

If your laptop still uses a hard drive (HDD), replacing it with an SSD is the single best upgrade you can make. Startup, app launches and file opening become several times faster. Check what you have in Task Manager > Performance > Disk: it shows HDD or SSD.

Choose the right type: most newer laptops use an M.2 NVMe SSD; many older ones use a 2.5-inch SATA SSD. Check your laptop model before buying.
Buy from a trusted brand such as Samsung, Kingston, Crucial or WD.
Copy your Windows over: moving Windows to the new drive (called cloning) needs extra software or a technician. Back up your files first.

Add more RAM

Windows 11 runs best with 16GB of RAM for multitasking. With 4GB it struggles, and with 8GB it's fine for basic work but slows down with many tabs and apps. To see your RAM, open Task Manager > Performance > Memory. If it shows Slots used: 1 of 2, you can add another memory stick. Some thin laptops have memory built into the board, which can't be upgraded.

Last option: reset Windows

If your laptop is still very slow, you can reinstall Windows while keeping your files: go to Settings > System > Recovery > Reset PC > Keep my files. Your apps will be removed, so back up your files and note the apps you'll need to reinstall.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my new Windows 11 laptop slow?

New laptops often come with many pre-installed apps that start automatically, and Windows may still be installing updates in the background. Install all updates, restart, and turn off startup apps you don't need (Tip 1).

Is 8GB of RAM enough for Windows 11?

Yes, for basic work like browsing, Office and videos. If you keep many tabs open, edit photos or videos, or multitask a lot, 16GB gives a much smoother experience.

Does turning off visual effects really help?

Yes, especially on laptops with 8GB of RAM or less and basic graphics. Windows will look a little plainer, but menus and windows open faster.

Will resetting Windows delete my files?

Not if you choose Keep my files. It removes your installed apps and settings but keeps your personal files. Still, always back up important files before resetting.

How often should I restart my laptop?

Restart at least every few days. Restarting clears memory, finishes updates and stops apps that got stuck in the background.

Final thoughts

A slow Windows 11 laptop is usually caused by too many startup and background apps, a full drive, missing updates, or heat. Start with Tips 1 to 5, as they give the biggest improvement for the least effort. If it's still slow, check your hardware: an SSD or more RAM can make an old laptop feel new again.

Which tip made the biggest difference for you? Tell us in the comments, and share your laptop model if it's still slow. We'll try to help.

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